it therefoâ—â— to pass that amongst Christians thâ—â— is not believed and throughly weigâ—ed Why do men blindly study 〈◊〉 secure the Mite and suffer the Mouâ—tain of invaluable Treasure to mâ—â—â— away every day and their immortâ—â— Souls to perish in the Floods of iâ— temperate Drinking But methinâ—â— if such Knowledge be too wondâ—â—ful for them and they cannot aâ—tain unto it as the Psalmist speakâ— The eyes of their body might suffice to 〈◊〉 form them better while they shew thâ—â— the daily ruines of that and the mâ—â—â— sore evils preying upon their carkass before its time And besides it is well â—o be observed what is but too cuâ—tomary That many men labour â—nder a double Distemper in divers â—espects by sparing basely and spendâ—ng basely with great artifice as they may suppose but weakly making â—ne Sin support another which is â—rue so far only as in an Ague the â—old Fit the greater it is the more vioâ—ent is the hot Virtue therefore if it be â—ot loved and embraced for its own â—ake and not for vices sake which â—ften happens ceases to be what it is â—alled But that men may better unâ—erstand this I shall now proceed to â—xpose briefly the heinousness of this â—â—n leaving some other Palliations â—â—d Excuses thereof to be considerâ—d towards the Conclusion SECT IV. The Word of God expresly declaring against Drunkennesse IT seems to be a very reasonablâ— demand of me arguing againâ—â— this Sin that a man should be Sober when he is not Drunk but Sobernesse I restrain not to outwarâ— acts only of the Tongue and Hand but extend it as is usual to the actâ— of the Mind and soundness of Judgâ—ment which notwithstanding 〈◊〉 wont to suffer very much oftentimeâ— from errours in practice and evil Lisâ—vitious acts constantly and vehemenâ—ly importuning Reason to justifie thâ— Offender and to make that gooâ— which common sense judges to bâ— evil And so agreeable to the monstrousnesse of mens Actions are the paradoxes of their Understandâ—ng until it comes to that sometimes as too often it does that the first principle of Religion the assurance of a Deity and the next to that the Omniscience of God or the Justice of God in duly and infallibly rewarding good and evil are doubted of opposed contemned and derided As Solomon says Fools make a mock of sin And as the Psalmist Tush God â—â—areth not for it Is there knowledge in â—he most High Such rude and bold Expostulations as these are but a â—onsequence of that commoner Vice â—iz of Atheism For if there be no â—uch thing as Sin there is no such â—hing as a God and if there be no God there is no such thing in the World as Justice and Injustice of â—hich God alone is the Original Rule and so no such thing as Viâ—â— or Virtue And as some boldly aâ—cuse the Holy Scriptures as the cauâ—â— of all quarrels and divisions amongâ—â— Christians yea and of men of dâ—vers Religions So likewise maâ— they say of the severe notions of Viâ—tue and Vice that they are the cauâ—â— that so many Offences are taken aâ—â— given which removed and mâ—â— left to their supposed Liberty and Iâ—genuity the World would be quiâ—er Which two Positions are aliâ—â— true but indeed both so notoriousâ—â— false as deserve not our refuâ—â—tion We must therefore here suppoâ—â— men to be Christians and to receivâ— without doubtful disputation tâ—â— fundamental points of Faith conceâ—â—ing the Being Nature Truth Justiâ—â— Goodnesse of God and such Omniscience that as he suffereth no â—in unpunished either by our selves 〈◊〉 true repentance or by himself in 〈◊〉 proper reward destinated to it so he â—â—scerns all the little as well as great â—â—rours of our Lives and that if â—ossibly sinners in any kinde may â—scape the just reward in this Life he â—â—serveth vengeance for his Adversaâ—â—es as the Prophet Nahum speaks Nahum 1 2. which wrath is inevitaâ—â—y to be executed upon the separaâ—â—on of the Soul by death from the â—ody and more fully upon the â—â—storing of the Body to the Soul 〈◊〉 the Resurrection of the dead â—â—d the last just and fearful Judgâ—ent These things being stedfastly â—elieved and frequently and seriousâ—â— reflected on can scarce want their â—â—e effect upon ingenuous and wise â—â—uls in possessing them with a dread of Sin which exposes them to sucâ— evils It therefore remains at present tâ— be shewed under what various formâ—â— and obligations to punishment aâ— well as dishonor and displeasure tâ—â— Almighty God the Sin of Drunkennesse lyeth And one Capital Oâ—fence accompanying it rather thaâ— others is that commonly there 〈◊〉 more open and bold profanation oâ— Gods holy Name and his Word more contempt of serious and godâ—â— advice in this Sin than any other For Whoremongers Adulterers Thieves Lyars and Oppressors 〈◊〉 the Poor generally retain some mâ—â—desty in their sinning and can bettâ—â— endure admonitions and reproofs bâ—ing convicted of their Errour bâ—â— I know not what peculiar daring spâ—rit is infused with Wine and stronâ— Drinks into the mind of the Drunkard that he answers all such atâ—empts of reducing him to Sobriety with jests scoffs threatnings ragings â—nd worse a great deal many times Let any of the former Sinners be surprised in the Act he cannot choose but blush shrink and be ashamed but take a man in his Fit of Drunkennesse and tell him of his fault when it is most apparent and undenyable he storms and rages most of all stands his ground as well as he â—an resists all opposition stoutly â—nd derides Religion it self molestâ—ng him breaking out in Blasphemous Language divers times Abigail Nabals Wife knew this very well and so do all other prudent Wives â—nd Friends to the Intemperate in this kinde when she deferred to tell her Husband in what condition he was and how by his provocative Language in his Drunken fit he had brought himself into extreme danger and the brink of Perdition I therefore in like manner supposing my Patient to have his Interval of Reason and out of his Fit apply my self to him offering to hiâ— serious consideration the Voice oâ— God himself against this Vice dâ—nouncing his heavy Judgment against it a certain indication anâ— proof of the heinousnesse of the Sin For the two great Witnesses of thâ— Old and New Testament yea third viz. The Law and Light 〈◊〉 Nature testifie expresly against thâ—â— Sin The Prophet Isaiah in the name â—â— God cries out against this Sin chaâ— 5. 11. Woe unto them that rise up earâ—â— to follow drunkennesse and to them thâ—â— continue till night till wine inflame them And again chap. 28. 1. Woe to the â—rown of pride the drunkards of Ephraâ—â— And because an evasion and â—xcuse is too often heard from some â—â—ying in their defence That they do â—ot make a common practice of it â—ut sometimes only and therefore â—ll not under the severity of such Curses Hear they what God speaks â—y Moses in Deuteronomy chap. 29. 19 â—0 And it shall come to passe when
some singular provocations know â—o such as understand my Circumstanâ—es not hidden to many However 〈◊〉 declare uprightly there is nothing of revenge at all in the case but purest and greatest Charity of beâ—aking my self to this more publick course to reclaim some at least who cannot have the benefit of that vulgar saying to mitigate their offence He is to bodies Foe but his own For in truth no man is Virtuous or Vitious to himself alone but influences others by â—ettering or tainting them so that to â—ndeavour to obviate this evil warring â—gainst all capacities And to professe enmity to it is rightly understood to declare himself a Friend to all sorts of persons unlesse that may be said now â—o be fulfilled which I am unwilling so much as to think which * Apothegm Patrem cap. 17. Antony the Great as he is called Father of soliâ—ary and sequestred living from the World is said to Prophesie viz. Tâ—â—â— the world should one day come to that paâ—â— and men should be so wilde that when to behold a sober man they will say Thâ—â— art mad because thou art not like thâ—â— And it is said That frequenters of Tâ—verns and fermenters of their Braâ— by Drinking are come to that degâ—â— of Confidence already as to term sâ— as avoid such Irrational Exercises thâ— accustom themselves to Melanchâ—â—â— men as scarce themselves because transported beyond themselves If aâ—â— therefore shall so tax me of morose â—â—gularity and audacity I will answeâ— downright terms as did St. Paul to â—â—stus so accusing him I am not mad â—â—â—â— noble most witty most c. but spâ—â— forth the words of truth and sobernâ—â—â—â— for I am perswaded none of these thâ—â—â—â— I now write are hidden from theâ—selves or can well be gainsaid by Ingenuous Person possessed of his â—eason For let them tell me Is it not a â—rievous Sin this Drunkenness against â—hich we speak let the Princes of â—â—rope especially lying more Northernâ—â— look into their Dominions Let â—â—e Nobles look into their Families â—et the privater and inferiour Persons â—iew the havock that is made in their â—â—cient Houses and Estates Let eâ—ery man of ability to consider and at dares enter into a recognition of â—s Estate and the very figure and â—â—rm outward and constitution of his â—ody inward tell us what greater deâ—â—stations confusions ruines and miâ—â—ries are wrought by any Sin than this 〈◊〉 which I shall have occasion to â—â—eak more plainly and fully hereâ—â—ier But I in so just and necessary a cause do not content my self to escape thâ— rigorous usage of many unlesse I caâ— no small blame and perhaps shanâ—â— upon others of great Worth Learninâ— Piety and Zeal for Religion and tâ—â— Weal Publick that have indulged much to prudence and civility of dâ— meaner that they have more paâ—ently suffered this Vice to dominâ—â— and harrasse sound Piety withoâ—â— bending some part of their prospeâ—ous Labours against this Sin whiâ—â— has made more Fanaticks against oâ— Church than the boldest or most peâ—tinacious Doctour of Disobedienâ—â— and Schisme For hereby God is Blâ—sphemed in his Faith and Worship very day though I am not of thâ— Perswasion which the Enemies of oâ— Church would gladly work into meâ— Heads That onely Conformists aâ— obnoxious to the Sin of Drunkennessâ— fâ—r frequent instances there are to the â—ontrary which if there were not I â—hould think the better of that vulgar â—â—gument against the Church That â—â—e Friends and Defenders of it are geâ—erally scandalous in their Lives â—hich indeed is but of small force â—â—lesse with injudicious Persons as not â—â—ing true and if it were true not â—onclusive unless it could be proved at the Church doth any where alâ—ow such Practices as its Adversaries generally do those Errours in Doctrine â—nd Practice which they stand convicted of It is now forty years or more since I cast mine eye on a Foreign Author who to shew his Eloquence and Wit hath published an oration in the praise of Drunkennesse Subject becoming the Wit and Geniâ—us of a Netherlander wherein I â—now not that any of our Nation hath imitated him though the Preâ— here hath of late days been too frank of scandalous Pamphlets but I hopâ— shall never be suffered to produce suâ— a Monster And I hope in God trâ—â— Christian Hearts and Ingenious Mind will rather condemn themselves sâ— their silence against this crying Sin thaâ— me now at length crying out against 〈◊〉 in this manner SECT II. Of the Nature and Kindes of Drunkennesse THat in this my Discourse I mâ— not altogether stagger like Drunken man but avoid confuâ—â—on I shall make my entrance into 〈◊〉 considering first what Drunkenâ—sse is and the several kindes Next â—all proceed to shew the grievousnesse 〈◊〉 the Sin before God and the dreadâ—â—ll effects upon the Weal-publick well as the immediate Actours or â—actisers and finally offer to the â—w of my Reader a summary of 〈◊〉 Causes and Cures thereof In pursuit of this my Design I inâ—nd not to play the Philosopher in â—â—udying an accurate definition of it 〈◊〉 could wish that it were not so suffiâ—â—ently known to the meanest Underâ—â—anding but that it required an Artifiâ—â—al description for the instructing the â—gnorant What then may we call Drunkenâ—ess but intemperate Drinking But â—hat is intemperate Drinking will â—â—e Friend of that Vice demand of â—e Shall I say To Drink too much to Drink to excesse This also will bâ— as much questioned by the droughtâ— Sceptick unwilling to understand hâ—â— Errour And yet the same person it be inquired of him What is Gluâ—tony and what it is to eat Excessivâ—ly is no more to seek for an answeâ— than another He knows very welâ— to eat too much in quantity to affeâ—â— too dainty and costly Fare and to eâ—â— unseasonably is to eat unreasonably and to eat unreasonably is to be Iâ—temperate and Gluttonous But we aâ— know and grant what the drinkinâ— Soul alledges for it self oftentime That 't is not always the quantity a maâ— takes but the condition of the Persoâ— that drinks If a man's accustomâ— to the Trade of Drinking and theâ— by having attained an ability to be more then other men shall exceed 〈◊〉 known mean of Drinking he mâ—â— called a Drunkard though he can â—eep his legs and rule his tongue indifferent well and remains master of his reason because first it may be well supposed that before he arrived to that strength he offered violence more than once to his natural Inclination Reason and Senses too so that one main evil effect of Drunkard is he constantly carries about him a violated nature in Habit and unnaturall dilatation of his Capacity For as we say of slight Stuffs or Clothes they will shrink in the wetting so may we say of the Faculties of mans Body they will stretch with the wetting so that a man by constant violence offered to the powers of his Soul doth wickedly enable them to sustain more drink than Nature of it self would endure To
〈◊〉 heareth the words of this curse that 〈◊〉 blesse himself in his heart saying I all have peace though I walk in the â—â—agination of my heart to add drunkenâ—sse unto thirst The Lord will not spare 〈◊〉 but the anger of the Lord shall â—â—oke against that man and all the â—â—rses that are written in this book shall 〈◊〉 upon him and the Lord shall blot out 〈◊〉 name from under heaven and shall separate him to evil So that we see there can be nothing more pernicious to a man than those customary defences men are prone to make of such their Sins Of which sort is that we read of Matth. 24. v. 48 49 50. where Christ saith of the evil servant If he shall say in his heart My Lord delayeth his coming and shalâ— begin to smite his fellow-servant and to eat and to 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 hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth What is this portion Mark we and tremble to offend God in this manner and see how God proportions the form of his punishment suitable to the sin The sin is taking up their cups too freely To such therefore God shall give his cup also called Psalm 11. 6. The portian of their cup. Upon the wicked saith David he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible pit this shall be the portion of their cup. So Psalm 75. 8. In the hand of the Lord there is a cup and the wine is red Clarret if you please so much in fashion now adays it is full of mixture and he poureth out of the same but the dregs thereof all the wicked shall wring them out and drink them And who so fit to take up this Cup at Gods hands as they who are perfect in that sinful Art of taking off their Cups in this World And if we look into the Revelations of St. John we shall easily understand what God means by the Cup of his wrath so often threatned against the Whore of Babylon for the Cup of abomination she reaches out to such as she deceives and destroys resembling much the practice of urgers of glasses upon others which in very deed is no better than a gentle Poyson to both Body and Soul of him that giveth it as well as of him that so taketh it As that was a strong violent Poison given in Cups unto such as were condemned to death by publick Justice for their faults upon which Custom the Metaphorical expressions now named were undoubtedly founded But let us proceed hearing what St. Paul saith to the Corinthians chap. 6. ver 9 10. 1 Epist Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom This some modern sinners feigning I suppose rather than being really ignorant St. Paul informs them of in particular adding Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor abusers of themselves with Mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God In which crew of abominable Malefactors you see Drunkards as well as they think of themselves are numbered both to their dishonor and terror Which again he rangeth together in like manner in his Epistle to the Galations chap. 5 ver 20 21. with the rabble of sinners which the Drunkard himself seemeth sometimes to detest Thus therefore shall it infallibly come to passe one day what Nahum threatneth While they be folden together and while they are drunken as drunkards they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry Nah. 1. 10. SECT V. Of the several evil Enormities and Ominousnesses and Absurdities of Drunkennesse in any Nation BUt let us descend lower and judge a little from Reason and the Wisdom and Authority of unchristian Sages of the World yea others of an inferiour Order whaâ— an account is to be had of this Sin Surely with all the wise part of thâ— World Temperance is reckoned amongst the Moral Virtues and noâ— onely so but the Cardinal too thaâ— is of such honorable and prime Nature as have influence upon all humane Actions publick or private an enemy to all which is the contrary Vice Intemperance a branch of which is this Drunkennesse we â—ow speak of So that what Law Order Beauty and benefit Tempeâ—ance giveth unto a State and Perâ—on by reining in the exorbitant â—usts and affections of Venery Glutâ—ony Drinking and the irascible part of mans Soul as Philosophers call all revengeful Appetites Intemperance especially of Drink le ts â—oose cuts the chords of Discipline erected in the Soul asunder and throws open the doors for all Lusts to sally out at pleasure Whereupon Clemens Alexandrinus in his Paedagogy or Institution of Novices much approves the wisdom of the Ancienter Greeks who gave the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Intemperate man intimating thereby that he was in very deed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the easie change of one letter i. e. one past saving or cure And if I would translate the wor◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into English for my life could do it no better than by setting the first Letter by it self and rendring it A Sot And what may we term a Sot or whom but him thaâ— indulging to his senses degenerateâ— from that stately Original and Posture God hath to man given boweth down his Reason to his Senses and hangs down his Head to the Earth after the manner of Beasts Wherefore the Stoick in Tully fitly derides Epicurus the Father Dum Palato quid sit optimum judicat coeli Palatum ut ait Ennius non suspexit De Natura Deor lib. 2. of Sensualists telling him That while he was so good a Critick of things affecting the Palate he could by no means look up to the Palate of Heaven as the Ancient called the Roof or Arched part of it It is said of Swine That of all Creatures they can least look â—pwards and if by accident they â—ast their eye upon the Heavens they â—o it with horror and shreeks at the strangenesse of the sight probably with like passion as men from an high place beholding a very low and deep Precipice of darknesse and ruine In â—ike manner is the very lifting up of the Eye at any time towards Heaven of the sensual man especially Swinish Drunkard an horror to him and not to be viewed without a tacit dread of the glory denyed him and the punishment impending on him and expecting him This must needs be his humour unlesse he relieves himself with an Article of Mahomets Creed promising him all Rarities and Delicacies in Heaven answerable to his Earthly senses As that man in the Gospel of St. Luke chap. 14. 15. who sat aâ— the Table with Christ himself anâ— was so affected with his entertainment that he cryed out Blessed 〈◊〉 he that shall
too well to abuse it or to be base in either of these way St. Paul makes use of a known anâ— approved Rule of Discipline in hâ—â— Age applying it to Christianity Evâ—ry man that striveth for the mastery â—â— temperate in all things 1 Cor. 9. 24. In timating that they who are not temperate are unfit for such weightâ— matters upon which the felicity oâ— unhappinesse of a Kingdom so mucâ— depends And how much better he is to hiâ— own Family than he is to the Royâ—â— Family which is the Kingdom where in he lives will be easily seen Nay it may be easily understood what 〈◊〉 Friend he would be to the wholâ— Nation if it were in his power by the good usage he gives to his own flesh and blood and inferiours under them For doth not the holy Apostle declare that Christian to bâ— worse than an Infidel who provides not for his own family 1 Tim. 5. 8. How much more culpable is he then that shall undo himself and relations by his riotous living Yea the very Woods Fields and Pastures feel the evil effect of his Drunken humour For after he hath lavished out that full stock and store which his Friends left him he proceeds to seize upon the very Corps of his Estate the annual Revenue not sufficing him to maintain two homes the one his own House and the other the Tavern if he be of the greater Rank â—ut if of the meaner the Ale-house or perhaps he brings the Tavern home to his own House which â—s worse and breeds more disorder â—nd confusion in a Family than the other and so bottle after bottle and sometimes dozen after dozen of bottles are brought forth so that the Butteries or Cellars expences equallizing many times and sometimes exceeding the expences of the Kitchin the Gentleman as the Prodigal in the Gospel begins to be in want and falls a borrowing and when his credit fails there wooes his distressed Wife a second time for to release her Joynture and never considers how want and infamy is coming upon him as an armed man and upon his children In the mean time the Timber falls and makes the Earth groan and tremble as it were perceiving its own fate not to be far off and that Ax is laid to the Entail to cut that off too and the Tenements mourn and hang their heads droop and ready to fall the Woods and Groves are turned into Champion And first goes one Farm and then another and when there remains no more to secure the Prodigal himself goes to the Country-house of such persons the Prison And his Children if he hath any to their Friends or the miserable allowance of the Parish And he that is thus an Enemy to his own Family must needs likewise be an Enemy to his Country For particular persons thus wasting their own Estates do at the same time weaken the Nation it self by the unnatural spoil of that part which were inconsiderable were it not that this is the Case of so many now adays And having briefly touched these Inconveniencies of Drinking it may seem superfluous to descend to the Personal Evils such disorderly persons bring upon themselves For all the foresaid Evil falls heavy on the Authors head Yet are there some which more immediatly affect and afflict his very Body Minde and Soul For God having made Man after his own Image and indued him with Understanding and Divine Reason these are commonly wasted with his outward Goods and he becomes the worst of all Iconoclasts in defacing the Image of God himself in himself What Prince yea what meaner man would not be incensed to see his Picture despitefully broken to pieces and trampled on And can we believe that God will bear the affront of deforming and ruining his And what dreadful effects doth our Land yield to its shame of such as these some egregious Instances of which I could give but that I would not disoblige any of the Name or Family who to heighten their Wits have lost their common Reason and become little better than dumb Beasts remaining Living Monuments of Folly and Madnesse in this kinde Others sinking under the design of Monstrous Intemperance and becoming glorious for Brutality have slept an everlasting sleep And if this falls not out constantly yet do they procure infallibly to their Bodies infinite Troubles and Distempers and by the frequentation of Glasses going about do as it were shake Deaths Hour-glasse as if it stood and they were weary of their Lives Hence proceed Dropsies and Feavers and Plurisies and Gouts and shaking Palsies and what not to recompence with many days grievous Torment the inordinate Pleasure of a few hours In which also while they please themselves they make sport for others by their apish foolish wilde and frantick speeches postures and gestures not amiss described thus by Chaucer in his Man of Laws Tale O messenger fulfilled of Drunkennesse Strong is thy breath and thy limbs faltrâ—naye And thou bewraiest all secretnesse Thy minde is lorn thou janglest like a Jay Thy face is turned into a new array There Drunkennesse reigneth in any rout There is no counsel hidden without doubt It may also be not unworthy the hearing from some of the Ancient and Holy Fathers what they have observed of the mischiefs of Drunkennesse accruing to the user of it Clemens Alexandrinus in his Clemens Alexand Paedag. lib. 2. c. 2. Institutions of Youth or Pedagogie saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. By excesse of Wine the Tongue trips and stutters the Lips hang down the Eyes are distorted the Sight wavering the Eyes darkened through redundance of moisture and are constrained to make false reports All things turn round and are turned about And Origen upon Levitious Scholar to Clemens declares Drunkennesse to be an enemy to all weakning the Soul as well as the Body But Chrysostome more fully Chrysost Tâ—m 5. Hom. 84. and particularly thus writeth in an Homily on Drunkennesse and the Resurrection Drunkennesse is nothing else but an extasie and alienation of the understanding a perversion of reason a want of judgment and penury of knowledge And to Chrysostome let us add Chrysologus agreeing as well in sense as name with the other in a Sermon he hath of the Faithful Steward writing thus Ebrietas est mater caedis c. Drunkennesse is the Mother of Slaughter the Parent of Quarrelling the Breeder of Fury the Dam of scurvy Brawling He that hath this hath not himself he that hath this is not a man he that hath this doth not so much commit Sin as is Sin Drunkennesse is a fawning Devil a sweet Poyson a voluntary Madnesse an incensed Enemy temptation to Dishonesty an injury to modesty This no Christian can be acquainted with A Priest may not so much as hear of it lest he who should be a pattern of Vertue should become an example of Vices Thus he there having a little before said Drunkennesse which is an offence in others is
same who should be patterns of Honour and Virtue to them Sixthly The not putting the Penal Statutes in execution against Drunkennesse hath given presumption to many to offend boldly herein When Queen Elizabeth gave assistance to the distressed Netherlands these Succours soon learn'd the Art and catched the Disease of Drinking rife in those Countries and transported the same soon after into England where it so far prevailed that in the fourth of King James it was judged necessary a Law with severe Penalties should be made to redresse that spreading mischief But when what the baser sort only as common Soldiers c. at first offended in Men of Estates and Fashion afterward were guilty of the wholesome Laws soon became but as spiders webs and lie still languishing craving as it were new vigor and enforcement answerable to what we read Great Defenders of Virtue and Enemies to this hateful Vice have signally shewed when it became common and contumacious resisting and despising ordinary Remedies And the Reverend Spotwood in his History of Scotland tells us That about the year 970. Constantine Son of Keneth King of Scotland made a Law by which it should be death to be Drunk Which Law if it were in force in England at this day it might for a time make greater slaughter than the greatest Enemies to Drunkennesse could be content to see yet in a short time it may be supposed to prevent more Bloodshed than such impunity as now is allowed For seeing and with horror lamenting the many and foul Murders committed in Drunken Meetings I have been inclin'd to believe That God beholding the abounding of this Vice and the little regard to execute deserved punishment upon such Offenders takes the punishment of it into his own hands and lets these mad Beasts loose to tear one another to pieces and kill one another by frequent Assassinations and suffers an easie way to be open for the Murderers to escape Notwithstanding what the Scripture advises to the contrary Prov. 28. 17. A man that doth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit let no man stay him Which Rule admits only of this Exception that we know viz. When it is offered involuntarily and meerly casually or upon extreme necessity of saving our own Lives which necessities we must not bring upon our selves by becoming first Assailants But when the best account and plea made for offering violence to the blood of a Man shall be that he was Drunk or at least had first offered violence to his own Reason by Wine Ale or Brandy to accept this for Innocency which adds guilt to guilt is to encourage both Murderers and Drunkards by a Clemency which will certainly end in Fury against that Land where such gentlenesse shall be in use if not against the person so pittiful It seems to me more reasonable and just a great deal that the frequent users of Brandy that pernicious Spirit to the Bodies Brains and Souls of men should be brought under the Common Law against such as have to do with Familiar Spirits and suffer the same punishment For Brandy is a Spirit we all know and they who abuse it as now adays it is upon no necessity make it an Evil and Familiar Spirit both and are in this respect more blameable than they who confederate with the Devil For the Devil was evil and so were his petty Imps before Men had to do with them but Brandy as commonly used is made wicked and mischievous by him that corresponds thus with it How evil then must needs that Soul be that so accustoms it self to it that he is not sensible of the evil it brings along with it nor perceives how it wasts and preys upon the Natural and Vital Spirits This surely is an iniquity if any to be punished by the Judges as Job speaks chap. 31. For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction But though I presume upon such just and apparent grounds to determine what such a monstrous and still growing custom deserves I presume not to determine without better Authority and counsel how to give it its deserts but leave it to the severer lashes of others or rather to the Scorpions it carries with it in its own tail SECT VII A Seventh Reason of the increase of Drunkennesse Drinking of Healths OUt of the store of Causes or at least occasions of Drunkennesse I have thought requisite to single that of Drinking Healths become so common and familiar to all sorts of Persons and so generally tending to such an evil Event that all endeavors of curing this Epidemical Disease of Drunkennesse must needs prove vain and ineffectual this remaining in its acquired reputation and force which that it may we finde great Wits great Authority yea Grave too not wanting to defend and support this Darling of our Age which we judge more fit to be dashed against the Stones What hurt is in it say some moderately used What Scripture against it say others Phanatically urging for once Do not the greatest say others dignifie it Do not the Gravest grace and justifie it Is it not a good Character divers times to testifie our affection and honour and obsequiousnesse to our Friends to our Betters to our Governours especially our Supream And there are not wanting some who can fetch an Argument from the Church and Religion which yet I am ashamed to set forth at length after the authors and users of it This and much more is alledged hereafter to be considered more directly Here it may suffice in general to render the truest reasons of this to be mens Fansies and Appetites irregular and lastly that which St. Augustine once confessed to be Frailty in him viz. Plus valebat in me inolitum deterius quam insolitum melius i. e. An accustomed evil more prevailed with me than an unaccustomed good as will appear by these following reasons against it And in the first place I argue against it from the Heathenish Superstitious yea Idolatrous original of Healths invented and intended for a fit Worship of false Gods and Demons supposed to be the Souls of some great Hero's departed this Life whom they so remembred but with this extenuating Circumstance That this they did chiefly if not only on Festival days appointed to their honor but the Custom with us is become much worse for there are amongst us that do this every day and scarce ever to omit it where two or three Companions meet together and commonly they joined eating to them drinking to them and feasting at their Tombs They supposed that they were Deified and thereupon so honored them We drink in remembrance of them whom we know to be alive as if we would Deifie them For all Worship given unto such as are at that distance that they cannot receive nor perceive the same done unto them doth imply somewhat in him more than of humane order And yet it missed but a little but such jolly compotations had prevailed in the Church
this of Healths hath more than enough so to do But this I may say likewise That if Men in ordering their Conversations refuse the obvious notices of things as represented to their Understanding by common appearances and estimation and fly to subtilties of disputing that which they might know better without disputing they will or may at least arrive to that finenesse of Arguing as did that Polonian Gentleman Scholar to Socinus who went beyond his Master as may be seen in his Epistles and took up this Dogm to maintain That there is no such thing as sin in the World His capital Ground for such his monstrous Opinion being taken from the unwillingnesse all Men naturally have to erre Of which Evil Faustus Socinus himself complains he could not cure him nor convince him Will we yet alledge for our Defence that we are unawares fallen into Company greater and better than our selves and therefore must comply with them in some degree to avoid offence It will be easily answered The best way to avoid offence is to avoid such company or to depart Another way to avoid offence I mean of the greatest of all God Almighty is to forbear modestly at least where boldnesse doth not become a Man but yet directly For if while thou hast the true use of thy Reason thou canst not command thy self but must needs yield to Importunity and Custom how wilt thou be able to resist when the flattery of Drink shall combine with the importunity of others instigating thee and make thee facile and flexible to greater measures and so lyable to greater mischiefs But I am not unsensible of the Relicks of an Apologetical Reason for Drinking sometimes more freely than ordinary even to hilarity and that by good warrant and to good ends as the alternation of Joy after sorrows possessing Men and reparation of Spirits wasted or fled by too much labour or dejection of mind All which I grant to be true and therefore no ways condemn all Refreshings not only by usual Meals but allow somewhat for extraordinary Occasions answerable to Physick taken in the Spring and Fall to remove or prevent Diseases entring upon the Body But what can be more unreasonable than for any man under pretence of such usefulnesse to take Physick every day or every week Or to suppose That when a man is alone he should not need this foresaid relief of Body or Mind but only when he meets Companions for his turn and that all of these should at the same time fall into such indidisposition of Body or Mind as to stand in need of such Restoratives And besides these true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristophan in Ranis Sons of the Tankard as Aristophanes ingeniously calls Bacchus their Grandsire seldom carry so much Philosophy about them as to have an eye to these their own Reasons but follow the motions of their Appetites considering nothing so much as the delighting their Senses which every wise Man should most carefully avoid especially having imbibed the sincere Milk of Gods Word and given root to Principles of Mortification and Self-denial wherein chiefly consists the true imitation of Christ And thus having briefly run through the Design against Drunkennesse and the grand promoter thereof Drinking of Healths I should here cast my self at the feet of so ill accustomed Persons in a pathetical humble and earnest Exhortation and Supplication that by the many Bonds and Obligations lying upon them from the Honour of God whose Laws are daily contemned and his Name blasphemed by such Practices from the scandall brought upon the Church and Religion requiring Fastings and abstemiousness from things and quantity of things not unlawful in themselves from the King and Kingdom which should be dearer to us than our own inordinate Lustings both which are shaken the one in his Throne and the other on its bottom where such Iniquity abounds from the health of the Body crazed hereby and the soundnesse of the Minde corrupted by it from the ruine of our Dependences imminent upon this Vice from the sorrow and anguish of our Friends conceived at the sight hereof and the joy of our Enemies especially evil Spirits who clap their hands and shout heartily at the inharmonious Consort of such roaring Boys as we read in Scripture that the good Angels in Heaven rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner repenting and returning from such evil courses Lastly From the most important thing of all the Immortal Soul forced by such tyranny of Sensuality to contract it self into an obscure corner here from whence tremblingly it foresees it self ready to be haled by such violences into everlasting flames for these momentany sparks of Pleasure which are almost as soon out as kindled But the prosecution hereof I shall choose rather to commit to two Sermons which that excellent and unprejudiced Father St. Augustine hath upon the same subject with me that so all true Christians and Ingenuous Men may see what I have said vouched and more divinely urged To all which God of his infinite Grace and Goodnesse grant a due and much desired successe Amen THE Two hundred and one and thirtieth SERMON OF St. AVGVSTINE De Tempore Of shunning Drunkennesse THE Two hundred and one and thirtieth SERMON of St. Augustine De Tempore Of shunning Drunkennesse NOtwithstanding most Dear Brethren I believe through Christs goodnesse ye dread the evil of Drunkennesse as the pit of Hell and that not only you your selves will not Drink more than ye should but neither oblige nor compel Men to drink more than becomes them Yet it can scarce happen but some will be more carelesse herein and neglect Sobriety Let it not turn to your prejudice who constantly give sober Entertainment that it is necessary we should reprove some that are given to Drink For seeing Dear Brethren that Drunkennesse is a grievous and hateful sin to God it is so spread over the World by divers thereunto accustoming themselves that now adays it is scarce look'd on as a Sin but it is come to that that they scoff at such in their Feastings who cannot drink as much as themselves so that they adjure Men by unfriendly friendship to take off their Cups more largely than then behoves them But he that compels another to drink more than he is well able should do him lesse injury if he wounded his Body with a Sword than by slaying his Soul by Drunkennesse For our Bodies being made of Earth like as when too much Wet is poured into it and that daily it is resolved into dirt so that ye cannot Till it in like manner is it with our Flesh having drunk too plentifully it cannot admit of any Spiritual Husbandry nor produce any Fruits profitable to the Soul Whereupon as all men covet sufficient Rain in their Fields that they may Till them and rejoyce in the plenty of Fruit so in the Close of their Bodies they should drink in so much only as may suffice lest by Excesse the firm Land
of their Bodies becomes a Lake breeding Worms and Serpents and Vices rather than the Fruits of good Works For Drunkards are just like to Lakes and what is bred in Lakes your Charity knoweth very well Whatever is there bred is nothing of Fruit There are produced Serpents Leeches there are Frogs and several sorts of Vermine which are more apt to scare a man than profit him as concerning Food And those very Weeds and Trees as grow in those Swamps or near unto the sides of them are of no use at all so that every year they are burnt Observe likewise that whatever arises from Drunkennesse is ordained for the Fire And such are all they as I have said who are given to Drink who draw out their Dinners to the Evening and the Day-star beholds their Suppers who when they should be Fasting cannot stand on their Legs whose Senses are dull blockish and themselves as it were buried alive Lastly in their Drunkennesse they neither know themselves nor others they can neither go nor stand they can neither speak nor do any thing with reason and oftentimes they are not ashamed to swill till they Spew and drink in measures without measure For Cups of the larger size are called for They contend by a certain Law and the Conqueror deserves applause for his fault From hence arise strifes and brawlings and then the parts of the Body are wreathed this way and that way with horrible leapings and hence it is that Adulteries and Murders are committed And as often as they Drink too much as if they were troubled with the Palsie they cannot walk on their feet but their filthy sides are drag'd to the Bed by the hands of others They have a mist before their Eyes a Vertigo Heavinesse and pain of the Head falling of the Countenance trembling of all their Limbs stupidity of Minde and Spirit In such as these is fulfilled what is written Who hath woe who hath wrath who hath strifes who hath wounds without cause who hath rednesse of eyes Have not they who stay long at the Wine and they who enquire where there is good Drink and give themselves over to take up their Cups But they who are such endeavor to make this miserable excuse I shall disoblige my Friend if as often as I invite him to Dinner I shall not offer him as much Drink as he desires But let not him be thy Friend which would make thee Gods enemy who is thine and his own enemy If thou shalt make thy self and another Drunk you shall have Man your Friend and God your Enemy Consider therefore with thy self if it be reasonable that thou shouldst separate thy self from God whilest thou unitest thy self to a Drunkard At least do not thou adjure him do not thou constrain him but leave him to himself so that he may drink what he pleases And if he hath a minde to fuddle thee let him perish alone but do not thou perish with him O the misery of Mankinde How many are there who force Drunkards and deboist Men to drink more than they should and when the Poor beg but one Cup at their Doors refuse to give it them nor consider that what they put upon deboist Persons Christ ought to have received who hath said What ye have done to one of the least of mine ye have done to me But such as they who bury others in too much Liquor say to the poor Man who asketh an Alms Be gone be gone and God will give you something and indeed while he proceeds some body bestows something on him What is it therefore that he meaneth when he saith Go on and God will give you somewhat but Go to him who hath God in him and God will give you And so by the confession of his own mouth God is not with him who moving him he might give to the poor I beseech you dear Brethren consider and observe diligently that when Beasts are led to the watering so soon as they have satisfied their Thirst though ye hold them long in the Water their Thirst being quenched they neither will nor can drink at all Let Drunken men consider whether they be not worse than Beasts For seeing Beasts will not drink more than is requisite they take down twice yea thrice as much Drink as is expedient for them And what might suffice to satisfie them for three or four days reasonably they strain hard to consume in one day to their grievous Sin rather than spend it out of Malignity or Drunkennesse And it were to be wished they only wasted the Drink and not destroyed themselves How great a Sin is Drunkennesse when the King caused his chief Butler to be hanged for ill will or Drunkennesse Yet the people of the Jews of whom it is written The people sat down to eat and to drink and rose up to play after they had drunk more Wine than they ought caused Idols to be made for themselves and in honor to their Idols began to dance and wring their Bodies by divers skippings What besides springs from Drunkennesse the Holy Spirit witnesses by Solomon saying Wine and women draw away wise men from God and reprove the sensible Herod also when he was heated with Wine too much upon the dancing of one Lass cauâ—ed St. John Baptist to be slain And again Solomon saith Look not upon the Wine when it sheweth its self in the Glasse It entereth in flatteringly but at last it will bite as a Serpent and diffuse its poison as a Basilisk Thine eyes shall behold strange women and thy mouth shall speak perverse things And the Apostle Paul also advises us against the evil of Drunkennesse saying Be not drunken with Wine in which is Excesse Again and again we plainly shew out of the Scriptures what mischiefs there are in Drunkennesse In Solomon it is written He that loves wine and oyl shall not be rich Again Give not wine to Kings because nothing is kept private where Drunkennesse bears rule lest peradventure they drink and forget the Judgments of God and change the cause of the children of the poor And he also saith The labourer that is drunken shall not become rich Again If you drink Wine moderately you may be sober Again Wine was made for chearfulnesse and not for Drunkennesse from the beginning Wine drunk moderately exalts the mind and body and is healthful for body and soul Wine much drunk is the stoutnesse of Drunkennesse the stumbling of the unwise eclipsing virtue and causing Wounds If at any time we advertise men hereof drunken men are angry at us and mutter But though there may be who are offended yet by Gods grace there will be many who willingly listening to good counsel by Gods blessing will be delivered from that grievous sin But they who are angry when they hear men speak against their Foster-brother and Friend Drunkennesse let them hear us freely speaking to them Because whatever Drunkard he may be who doth not repent of it
too much Let no man say Most dear Brethren that in these times there are no Martyrs there are Martyrs made every day for Martyr is as much to say as Witnesse Whoever therefore shall bear testimony to the Truth and shall judge all causes according unto Justice whatsoever he shall suffer for the Testimony of Truth and Righteousnesse all that shall the Lord account to him for Martyrdome And so he that shall resist Drunkennesse and by Gods assistance shall persevere so that for that he shall endure any Tribulations the Lord shall ascribe all to him even to the glory of Martyrdome But I would fain know most Dear Brethren when a Master hath divers Servants if he could be content that but one of them should be Drunk Surely none is so wicked that he should at any time have desired this or would have it so With what face with what conscience shall he be Drunk himself who will not endure one of his Servants to be Drunk See through Gods blessing thou hast a Servant and God hath thee for his Servant in such manner as thou desirest that thy Servant should serve thee oughtest thou to serve God Tell me in good earnest what equity there is in this that thou shouldest have a sober Servant and God should have a drunken Servant as if thou wert so deserving that a sober Servant should serve thee Consider therefore these things diligently my Deer Brethren and marke that there is no justice in this that we should do to God what we would not have done to our selves Peradventure thou wilt say How do I that to God that I would not have done to my self or How doth it not please thee to have a Drunkard to thy Servant and thou wilt not serve God in Sobriety For therefore Beloved Brethren so wretchedly do men make themselves Drunk because they are of opinion that Drunkennesse is a very small or no sin But for such their ignorance are Priests more especially to give an account at the day of Judgment if they neglect to declare daily to the People committed to them what and how great mischiefs arise from Drunkennesse So that he who believes Drunkennesse to be a small Sin if he doth not mend his life and become penitent for this Drunkennesse Eternal Punishment shall unavoidably torment him together with Murderers and Adulterers according to what ye know the Apostle teacheth Neither Fornicators nor Idolaters saith he nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankinde nor Covetous nor Adulterers nor Drunkards shall inherit the Kingdom of God See he joyneth here Drunkards with Fornicators and Idolaters and Sodomists and Adulterers And that also Be not drunk with Wine in which is excesse And therefore let every man conclude and consider with himself that Drunkennesse is a grievous Sin and so doing Drunkennesse shall not master him For seeing Drunkennesse shall not only torment a Man in the World to come but also Men in this Life are worsted with many Diseases in this present Life by Drunkennesse let them at least be afraid of Bodily distempers who have no regard to the Salvation of their Souls let them be afraid of dimness of sight and darkness the swimming of the Head and trembling of the Members who are not afraid of the punishments of Hell And this we speak not only to the Laity but Clergy also for what is yet worse many of the higher Rank of Clergy-men who ought with others to Preach the excellency of Sobriety not only forbear this but also tipple themselves and others without shame or fear But whoever are such let them mourn and confess their fault for if they will not amend their Lives they shall be tormented for themselves and others also But what a thing is that when the Meal being over and Thirst satisfied when they neither can nor ought to drink any more then as if they were fresh as if they came in at that instant they begin to drink under sundry names not only of Men living but Angels and certain other ancient Saints imagining that they do them great honour when they bury themselves in too great Drinking not understanding this that none do offer so great injury to the Holy Angels and holy Men as they who make use of their Names to slay their Souls with Drunkennesse For there are some who for this reason only give order to have salt Meats provided them that by that saltness they may overthrow themselves with too much Drink If Heathens who know not God should do this we are not to wonder at it and less may we grieve because they have no hope in God they keep to the old Custom of their Fore-fathers but wherefore should Christians follow their Intemperances most filthy from whose Infidelity Gods mercy hath delivered them whom God hath brought out of Darkness into Light hath called from Death to Life and to whom all the Scriptures cry That they should flie Drunkennesse and love Sobernesse Wherefore I intreat you by the dreadful Day of Judgment and adjure you That ye avoid Drunkennesse as much as ye can possible by Gods help And now begin to blush that hitherto you have complyed with Pagans and Gentiles in the foul Sin of Drunkennesse For because ye are unlike them in Faith you ought not to be like them at all in Drunkennesse For supposing Christians should not commit the like Sins with them Drunkennesse alone frequented where amendment and repentance do not follow tumbles them into the bottom of Hell as before we have said Nor Drunkards shall inherit the Kingdom of God But some man may say I am not for the Kingdom of God I only desire everlasting rest Brethren let no Man deceive himself there are two places and there is no third for any body Whoever shall deserve not to raign with Christ shall undoubtedly perish with the Devil Lastly Whoever he be who Drinks too much to his Friend becomes his Enemy as to his Soul and is convicted of weakening his Body and destroying his Soul It were better that in stead of what he bestowed on him in too great quantity in one day and compelled him to drink he should two or three days invite him to an Entertainment and wherein he worsted him with too much Drinking in one day he should refresh him other days with competent Drinking and so he should neither loose his Drink nor destroy his Friend Or which truly is much better whatever hath been lost by too much Drink in the Throat should be converted into Almes to the Poor so that their Bodies might be reasonably refreshed with Drink and by pittying of the Poor recovery of the Soul may be prepared And this correction have we spoken of not for their sakes who are sober and civil for that through God we know many that make frugall and sober Entertainments And therefore for you who out of the love of God take only that which is expedient and what is quite lost on Earth to Drunkards is reserved through good Deeds a reward in Heaven Let it not suffice that ye your selves are sober but as much as in you lies so rebuke and reprove Drunkards that they may never be suffer'd in your presence to drink more than becomes them so that whiles ye your selves love Sobriety and reclaim others from the destruction of Drunkennesse by your counsel ye may prepare a double reward in Eternall Bliss not only for your own Salvation but the Salvation of others also And my dear Brethren how much is that to be lamented and blushed at that is reported of some Country people who when they have got Wine or have made some other Drink for themselves they invite as to a Wedding-Dinner their Neighbours and nearest Friends to Drink that they may keep them Drinking for three or four Days and bury them in too much Drink so that all that while they return not from that lamentable Drinking-bout to their own homes until all the Drink provided be spent and which sufficed to nourish them and their Families for two or three Months they consume in four or two Days by lamentable and shamefull carouzing Wherefore most dear Brethren while I with great love as my Paternall care requires admonish you in this sort I discharge my Conscience towards God But whoever hears readily and faithfully what I thus Preach to him shall receive an Eternal Reward But he that shall slight this let him fear lest he suffer Eternal and Endlesse Punishment But we trust that through Gods goodnesse all Drunkards will so return to Sobriety from the Sin of Drunkennesse by Gods grace that they will cause us to rejoyce and themselves may deserve happily to attain Everlasting Reward Amen FINIS Errata PAg. 7. r. speak p. 10. l. 6. r. ingenuous pag. 12. l. 18. r. man be p. 25. l. 2. r. to their wonted reason are p. 24. l. 22. r. they acquire p. 26. l. 2. r. make p. 27. l. 9. r. quite out of p. ib. l. 18. r. pens p. 28. r. thereby p. 29. l. 3. r. thereof p. 32. l. 10. r. especially p. ib. l. 13. r. ingenuously p. 33. l. 5. r. Valesius p. 35. l. 1. r. nature offers p. 37. l. 8. dele and p. 88. l. 2. r. too p. 45. l. 9. r. Valesius p. 50. l. 20. r. in common letter p. 54. l. 6. r. Religions so p. 69. l. 9. r. as barbarous p. 76. l. 9. r. precedents in pag. 78. l. 9. because letter p. 105. cod acute p. 121. l. 3. dele to