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
which spake by Solomon who is the Spirit of truth be worthy to be believed we must assent to it as a certain truth that whosoever is deceived by wine or strong drink is not a wise man They may be wise for managing worldly matters but they have not that wisdom which cometh from above which maketh wise to Salvation for that wisdom teacheth men to be pure and holy Jam. 3.17 The wisdom that is from above is first pure And therefore impure and filthy drunkards have none of this wisdom They are so far from being wise men that in truth and reality they are very fools for they part with the glory and pleasures of Heaven for ever for a pot of drink or a cup of wine and for the enjoyment of the pleasures of sin which are but for a season they plunge themselves into the torments of Hell for ever 4. They are not the best sort of Gentlemen that are given to drinking and other vices Debauched Gentlemen are the reproach of the Gentry The best sort of Gentlemen are pious and virtuous Gentlemen who hate and abhor vicious courses such as walk in the fear of God and themselves and families are patterns of piety and virtue such as love and seek the welfare of their Country and are rich in good works 5. This will not excuse any man at the day of Judgment to say many Gentlemen and men of great parts were addicted to drunkenness For 1. Those Gentlemen will be in as miserable a condition as the poorest beggars at the Judgment seat of Christ Who have been vicious persons their Riches will avail them nothing at all at that day Job 36.19 Will he esteem thy Riches No not gold nor all the forces of strength Those Rich men that fared deliciously every day and drunk their fill of wine and strong drink while on earth shall not get one drop of water to cool their tongues when they are in Hell Luk. 16.19 23. 2. Vicious Gentlemen will be in a worse condition in the other world than the poorest and meanest begger on the face of the earth for they shall be tormented for mispending their Estates with which God intrusted them to do good with all Potentes potenter torquebuntur What is said of Babylon Rev. 18.7 How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her The same measure shall be meeted out to vicious Gentlemen the greater pomp they have lived in on earth and the more deliciously they have fared the more sorrow and torment they shall have hereafter 3. Pious persons that have been so poor that they have begged their bread shall reign with Christ in Heaven while vicious gentlemen shallcry and roar in Hell and beg for a drop of water to cool their tongues and be glad of it though brought by the hand of a beggar that hath begged Alms at their doors Luk. 16.20.21 22 23 24 26. Lazarus was a poor begger full of noysom running sores which the dogs licked when he lay at the rich mans gate he would have been glad of any crumbs that fell from the rich mans Table but when he dyed Angels carryed his Soul into Abraham's Bosom and when the rich man dyed he went to Hell and there being in great torment he begged that Lazarus might dip the tip of his finger in water and cool his tongue but he could not obtain that favour to have so much as a drop of water to cool his tongue though he was a great man and lived gallantly while he was on earth § The example of such Ministers as are given to this sin No excuse for drunkards The wofull condition of a drunken Minister Plea 2. There are many Ministers will drink as hard as any other men and we hope we may do as our Ministers do we have honourable thoughts of our Ministers and besides our Ministers are learned men and if drunkenness were such an horrible sin as you would make us believe surely they that are such learned men would not be addicted to such a foul sin A. 1. To be a Minister of Christ is an high and honourable employment and it is a good thing that people should have honourable thoughts of the Ministers of Christ and esteem them very highly for their work and office sake 1 Cor. 4.1 Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Thes 5.12 13. We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you And to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake 2. We must not follow the example of any Minister though he should be the best Minister in the World farther than he followeth Jesus Christ Who was a better Minister than the Apostle Paul yet he desired no man to follow his example farther than he himself followed Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ 3. Did you know what a wofull condition drunken Ministers are in you would not be in their case for the whole World The Prophet Jeremiah trembled Body and Soul and was amazed when he considered the wofull condition of drunken Ministers Jer. 23.9 11. Mine heart within me is broken because of the Prophets all my bones do shake For both Prophet and Priest are prophane Prophane Ministers are in Gods account as bad as Sodomites Jer. 23.14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing they commit adultery and walk in lyes they strengthen also the hands of evil doers that none doth return from his wickedness they are all unto me as Sodom And we know that the men of Sodom were such an abomination to the Lord that he consumed them with Fire and Brimstone from Heaven Prophane Ministers are the worst sort of men and therefore in Scripture they are compared to the tail Isa 9.14 15. The prophet that telleth lyes he is the tail There is a most bitter cup as bitter as wormwood and gall prepared for drunken and prophane Ministers Jer. 23.15 When Ministers are ignorant or negligent in their work or prophane in their lives their flock lyeth open for a prey to all that have a mind to devour them Isa 56 9 10 11. And the blood of all those souls that perish either by their negligence or evil example will be required at their hands 4. It is no marvel to see some Ministers that have great parts and much learning given to drunkenness and other scandalous sins For 1. Knowledge without Grace will not make a man an Holy man The devils have great knowledge yet they are wicked Spirits and do very wicked things 2. It was so under the law there were many wicked Priests that lived in scandalous sins Jer. 10.21 The pastors are become brutish Jer. 23.11 Both prophet and priest are prophane And it is foretold it would be so under the Gospel that there would
under the hatred of God 3. If you be hated of your Neighbours and have ill Offices done you because you will not break the Commandments of God as other men do this is matter of joy rather than of sorrow such hatred makes you happy rather than miserable Luk. 6.22 23. Blessed are ye when men shall hate you and when they shall separate you from their company and shall reproach you and cast out your name as evil for the Son of Mans sake Rejoyce ye in that day and leap for joy for behold great is your reward in Heaven 4. It is far better being troubled and hated and envyed of men raised in your rates and to have all the ill Offices done that you can think of than to have troubles in your own Consciences and be shut out of Heaven and be tormented in Hell for ever which will be the certain effect and consequence of drunkenness What petty inconsiderable things are being envied of neighbours raised in your rates and the like to the loss of the Kingdom of Heaven and the suffering of the torments of Hell 5. If you cannot withstand the temptation of drunkenness by reason of your living among sottish neighbours remove your habitation and choose a dwelling among more sober and pious persons whose Godly example may excite and encourage you to lead a Godly Life § The plea of such as will not believe that God will shut them out of Heaven for such a small sin as drunkenness answered Plea 20. If I thought God would shut me out of Heaven for excessive drinking I would forthwith leave off my going to Ale-houses and Taverns and would never be drunk any more for I am not such a fool as to cast away my immortal Soul and deprive my self of the glory and joys of Heaven for ever for so small a matter as wine or strong drink but it can't enter into my heart to believe that God will shut men out of Heaven and cast them into Hell for such a small sin as drunkenness for such a small matter as drinking a little too much wine or strong drink and therefore I will take my liberty to eat and drink and be merry and hope to go to Heaven as well as the most precise and abstemious persons in the World A. 1. Dost thou call drunkenness a small sin It is a great abominable a monstrous most loathsome and beastly sin It is a sin against the light of nature and a sin against the light of Scripture It makes a man like a beast yea worse than a beast for there are many beasts will not drink more than satisfieth nature It makes a man like a devil some men when they are in their cups will rage and swear and curse at that dreadfull rate that they seem rather to be incarnate devils than men Yea some drunka ds are worse than devils for the devils are afraid of being tormented and pray that they may not be tormented before their time Mat. 8.29 Art thou come hither to torment us before the time Luk. 8.28 What have I to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God most high I beseech thee torment me not But many drunkards do frequently in their cups call out to God to damn them as if they longed to be in Hell and dared the most high God to damn them And shall any man then be so far deluded as to think or say that drunkenness is but a small sin 2. The Lord foresaw that many drunkards would flatter themselves with vain hopes of Salvation and therefore he hath given a caution to drunkards that they would not deceive themselves with vain and groundless hopes of enjoying the Kingdom of Heaven For he hath plainly declared that no drunkards shall enter into his Kingdom 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived Nor drunkards shall inherit the Kingdom of God Gal. 5.19 21. Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication Drunkenness Revellings and such like of the 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 By these and such like Scriptures it is plain and evident that drunkards shall not inherit the Kingdom of God and that drunkenness is a sin that will certainly shut a man out of Heaven And therefore whether you believe it or believe it not it is most sure that if you do not repent of and forsake this sin of drunkenness you shall not you cannot be saved 3. The Lord is a very merciful and gracious God and his tender mercies are over all his works but yet he will not shew mercy to any contrary to his Word He is faithfull and true as well as merciful Psal 25.10 All the paths of the Lord are Mercy and Truth Psal 85.10 Mercy and Truth are met together It was never known that the Lord did shew mercy to any in a way contrary to his truth or that mercy and truth crossed each other If the Lord should save drunkards he should not be true to his word for he hath said in his Holy Word that drunkards shall not inherit his Kingdom And therefore it is vanity and folly to hope for Salvation contrary to the word of God which is in effect to hope that God will break his word that he may save our souls 4. Such drunkards as will not believe that God will shut men out of Heaven for the sin of drunkenness do add unbelief to their drunkenness and do thereby go about to make God a lyar 1 Joh. 5.10 He that believeth not hath made God a lyar 5. It is an horrible provocation for drunkards or other sinners when they hear or read of God's judgments that he will shut them out of Heaven and cast them into Hell c. To bless themselves and think that they shall have peace and that God will be merciful to them and spare them though they go on in their sins Hear how dreadfully God threatens such persons Deut. 29.18 19 20 21. Least there should be among you man or woman or family or tribe And it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my heart to add drunkenness to thirst The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the curses that are written in this book shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven and the Lord shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel according to all the curses of the Covenant that are written in this book of the Law Here are several judgments denounced against all such persons whether men or women of what Family or Nation soever they be that bless themselves in
drunkards is only a corporeal transient pleasure but the joy and delight which temperate men find in the wayes of God are spiritual pleasures the joyes and comforts of the Holy Ghost Act. 9.31 Walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Ghost And there are no pleasures in this world to be compared with the comforts of the Holy Ghost 2. The pleasures of drunkenness bring dreadfull pains along with them And those after pains are of that afflicting nature that no wise man would purchase those vain imaginary pleasures at so dear rate as to have all those pains that they bring with them For 1. Drunkenness causeth sharp and painfull sicknesses which sometimes are of long continuance And what good will a man's pleasures that are vanished away do him when he is on his sick-bed 2. Drunkards meet with many sharp rebukes and sore afflictions which vex and peirce them like Thornes Prov. 26.9 As a Thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard And if there be a Thorn in the hand there can be but little joy in the heart 3. There are pains in the Conscience that follow the drunkard 's pleasures The guilt of his sins will one day sting the drunkard like a serpent and bite him like an adder though for the present it seems a pleasing thing to be among drunken companions Prov. 23.31 32. Look not thou upon the wine when it 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 4. The worst pains that follow drunkards are the pains of Hell for they are eternal intolerable unspeakable pains Then all their mirth and jollity shall cease for ever VVhat is said of Israel in the day of their calamity Amos 8.3 The Songs of the Temples shall be howlings in that day The like may I say of drunkards when they are in Hell The Songs of the Taverns shall be howlings in that day Then those that were styled roaring boyes that were wont to sing shall howl and roar in Hell through grief and anguish of heart And what the Prophet Isaiah saith of the calamities that were coming on the Jews Isa 24.7 8 9. All the merry hearted do sigh the mirth of Tabrets ceaseth the noise of them that rejoyce endeth the joy of the Harp ceaseth they shall not drink wine with a Song strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it The same shall be verified of drunkards that were full of mirth while they lived when God shall cast them into Hell all the merry hearted shall sigh and mourn for ever there are no Musical Instruments no pleasant Songs there the noise of them that rejoyce endeth there shall be no drinking of wine or strong drink no not one drop of water to cool their tongues their strong drink shall be bitter to them that took most pleasure in it 3. Are wine and strong drink thy chiefest joy and delight thou hast in this world then thou makest thy belly thy God For that which is our chiefest joy that we make our God Ps 43.4 I will go unto the altar of God of God my exceeding joy And such as make their Belly their God their end will be destruction Phil. 3.19 Whose end is his destruction whose God is their belly 4. The pleasure men take in drunkenness is sinful pleasure and the pleasures of sin are so dangerous so destructive to Body and Soul that a wise and gracious person will chuse rather to suffer any kind of Affliction than to embrace the pleasures of Sin Moses was a wise man and he chose rather to undergo an afflicted condition in the Wilderness than enjoy all the Pleasures of Pharaoh's Court because he could not enjoy them without sin Heb. 11.25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season 5. If the pleasantest and most delightful Wine in the World were presented to you if you saw a Spider or a Toad or some other poisonous Creature in the Cup would you not throw it away Drunkenness will do you more hurt than any poison For poison only kills the Body but drunkenness kills and destroys both Body and Soul for ever If any man should say to you when you are in your Cups as they cryed to the Prophet 2 King 4.40 O thou man of God there is death in the Pot. As if one should say to you O thou Drunkard there is death in the Cup and were sure what he said was true would you not throw away your Cup There is a worse thing than death in the drunkards Cup there is damnation in the Cup. And shall the pleasantness of the Liquor entice you to drink your own damnation 6. The more pleasure men take in their sin the greater is their sin and the greater will be their punishment It is a damnable sin not only to do unrighteous actions but to take pleasure therein 2. Thess 2.12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness The more voluptuously men live here the greater sorrow and torments they shall have hereafter Rev. 18.7 How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment give her § The obstinate Drunkard's Plea that is resolved to take his course though he go to Hell when he die Plea 25. You may spare your pains for I am resolved I will go on in my way if I must be damned for this sin of drinking I will bear it as well as I can I shall have good store of Company with me in Hell and shall have Neighbours sure and therefore let God have his will on me hereafter and I will have my will while I am here A. 1. Dost thou consider what thou sayest Thou art a Heaven daring a God provoking Sinner Dost thou contemn God Who hath hardned himself against him and prospered Job 9.4 Dost thou make a light matter of Hell Torments The Devils who have not their full torment till the day of Judgment are afraid of those Torments that they must undergo when that day is come Matth. 8.29 Art thou come hither to torment us before the time And they begged of Christ they might not be tormented Luk. 8.28 I beseech thee torment me not And art thou more hard-hearted than a Devil to make a light matter of Hell Torments 2. Canst thou bear a fit of the stone in extremity or other racking pains when thou hast all manner of helps that love or mony can procure to asswage thy pains and give thee ease and when thou hast thy Friends about thee to comfort thee and a soft Bed to lie on How then wilt thou bear the Torments of Hell where there is no bed to lie on but flaming fire no Friends to comfort thee but Devils that will mock and laugh at thee no Cordials to bear up thy fainting Spirits not so much as a
drop of water to cool thy tongue All the pains that were ever felt by any men in this world are but flea-bites compared with the Torments of Hell Canst thou hold thine hand one hour in the fire If not how wilt thou be able to lie Body and Soul in Hell-fire for ever The fire of Hell is seven times hotter than any fire on Earth 3. How troubled was Jesus Christ when our sins were only imputed to him He was so full of sorrow that he was ready to die with grief Matth. 26.38 He was in such an Agony that his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground Luk. 22.44 And if our Lord Jesus Christ found it so difficult to bear the punishment of our sins when they were only imputed to him how wilt thou be able to undergo the punishment of thy own sins in the other world for ever 4. It will be no mitigation but an addition to thy torments in Hell that thou shalt have many of thy Neighbours and Companions with thee Their hideous cries and their roarings will add to thy sorrows especially such as thou hast been instrumental to draw to sin The rich man when he was in Hell torments was very solicitous to have means used that his five Brethreen might not come into the same place of torment Luk. 16.28 Which he did not out of love to his Brethren's Souls for there is no true love among the damned in Hell but for fear of encreasing his own Torments It would terrifie a Drunkard and almost put him out of his wits whilst he is on Earth if the Ghost of one of his sottish Companions that died in his sins and is damned for his sins should appear to him and where ever he goeth haunt him But it will be a far greater trouble to be with them and haunted with them in Hell and to have them cry out against them had it not been for you had not you enticed me encouraged me by your example I had repented and had not come into this place of torment § The Atheistical Drunkard's Plea who doth not believe there is a God or Life to come answered Plea 26. As for those that believe there is a God to whom an account must be given for what is done whilst we live in this world and a Heaven for the righteous and a Hell for the wicked and yet live in drunkenness and such like sins they are vile wretches that will act so contrary to their Consciences and their profession but for my part I believe none of these things but do look upon them as Stories and Fables I do not think that there is a God a Heaven or an Hell or a future life but am of opinion that when a man dyeth there is an end of him even as there is of a Beast and therefore I will take all the pleasure I can while I live and do approve of that saying Let us eat and drink for to morrow we must die A. 1. Drunken sottish Atheists that do not believe there is a God are the greatest Fooâ—s in the whole world For there is nothing more evident and plain than that there is a God What we see with our Eyes and hear with our Ears and feel with our Hands is not more â—ure than this truth that there is a God For 1. All Creatures in Heaven and Earth proclaim the being of God with a loud voice Thregular Motions of the Heavens and the fir mament which is beset with an innumerable company of Stars and the constant succession of day and night declare that there is a God and that this God is a glorious God for no Creature was able to frame such a glorious work as the Heavens which are adorned with Sun Moon and Stars these are the work of none but a God neither can any but a God guide and order their motions Ps 19.1 2. The Heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy work Day unto day uttereth Speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge Yea if thou goest to the Birds or Beasts of the Earth or Fishes of the Earth and they will convince thee of thy folly and tell thee that he is a very ignorant and blind Creature that doth not see the Workmanship of a God in all these things For none of these Creatures made themselves neither could any man make them none but a God was able to make maintain and govern all these Creatures Job 12.7 8 9. But ask now the Beasts and they shall teach thee and the Fowls of the air and they shall tell thee or speak to the Earth and it shall teach thee and the Fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought all this All Creatures in the Air on the Earth and in the Sea do proclaim with a loud voice that there is a God and own the Workmanship of God in every Creature 3. They are more foolish than the Ox and the Ass that will not believe there is a God For the Ox knoweth his Owner and the Ass his Masters Crib Isa 1.3 And seeing all men live and are maintained by the Providence of God Act. 17.28 For in him we live and move and have our being It is greater folly than is found in the Ox or the Ass for a man to deny his Master yea his God that made him and maintains him and to say there is no God 4. The Being of God is so evident that all people in all places and all ages of the World do own that there is a God none but very Fools ever said or thought otherwise Mich. 5.5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his God and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and for ever We see here that all people do own a God though many of them are ignorant of the true God and Worship Idols instead of God And therefore they deserve to be chronicled for the veryest Fools that ever lived who think or say in their hearts there is no God Ps 14.1 The Fool hath said in his Heart there is no God 2. Thou that thinkest there is no God wert once of another mind before thou hadst debauched thy Conscience by thy sottish courses thou didst believe the being of God as well as other men See therefore into what a woful condition thou hast brought thy self by thy drunken and sottish courses thou art fallen into a worse condition than a Devil and art more blind and hardned than a Devil For the Devils believe there is a God and tremble at the apprehensions of the Torments that he will inflict on them Jam. 2.19 Thou believest that there is one God thou doest well The Devils believe also and tremble And therefore such as neither tremble at Gods judgments nor believe that there is a God are greater Infidels and more hardned than the Devils 3.
with thy hands Thou art as sure to go into Hell-fire as if thou wert there already Thou art as sure to be shut out of Heaven and cast into Hell as if thou heardest a voice from Heaven telling thee thou art a damned creature As the Apostle said to the Galathians Gal. 3.1 O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth Crucified among you In like manner may I speak to drunkards Oh foolish drunkards who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the Commandment of God who commands you to leave off your drunkenness when as it is evidently set forth in the Scriptures that no drunkards shall inherit the Kingdom of God Surely drunkards either do not read the Scriptures or if they do read them they do not believe what they read or if they believe the truth of the Scriptures they slip out of their minds and they do not lay them to heart for if they did really believe that their drunkenness would shut them out of Heaven and cast them into Hell they would break of this damnable sin And this may be one reason why Drunkards shall have their portion with Unbelievers Luk. 12.45 46. Because whatever they may profess outwardly they are inwardly and in heart Unbelievers § They that would avoid drunkenness must shun the occasions of this sin 5. They that would get rid of this sin of drunkenness must avoid and shun the occasions of this sin What is said of the wild ass Jer. 2.24 In her occasion who can turn her away may be applyed to the vile and sinful heart of man It is an hard matter to turn the heart away from sin when a man hath a fit convenient and enticing occasion for the commission of sin We must be careful that we do not put an occasion of falling in our Brothers way Rom. 14.13 Judge this rather that no man put a stumbling or an occasion to fall in his brothers way And if we must not put an occasion of falling in our Brothers way then surely we must remove all occasions of falling into sin out of our own way If any say what are the occasions of this sin of drunkenness which you would have us to avoid A. 1. Do not keep Company with drunkards be not amongst them when they have their drinking bouts for the being in their company when they are drinking together may prove a snare to you and occasions your being overtaken with the sin of drunkenness There is so much evil and danger in being among drunkards that sober men that have any regard to the Commandments of God and to their own wellfare should avoid as much as they can coming into their company Prov. 23.20 21. Be not amongst Winebibbers For the Drunkard shall come to poverty Here are two things observable 1. A Command from God not to come amongst VVine-bibbers 2. The reason of this command for a drunkard shall come to poverty As much as to say To be amongst VVinebibbers is the way to become drunkards and by becoming Drunkards Men are brought to poverty As keeping company with angry and furious men we shall learn their ways and become furious like unto them Prov. 22.24 25. Make no Friendship with an angry man and with a furious man thou shalt not go lest thou learn his ways and get a snare to thy Soul So by keeping Company with Drunkards we are in danger to learn their ways and to get a snare to our Souls 2. Avoid going to Ale-houses and Taverns if you would avoid drunkenness For by being in such Places you are under a temptation to sin by excess of wine and strong Drink Solomon adviseth those that would shun the sin of uncleanness not to come near the door of an Harlots house lest being near her door they should be drawn to go into her house and bring dishonour to them by committing that shameful sin of uncleanness Prov. 5.8 9. Remove thy way far from her and come not nigh the door of her house lest thou give thine honour unto others and thy years unto the cruel The like a dvice may I give to such as are inclined to the sin of drunkenness Keep from Taverns and Ale-houses come not near such Places lest you be tempted by Satan and your own hearts to go in and be overcome with VVine and strong drink 3. Avoid laying VVagers or playing at Cards or Dice or any such like Games for VVine or strong Drink for this is an occasion of much evil and very frequently draws persons to drink unto uncess 4. Avoid drinking healths which though it be a common practice amongst many persons yet it is condemned by many soled and judicious persons for a great evil See Voetius Tom. 3. p. 1217. who gives several reasons against this practice If any say I can refuse any health but the King 's and if the King's health be put upon me my loyalty shall be questioned It was a wise Speech of a Lord Chancellour oft noted by Mr. Harris I will pray for the Kings Health and drink for my own This can be no test of loyalty for prohibited by the Kings Proclamation § Temptations to this sin to be watched and resisted 6. If you would not be overcome with wine or strong drink watch and pray against and resist the temptations that you meet with to this Sin It is our blessed Saviour's counsel Watch and Pray that you enter not into temptation Matth. 26.41 And we had need watch and pray that we enter not into temptation because our corrupt natures are easily drawn to sin when we meet with temptations to sin And therefore we had need watch and strive and resist temptations and besides our own endeavours to pray for God's Grace to assist us I will instance in some times of temptation wherein we had need be very watchful that we fall not into this sin 1. When we are at Feasts or in the Houses or in the Company of great persons where there is great plenty of Wine and strong Drink that a man may take his fill of free cost and he is called upon to eat and drink abundantly if a man be not very watchful and careful of himself at such a time he is in danger to fall into excess Prov. 23.1 2. When thou sittest to eat with a Ruler consider diligently what is before thee and put a knife to thy throat if thou be a man given to thy appetite Rulers Tables are furnished with variety of the choicest meats and plenty of all sorts of wine Neh. 5.18 And therefore such as eat with Rulers should consider diligently what is before them that is they should consider and that diligently what snares and temptations are before them and what danger they are in to offend God by excess of eating and drinking when they have such variety and plenty before them of those things that may entice them to excess And besides
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