by one friendly associate In all heates of anguish good assistance and society breathes some coole ayre of comfort when Paul must answer before Nero he complaines that no man stood with him but all men forsooke him 2 Tim. 4. 16. And certainely it was a plague upon a plague to the Leper that he was condemned to live alone it cannot but aggravate their sicknesse which are now pent up by reason of this visitation and compelled to be sicke without any visitant either to ease or pity them The comfort of fugitives is that therâ— be many fugitives we know nothing seemes to fall where everything falls a generall disease is a particular health whereupon the Curt taild Fox in the Fable endeavoured to have all Foxes curtaild They have a whimsie in theiâ— braines much like that of Amurath who at the taking of Isthmus sacrificed six hundred young Grecians to his Fathers soule to the end their blood might serve as a propitiation to expiate the sinnes of the deceased Wherein they imitate the Dragon which is very desirous of the Elephants blood for the coldnesse of it wherewith she desires to be cooled or the great Cham who whensoever he dyeth takes order that ten or twelve thousand Tartars be slaine to accompany his death But alaâ—â—e poore soules they are much mistaken in thinking it will either comfort or ease them to have fellowship in torment for though by the multitude of participants the joyes of Heaven are enlarged yet hereby the sorrowes of Hell are much increased for know this thou Tempter that thou dost not more increase other mens wickednesse on earth whether by perswasion or provocation or example then their wickednesse shall increase thy damnation in Hell as is plainely seene in the case of Dives for what made that damned churle move for his brethren seeing there is no charity in Hell but that he felt every step they followed of his leading to increase the pile of his torments Luk. 16. Non fratres dilexit sed seipsum respexit he desired not their salvation but his owne lesse damnation Againe this is made good Gen. 3. where the Serpent is cursed for makeing Eve transgresse and Eve for makeing her husband sinne Yet such is the implacable enmity and unchangeable malice of the Serpent and his seede of the Prince of darkenesse and these his adherents against the children of light that they will enhance their owne damnations to procure other mens rather make their owne fire hotter then not labour to bring others to the participation of their owne torments Yea though their consciences tell them that such a bitter roote shall answer for it selfe and for all the corrupt branches yes they will endure more grievous misery to have a more numerous society And so much of the warre which God proclaimed betweene Sathan and Christ and their Reigiments the wicked and the Godly If you would know the originall and meritorious cause of this proclamation it was Adam's sinne in eating the forbidden fruit and Sathan's malice in moving and seduceing him thereunto the Originall of this discord is from originall sinne § 118. VVEe have got through the greatest part and are past by the principall stages of the drunkards progresse there is but one mile further of about eight short furlongs to goe and we have overcome it yea to speake truth I am now at the top of the hill and shall after a short pause goe downe faster then I went up But let us make a stand here and looke backe upon what we have past since Section 75. from which stage hitherto I have shown how drunkards imitate that old Serpent the Devill In Tempting Enforceing to sinne and in drawing to perdition After a review taken let any stander by for being no wayes a party I referre it to him say whether Sathan be so much beholding to any men alive as to them whether he hath any servants that doe him such faithfull service any factors that make him a better returne of soules any Generall that subdues so many souldiers to him any Advocates which pleade so hard for him as the true drunkard I presume he cannot nominate or thinke of one I consesse a beautifull whorish woman another of the Devills lime-twigs who hath a flattering tongue Pro. 6. 24. smooth and enticeing words Pro. 7. 5. lips which drop like an hony combe and a mouth 〈◊〉 soft then oyle Pro. 5. 3. as Salomon speaks doth the Devill singular good service in the businesse of tempting for infinite are the soules which these artificial Paradises have beguiled yea it cannot be denied but Sathan is more beholding to the face then to all the body besides For as through an Hell upon earth God brings many to Heaven so through an Heaven upon earth many bring themselves to Hell And she hath one priviledge above other tempters for Cockatrice-like she killeth with her very â—ight yea she is able to take a man with her very eye-lids Pro. 6. 25. which makes the wise man say that many have perished by the beauty of women Ecclus. 9. 8. yet neverthelesse let her have as many lovers as Toringa once had who attempting to count them upon her fingers was forc't to call for a bushell of Pease before she could number them all and strength like Rotorus who contracted with a notable Pirate to serve the turne of him and him hundred souldiers and 〈◊〉 will as free as Dunkerke which bids 〈◊〉 to all commers so that any 〈◊〉 Fellow may ride her post to the Devill with a golden bit she shal never be able to fil Hel her body wil not hold out nor help to people that infernall Kingdom as some drunkards doe that are gifted thereafter The which considered together with his other sinnes of idlenesse epicurisme adultery murther his vaine babling scurrilous jesting wicked talking impious swearing atheisme c. for he hath treble heads to Cerberus that ugly Porter of Hell proves him the King or chiefe of sinners as the Basiliske is called the King of Serpents and not onely shewes them to be children of the Devill as they were long since but to be really metamorphosed into Devills as lots wife was really metamorphosed into a pillar of Salt and Vlysses companions into Hogs and Dogs and Cadmus with his wife into Serpents yea certainely if the Devill would change his properties he would put himselfe into the person and appropriate to himself the very qualities of some drunkard how ever he chooseth drunkards to be his instruments to tâ—mpt rather then other sinners because they are more fit for it then any other as of all the creatures which God made he chose the Serpent an instrument to tempt Eve because it was more subtile then any beast of the field Gen. 3. 1. As also for the naturall affection which they bare to him above other men for the drunkard loves Sathan so extreamely that for the most part he either swims to him in blood or sailes to him in
although the drunkards sorrow strife shame poverty and diseases together with his untimely death as one would thinke were enough to make this sin odious yet looke we further into him as namely into his more inward parts his secret abominations which follow and are occasioned through drunkennes that will make it hidious and fearefull at least if I had the skill to cut him up and paint him to the life § 24 IN speaking whereof I will first lay open the ground of all which is idlenesse for although in one sense idlenesse may be called an effect of drunkennesse yet in another it may be called the cause both of it and all the residue of evills which accompany the same for idlenesse is the most corrupting Flie that can blow in any humane minde We learne to doe ill by doing what is next it nothing and hence it is that vice so fructifies in our Gentry and servingmen who have nothing to employ themselves in It is said of Rome that during the time of their warres with Cartâ—age and other enemies in Africa they knew not what vices meant but no sooner had they got the conquest then through idlenesse they came to ruine Rust you know will fret into the hardest iron if it bee not used Mosse will grow on the smoathest stone if it bee not stirred Mothes will consume the finest garment if it bee not worne so vice will infect even the best heart if given to idlenesse Standing water is sooner frozen then the running streame hee that sitteth is more subject to sleepe then hee that walketh so the idle man is farre more subject to temptation then hee that is profitably exercised yea idlenesse saith one of the Fathers is the Devills onely opportunity for if hee come and finds us well busied hee leaves us for that time as having small hope to prevaile An idle person is good for nothing but to propagate sinne to bee a factor for the Devill it faring with man as with the earth of which hee was made which if it bee not tilled or trimmed doth not onely remaine unfâ—uitfull but also breeds and brings forth Bryers Brambles Nettles and all manner of noysome and unprofitable things so that Seneca seemes to be mistaken in calling an idle person the image of death for though the body be idle yet the soule like a river is alwayes in progression and his heart like a wherry either goes forward or backward It may be resembled to a well with two buckets the mind no sooner empties it selfe of good thoughts but it fills with evill cogitations If the seede dyes the blade springs the death of grace is but the birth of corruption Now all the Drunkard's labour is to satisfie his Lusts and all his life nought else but a vicissitude of devouring and venting as how many of them make it their trade and whole vocation to keepe company Whereas sweat either of the Brow or of the Braine is the destiny of all trades be they mentall or manuall for God never allowed any man to doe nothing Are not most populous places by reason of this vice like Antiochus his army fuller of mouthes then hands for if you marke it the company keeper and good fellowe according to the vulgar is the barronest peece of earth in all the Orbe the Common wealth hath no more use of him then Ierâ—hoham had of his withered hand hee is like the dumbe Iacke in a Virginall for he hath not so much as a voice in the common wealth Whereas hee was borne for the good of his countrey friends family c. well may hee disturbe the common wealth and give offence and scandall unto all that are neere or about him Rom. 14 20 21. as being unfit to doe service or subject himselfe to be ruled by his Governors civill and ecclesiasticall but profitable hee is to none except Vinteners Inkeepers and Ale drapers who are the greatest loosers by him of all the rest though they seeme to gaine much for these are accessary to the Drunkards sinne and have a fearefull accompt to make for their tolleration of such seing they might and ought to redresse it so that their gaine is most unjust as may not that be written upon what ever they possesse which Diogenes writ under the golden Statua which Phryne the strumpet dedicated at Delphos this was gotten by the intemperance of the people and in the end will prove as unprofitable for hereby they endanger themselves and without repentance lose their soules Math. 16. 26. What is recorded of Nsâ—grites namely that hee never plowed not digged nor did any thing all his life long that might tend to any good is truly verified in him hee is not more nimble tongu'd then gowty handed as Iulian the Apostate confest of himselfe and yet never thinkes hee shall give an account for this sinne of all the rest but surely if wee must give an account for every idle word much more for every idle day nay moneth nay yeare But I proceede All the paines hee takes is for the enemy of mankinde if you will have him worke you must chaine him in a celler where are good store of springs and give him the option or choice whether hee will pumpe or drowne which is the Hoâ—â—anders way to dresse an English gentleman whose ill demeanour hath made unworthy to live The company keeper is like a top which alwayes runnes round but never goes forward unlesse it be whipt or the Mill wheele which turnes about all day but at night remaines in the same place or like a blind Horse in a maltmill which is as farre in the morning as at night for all the day hee walkes round in the same circle over and over and when he hath done and slâ—pt a little is new to begin againe Neither does hee which walkes from six to six in Paules goe more then a coytes câ—st before him Drunkards make it their whole imployment to goe from theirs beds to the tap house for the true Drunkard thinkes no wine good which is brought over two thresholds from the taphouse to the play house where they make a match for the brothelhouse and from thence to bed againe so that they either doe nothing or that which is worse then nothing for hee is neither a Drunkard nor an idle person but a civill compleat and well qualified Gentleman that spends the whole day yea every day but in bousing and bowling and taking Tobacco O the number of men and women in this City that are all the day idle yet have not an idle hower to afford either the Church or the study or for the good of the common wealth And therefore no wonder if they afford not mee the hearing they onlie sit to eate and drinke lye downe to sleepe and rise up to play this is all their exercise herein lyes all theiâ— worth and no marvell for if the worlâ— be a mans god pleasure must needs beâ— his Religion They are
not take warning by the word that gentle warner the next shall be harder the third and fourth harder then that yea as al the ten plagues did exceede one another so the eleventh single exceeds them all together innumerable are the curses of God against finners but the last is the worst comprehending and transcending al the rest the fearefullest plagues God still reserves for the upshot all the former doe but make way for the last When the Dreame and the Miracle and the Prophet had done what they could upon Nebuchadnezzar God calls forth his temporall judgements and bids them see what they can doe if they will not yet serve he hath eternal ones which will make them repent every veine of their hearts and soules that they did not repent sooner Oh that I could give you but a glimpse of it that you did but see it to the end you might never feele it that so you might be won if not out of faith yet out of feare for certainly this were the hopefullest meanes of prevention for though diverse theeves have robd passengers within sight of the Gallowes yet if a sinner could see but one glimpse of hell or bee suffered to looke one moment into that fiery Lake hee would rather choose to dye tenne thousand deaths then commit one sinne and indeed therefore are wee dissolute because we doe not thinke what a judgement there is after our dissolution because wee make it the least and last thing we thinke on yea it is death wee think to think upon death and we cannot indure that dolefull bell which summons us to judgement Something you have heard of it here and in Section the 44. But alasse I may as well with a Cole paint out the Sunne in all his splendor as with my pen or tongue expresse the joyes of Heaven which they willingly part withall or those torments of hell which they strive to purchase For as one said that nothing but the eloquence of Tully could sufficiently set forth Tullie's eloquence so none can expresse those everlasting torments but hee that is from everlasting to everlasting and should either man or Angell goe about the worke when with that Philosopher hee had taken a seven-nights time to consider of it hee might aske a fortnight more and at the fortnights end a moneth more and be at his wits end at the worlds end before he could make a satisfiing answer otherthen his was that the longer he thought of it the more difficult he found it alasse the paine of the body is but the body of paine the anguish of the soule is the soule of anguish § 121. BUt to be everlastingly in Hell to lye for ever in a bed of quenchles flames is not all for as thy sinnes have exceeded so shall thy sufferings exceed as thou hast had a double portion of sinne to other men here so thou shalt have a double portion of torment to them hereafter the number and measure of torments shall be according to the multitude and magnitude of offences mighty sinners shall be mightily punished for God will reward every man according to his workes Revel 20. 12. 13. and 22. 12. As our workes are better or worse so shall our joyes in heaven our paines in hell bee more or lesse as every one hath beene more wicked he shall bee more wretched Capernaum exceeding Sodome and Gomorrah in sin shall feele also an excesse of punishment and the willfull servant shall receive more stripes then the ignorant Luk. 1â— 47. 48. Mat. 10. 15 which being so viz. that every man shall be punished according to merit what will become of thee surely thy sins are so prodigious that they scorne any proportion under a whole volume of plagues But see wherein thy sinnes exceed other mens that shall go to the same place of torment how every sinne receiveth weight and increase in regard of circumstances and how thou after thine hardnes and heart which cannot repent heapest unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the just judgment of God who will reward every man according to his workes Rom. 2. 5 6. The particulars which greaten aggravate and adde weight to thy sinnes and make them above measure sinfull are so diverse and sundry that I may not insist upon all yet some are of such import that I dare not omit them First the civill justitiary who omiâ—tâ—th the performance of those good duties which the Law requireâ—h is in a damnable condition but thou in a farre worse who wilfully runnest on in the commission of those sinnes which the Law flatly forbids It was the not slaying of Agag 1 Sam. 15. that lost Saul his Kingdome and the favour of God The not circumcising of Moses his first borne Exodus 4. had like to have cost him his life The not relieving of poore Lazarus Luk. 16. was the rich mans ruine It was not the evill servants spending his Masters money which cast him into prison but the not gaining with it he did not evill with his Talent no it was enough to condemne him that he did nothing with it Now if barrennesse bee sent into the fire how can rapine looke to escape if omission of good works be whipped with Rodds surely commission of impieties shall be scourged with Scorpions The old world did but eat and drink build and plant marry and bee merry and were swept away with the Beesom of an universall deluge which things were in themselves lawfull what then shall become of Lyers Swearers Drunkards Adulterers malicious monsters scandalous sinners whose workes are in themselves simply unlawfull If the civily righteous shall not bee saved in that great and terrible day where then shall all ungodly drunkards and deboyshed swilbowles appeare Heaven is our Goale we all runne loe the Scribes and Pharisies are before thee what safty can it bee to come short of those that come short of heaven Except your righteousnes exceed c. Meroz was cursed by the Angell because they came not to helpe the Lord in the day of battell Iudges 5. 23. they fought not against God yet because they did not fight for him they are cursed And if they that stand in a luke-warm neutrality shall be spewed up sure the palpable and notorious offender who takes up armes against God and opposes all goodnesse shall bee trodden under foot of a provoked justice O consider this and lay it to heart you that commit sinnes of all sorts and sizes you that can tear heaven with your blasphemies and bandy the dreadfull name of God in your impure mouthes by your bloody oaths and execrations yee that dare exercise your saucy wits in prophane scoffes at Religion yee that can neigh after strange flesh c. § 122. SEcondly the sinnes which thou committest are against knowledge and conscience and so farre greater then the same sinnes if another should doe them ignorantly The servant that knowes his masters will and if he
Now if their reward in heaven be so great that save one soule from death Dan. 12. 3. how great shall their torment bee in Hell that pervert many soules to destrustion Matth. â— 19. they shall bee maximi in infâ—rm greatest in the kingdome of hell he that can damâ— many soules besides his owne supererogates of Sathan and hee shall give him a double fee a double portion of hell fire for his paines Who then without a shower of teares can think on thy deplorable state or without mourning meditate thy sad condition Yea if Ely was punished with such fearefull temporall judgements onely for not admonishing and not correcting others which sinned what mayest thou expect that doest intise others yea enforce them though to intise others were wicked enough Let me say to the horror of their conâ—â—rences that make merchandize of soules that it is a question when such an one comes to hel whether Iudas himself would change torments with him How fearefully think you do the seducer and seduced greet one another in hell me thinks I heare the Dialogue between them wher the best speaks first and saith Thou hast beene the occasiâ—â—â— of my sinne and the other thou art the occasun of my more grievous torment c. Evill men delights to make others so one sinner maketh another as Eve did Adam but little doe they thinke how they advance their owne damnations when the blood of so many soules as they have seduced will be required at their hands and little doe sinners know their wickednesse when their evill deeds infect by their example and their evill words infect by their perwasion and their looks infect by their allure ments when they breath nothing but infection much lesse do they know their wretchdnesse till they receive the wages of their unrighteousnesse which shall not be paid till their work be done and that will not be done in many yeares after their death For let them dye they sinne still For as if we sowe good works succession shal reape them and we shall be happy in making them so so on the contrary wicked men leave their inventions and evill practises to posterity and though dead are still tempting unto sinne and still they sin in that temptation they sinne as long as they cause sinne This was Ieroboam's case in making Israel to sinne for let him bee dead yet so long as any worship his Calves Ieroboam sinned neither was his sinne soone forgotten Nadab his sonne and Basha his successor Zimry and Omry and Ahab and Ahaziah and Iehoram all these walked in the wayes of Ierobâ—am which made Israel to sinne and not they alone but the people with them It is easie for a mans sinne to live when himselfe is dead and to leade that exemplary way to hell which by the number of his followers shall continually aggravate his torments The imitaters of evill deserve punishment the abetters more but there is no hell deepe enough for the leaders of publike wickednesse he that invents a new way of serving the divell hath purchased for himselfe a large patrimony of unquenchable fire Though few men will confesse their sinnes yet many mens sins will confesse their master To beget a president of vice is like the setting a mans own house on fire it burnes many of his neighbours and he shal answer for al the ruines Alas while I live I sinne too much lerme not continue longer in wickednesse then life Sin hath an ubiquity one sinners example infects others and they spread it abroad to more like a man that dyes of the Plague and leaves the infection to a whole City so that hee must give an account even for the sinnes of a thousand yea they have so much to answer for that have thus occasioned so much ill that it had beene happy for them if they had never beene at all then being to be laden with the sinnes of so many O what infinite torments doth Mahomet endure when every Turke that perisheth by his jugling doth daily adde to the pile of his unspeakable horrors And so each sinner according to his proportion and the number of soules which miscarry through the contagion of his evill example for they shall speed at last like him that betrayed a City to a Tyrant who when he had conquered it first hanged up the party that help'd him to it Yea perhaps God will even in this life make them an example of his just vengeance and provoked indignation as he did Pharaoh and Iulian as their sinne hath perverted many so their fall and ruine may perchance convert many the life of Iulian made many Infidels the death of Iulian made many Christians God will teach men to feare him even by their ruine that taught them not to feare him Yea the D vell who now is their good master will in the end reward these his subjects as that Emperor which Plutarch speakes of did by one that kild a great man who first crowned him for his valour and then caused him to bee executed for the murther or as the Wolf does by the Ewe who sucks her while she is a little one and devours her when she is growne a great one Nutritus per me sed tandem saevtiet in me So that it were happy for all seducing drunkards whors c. if they were prevented of doing this great mischiefe and in their non-age throwne alive into the Sea as the Citizens of Rome threw Heleogabalus into the river of Tiber with his mother Semâ—a to bear him company for that she bear and brought forth such a gulfe of mischiefes as Lampridius reports yea the whole State should fare the better for such riddance for so they should become though not profitable yet infinitely lesse hurtfull to such as should remaine § 131. THe eight circumstance which aggravates thy sinne is the object or party which is offended and in this respect thou art liable to the greater condemnation in that thou injurest those whom God tenderly loves which is farre more displeasing unto him then if the same were done unto others they are as the signet upon his right hand yea as the Apple of his owne eye he that toucheth you saith God meaning the Iewes his chosen and beloved people toucheth the Apple of mine owne eye Zach. 2. 8. And who are they which thou scoffest at traducest nicknamest revilest and persecutest but the best of men such as are most religious and conscionable such as wil not sweare nor be drunke nor commit such wickednesse as thou doest Now he which doth these things to evill men who are Gods enemies grievously offend him for what saith the Scripture him will I destroy that privily slandereth his neighbour Psa. 101. 5 and the word neighbour includes very heathens How heinously then doe they offend which doe the same and worse to his children 2 Cor. 6. 18. Galat. 3. 26. Iohn 1. 12. who partake of the Divine nature 2 Peter 1. 4. and are like God in holâ—nesse
of any is much more abominable every way both in it selfe and in the sight of God then is that wrong which is offered unto his body Now thou art a soule murtherer yea many are the soules which thou hast intentionally and as much as in thee lyeth slaine with death eternall and what canst thou expect without repentance and an answerable endeavour to win soules as fast to God as formerly thou hast to Sathan but to bee many fathoms deeper in Hell then other menâ— will God powre out his curse and vengeance on them which make the blind stumble to the hurt of his body Deut. 27. 18. and will he not much more do this to soule-destroyersâ— Objection But thou like those Disciples Iohn 6. 60. wilt think this a hard saying neither canst thou believe that thou art a soule murtherer though I have made it undeniable in Section the 100. 101. 113. 134. 115. 116. 117. Answer But it will one day be a harder saying if you take not heed when Christ shall answer all your apologies with depart from me into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels Mat. 25. 41. Luk. 13. 25. to 29. As for further proofe of what I lay to thy charge I could easily shew thee how The daily scoffes reproaches c of thee and thy fellowes 1. Detaines many From entering into a religious course 2. Staggers many Which have made some progresse in the way 3. Keepes many From doing the good which they would or appearing the same which they are 4. Beates many Clean off from their profession 5. Hardens many And makes them resolve against goodnesse For there is no such rub in the way to Heaven as this Sathan hath not such a tryed shaft in all his quiver which makes our Saviour pronounce that man blessed that is not offended in him Matth. 11. 6. But of these severalls elsewhere least I should overmuch seeme to digresse only I grieve to see how they wrong themselves in thus wronging others for in that wicked men doe so mock and deride such as are in love with heavenly things it is hard to say whether they doe most offend in hindering the honour of God thereby or their neighbours wellfare or their own salvation What are the waters of thine own sinns so low that thou must have streames from every place to run into thine Oceanâ— thy owne buâ—then is unsupportable yet thou wilt adde to the weight other mens that thy rising may be irrecoverable Content thy selfe for assuredly thou shalt once pay deare for it either by teares or torment Yea let such take heed for the fire of Hell will be hot enough for a mans owne iniquities he needs not the iniquities of others like fuell and Bellowes to blow and increase the flame which if they well considered would make them cherish all good desires in the weake and to deale in this case as we use when we carry a smal Light in the winde hide it with our lap or hand that it may not go out Oh how much easier is it to subvert or cast down a thing then to erect it when even a base fellow could destroy that Temple in one day which was six and thirty yeares in seting up True it is if the barking of these Currs shall hinder us from walking on our way it is a signe we are very impotent yea if our love be so cold to Christ that we are ashamed for his sake to beare a few scoffs and reproaches from the world it is evident we are but counterfeits for for our comforts it shall not bee so with those whom God hath any interest in notwithstanding all the scoffes of Atheists and carelesse worldlings they shall not onely loose their labours herein but themselves too The faithfull will neither buy peace with dishonour nor take it up at interest of danger to ensue wel may they serve as Snuffers to qualifie our zeale andmake it burne brighter but never become such Extinguishers as to put it quite out either by persecutions or by perswasions So that their spitefull adversaries imagine but a vaine thing they shall be no more able to hinder any one from salvation whom God hath chosen to his Kingdome of grace and glory then Saul with his Courtiers could hinder David from attaining the promised Kingdome of Israel they may move the godly but not remove them They have often times afflicted me from my youth may Israel now say but they could not prevaile against me Psal. 129. 1. 2 It is given to the great Dragon and the Beast in the thirteenth of the Revelation to make warre with the Saints as well as with the rest which dwell upon the earth but hee shall not prevaile with any save those whose names are not written in the Booke of Life vers 8. if so let them not spare to doe their worst the winds may well tosse the Ship wherein Christ is but never overturn it if Christ have but once possest the affections there is no dispossessing him againe as that Cloth which is throughly dyed black will afterwards take no other colour The League that Heaven hath made Hell wants power to break who can separate the conjunctions of the Deity Whom God did predestinate saith Paul them also hee called and whom he called them also he justified and whom hee justified them hee also glorified Rom. 8. 30. They shall sooner blow up Hell with traines of Powder then breake the chaine of this dependant truth No power of man is able to withstand the will of God it shall stand firmer then the Firmament it is as possible to stop the motion of the Sun as the course of Gods predestination A fire in the heart overcommeth all other fires without as wee see in the Martyres which when the sweet doctrine of Christ had once gotten into their hearts it could not bee got out again by all the torments which wit and cruelty could devise and the reason is they over-looke these bug-bears and behold Christ calling the Spirit asisting the Father blessing the Angels comforting the Word directing and the Crown inviting Alasse if their scoffes and all they can say could flout us out of the integrity of our hearts when our fore Fathers feared not the flames we were feareful cowards Indeed the timorous Snaile puts out her hornes to feele for danger and puls them in againe without cause If the sluggard heares of a Lion in the way hee quakes but tell it to a Sampson or a David they wil go out to meet him yea let Aggabus tel Paul of bands at Ierusalem he answers I am ready not only to be bound but to dye at Ierusalem for the name of Iesus Act. 21. 13 The Horse neighs at the Trumpet the Leviathan laughs at the Speare so tell the resolved Christian of enemies or danger hee feares not hee cares not to carnall friends he sayes I know yee not to diswaders get yee behind me Sathan But what of all this
sinne scornes reproofe admonition to it were like goads to them that are mad already or like powring Oyle down the chimney which may set the house on fire but never abate the heate Neither can the rest better brooke what he speaks then he what they speak for these Pompeian spirits think it a foule disgrace either to put up the least wrong from another or acknowledge to have overslipt themselves in wronging of another whereby thousands have been murthered in their drink it faring with them as it did with that Pope whom the Divel is said to have slaine in the very instant of his adultery and carry him quick to hell For this is the case of drunkards as of Souldiers and Marriners the more need the lesse devotion I am loth to trouble you with the multitude of examples which are recorded of those that having made up the measure of their wickednes have Ammon like dyed and beene slaine in drink God sometimes practising martiall law and doing present execution upon them least fooles should say in their hearte there is no God though he connives at and deferres the most that men might expect a Judge comming and a solemne day of judgement to follow And what can be more fearefull then when their hearts are merry and their wits drowned with wine to be suddenly strucken with death as if the execution were no lesse intended to the soule then to the body or what can bee more just then that they which in many yeares impunity will find no leisure of repentance should at last receive a punishment without possibility of repentance I know â—peed of death is not alwayes a judgement yet as suddennes is ever justly suspicable so it then certainly argues anger when it findes us in an act of sinne Leisure of repentance is an argument of favour when God gives a man law it implies that hee would not have judgement surprise him § 20. NOW as drunkennesse is the cause of murther so it is no lesse the cause of adultery yea as this sinne is most shamefull in it selfe so it maketh a man shamelesse in committing any other sin whereof luâ—t is none of the last nor none of the least Yea saith Ambrose the first evill of drunkennesse is danger of chastity for Bacchus is but a pander to Venus hereupon Romulus made a law that if any woman were found drunke shee should dye for it taking it for granted that when once drunke it was an easie matter to make her a whore The stomach is a Limbeck wherein the spirit of lust is distilled meates are the ingredients and wine the onely fire that extracts it For as the flame of mount Aetna is fed onely by the vapours of the adjacent sea so this fire of lust is both kindled and maintained by surfeiting and drunkennesse When the belly is filled with drinke then is the heart inflamed with lust and the eyes so filled with adultery that they cannot but gaze upon strange women as Salomon Shewes Prov. 23. 33. whereas love saith Crates is cured with hunger You know when the Iron is hot the Smith can fashion it to his pleasure and wine tempers the heart like wax for the divels impression when a man is drunk Sathan may stamp in his heart the soulesâ— sinne but lust will admit no denyall Yea drunkennesse inflames the soule and fills that with lusts as hot as hell high diet is adulteries nurse They rose up in the morning like fed Horses saith the Prophet and what followes every man neighed after his neighbours wife Ier. 5. 8. which is more then true with us for drunkards like the Horse and Mule which have no â—nderstanding no shame no conscience c. especially your brazen brain'd and flinty foreheaded clownes can no sooner spie a woman or maide chast or unchast even in the open streets but they will fall to imbraceing and tempting her with ribaldry scurrility turning every vvord she speakes to some lascivious obscene sense vvhereof they are not a little proud though it vvould make a vvise and modest man even spue to heare them But to goe on When Lot is drunke hee is easily drawne to commit incest with his owne daughters not once perceiving when they lay downe nor when they rose up Gen. 19. 32. to 36. Rarò vidi continentem quem non vidi â—bstinentem saith St. Austin you shall rarely see a man continent that is not abstinent and it 's a true rule for that heate which is taken at the Taverne must be alaid at the brothel-house the blood which is fired with Bacchus must be cooled with Venus and soe Sathan takes two Pigeons with one beane And the Divell should forget both his office and malice if hee did not play the pander to Coâ—cupiscence this way for idlenesse makes way for loose company loose company makes way for wine wine makes way for lust and lust makes worke for the Devill Venus comes out of the froth of this Sea I will never believe that chastity ever slept in the Drunkards bed for although I cannot say that every whormonger is given to drunkennesse yet I may truely say that there are no Drunkards but are either given over or greatly inclined to whoredome This sinne fills the heart and eye both eyes if not the whole life with horrible filthinesse naturall unnaturall any this is so cleare a truth that darknesse it selfe saw and confest it even a Poet of the Heathens could call eating and drinking the fuell that maintaines the fier of Lust for Lust saith hee is quenched by abstinence kindled by excesse and nothing sooner kills this tetter then that fasting spittle of abstinence for how should the wieke burne without tallow or the lampe without oyle That Wine is an inducement to Lust David well knew or else hee had spared those superfluous cups but when hee would have forced Vriaâ— to lye with his wife that so shee might have a colour for her great belly and the child might appeare legitimate hee first made him drunke 2 Sam. 1 1. 13. Even as Ice is ingendered of water so is Lust of intemperance The Drunkard is like a Salamander stone which fires at the sight of every flame yea if hee but see a whore and shee him like the Weesell and Baâ—iliske they poyson each other with their sight Pro. 7. One Devill is ready to helpe another in mischiefe hee that tarrieth long at the wine saith Salomon his eyes shall looke upon strange women and his heart shall speake lewd things Proverbs 23. 33. and St. Paul witnesseth that the fruits of gluttony and drunkennesse are chambering and wantonnesse Rom. 13. 13. Yea as drunkennesse is the onely businesse of loyterers so lewd love is the onely businesse of Drunkards for while they are awake they thinke and speake of it and when they are asleepe even when other mens thoughts lye at Anchor they nothing but dreame of it and what is it a Drunkard loves halfe so well as a whore
Yea Wine so inflames the Drunkard with Lust that were his power equall to his desire were his dreames and wishes all true hee would not leave a Virgin in the world might but his acts answer the number of his desires nature could scarce supply him with severall objects or could his wishes take effect Popery might have many Nuns it should have no maids Now what decayes health and strength and consequently shortens a mans dayes more then whoredome when so many dye of the Pox a disease which slayes thousands though they will not be known of it for because of the whorith woman a man is brought to a morsell of bread Pro. 6. 26. yea shee causeth many to fall downe wounded and all the strong men are slaine by her her house is the way unto the grave which leadeth downe to the chamber of death Pro. 7. 26. 27. And so much of the drunkards body § 21. SEcondly if wee dive deeper into him and Search into his soule what one sinne more mangles and defaces Gods Image and mans beauty then this how doth it damme up the head and spirits with mud how doth it infatuate the understanding blind the judgement pervert the will and corrupt all the affections how doth it intrap the desires surprise the thoughts and bring all the powers and faculties of the soule out of order which occasioneth one to say where drunkennesse raignes as King there reason is banished as an exile the understanding is dulled counsell wandereth and judgment is overthrowne And with this accordeth Seneca who defines drunkennesse to be a voluntary madnesse or a temporary forfeiture of the wits yea the Holy Ghost affirmes that the excesse of wine makes men mad foolish and outragious Pro. 20. 1. for being worse then the sting of an Aspe it poysoneth the very soule and reason of man Yea wee finde this and a great deale more by experience for many a man drinkes himselfe out of his wits and out of his wealth and out of his credit and out of all grace and favour both with God and good men Neither is the Scripture lesse expresse for Salomon calls wine a mocker and tells us that strong drinke is raging And Hosea affirmes that wine takes away the heart Chap. 4. 11. And wee reade elsewhere that wine makes men forget God and his lawes Pro. 31. 5. Yea utterly to fall away from God and to be incapable of returning for it is commonlie accompanied with hardnesse of heart and final impenitence Esa. 5. 11. 12. and 56. 12. Pro. 23. 35. For admonish such as are bewitched and besotted with the love of wine you speak to men senseles past shame and past grace Tell them of some better imployment they will say as once Florus an idle fellow was wont I would not be Caesar alwayes marching in armor to whom Casear replyed and I would not be Florus alwayes drinking in a Taverne Yea being wrapt in wine and warme cloathes they so like their condition that they would not change upon any termes no not to be glorified Saints in Heaven as those swine and other brutish creatures which Circe transformed would by no meanes be perswaded to become men againe though they were put to their choice by the said goddesse or forceresse rather upon the earnest request of Vlysses You shall never perswade a Drunkard that the water of life is the best wine In a word by long custome they turne delight into necessity and bring upon themselves such an insatiable thirst that they will as willinglie leave to live as leave their excessive drinking in regard whereof St. Austin compares drunkennesse to the pit of Hell into which when a man is once fallen there is no redemption Yea this vice doth not onely rob men of reason but also of common sense so as they can neither prevent future danger nor feele present smart But of this enough having already proved them as much worse then beasts as beasts are better then Devills Besides I shall occasionallie treate more of the soules Character in sundry particulars which follow § 22. 5 FIfthly as hee deformes his body impaires his health shortens his life beastiates his soule c. so he consumes his estate and brings himselfe to poverty and want as to whom is poverty as Salomon speakes but to Drunkards who thinke no cost too much that is bestowed on their bellies who consume their wealth at the wine even while they have swallowed downe their whole estates As let the Drunkard have but a groate it burnes in his purse till it be drowned in drinke if hee have gold he will change it if plate hee will pawne it and rather then not satisfie his gut away goes all to the coate on his backe yea rather then hee will scant as they say his belly had hee a jewell as rich as tenne Lordships or as Cleopatra's was that womanlike swaggerer his throate shall have it O that either wealth or any other blessing should be cast away thus basely Or suppose he bee a labouring man and must earne it before he have it he will drinke as much in a day saith St. Ambrose as hee can get in a weeke spend twelve pence sooner then earne two pence And hence it commeth to passe that the company keeper goes commonly in a ragged coate as it is seldome seene that they offend the Statute against excesse in apparell for rather then so they will goe naked and count that too a voluntarie penance Thus the Drunkard having spent all in superfluities in the end hee wants necessaries and because in youth hee will drinke nothing but wine in his old age he is constrained to drinke water yea hee throwes his house so long out at windowes that at last his house throwes him out at doores And when all is gone glad would he be to be a Swineheard like the Prodigallson but knowing himself unworthy of any mans entertainment hee growes weary of his life and is ready to make himselfe away like Peter the Cardinall base son to Sixtus the fourth that monstrous Epicure the shame of the latter times or like Apicius the shame of the ancient age wherein he lived All which the Scriptures make good where it is said that the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty and the sleeper shall be cloathed with raggs Pro. 2◠21. And againe peremptorily he that loveth wine and oyle shall not bee rich Prov. 21. 17. Now that this is so every officer of a Parish knowes to his great trouble and the inhabitants cost yea were I enjoyned to take up a ragged regiment I should thinke it no hard taske to muster up a thousand men admit but drunkards to be men out of the very suburbs that in sheere drinke spend all the cloaths on their beds and backs yea that drinke the very bloods of their wives and children for hee brings not this misery upon himselfe alone but his whole family wife children servants all are impoverisht yea nere
Citie but being hereupon confined and that upon paine of death was observed a while after to ride much abroad Sinne saith the Apostle tooke occasion by the commandement Romans 7. 11. as if mans naâ—â—re delighted in this or that evill so much the more because the Law forbids them Yea most finde it here in as in matters of bookes which being once called in and forâ—idden become more saleable and publike The Dieâ—â—tes of the law being to â—â—â—full lusts in mans heart as water to quicke lime a meanes to inkindle them and make them boyle the more fiercely But know this thou swearer that he is bottomlesly ill who loves vice because it is vice he is a desperate prodigious damnable wretch and full of the venome of the serpent that will rather then not dye anger God of set purpose and without profit procure his owne destruction which is thy case if thou usest his Name to make up idle places of a hollow or unfilled sentence or to vent and utter with some more grace and force thy choller and malice Yea this proves thee worse then an Oxe led to the slaughter for hereby thou becommest thine owne executioner Alasse thou art not of thy selfe worthy to serve or to name him how then darest thou to make him and his Name to serve thee thy prophane discourse and thy rash and untempered anger § 33. AGain supopse the Ministertels them that Swearing and Cursing is the language only of hâ—ll and no where frequent but amongst the damned spirits which shewes them to be the Divelsâ— best schollers upon earth and of his highest form with whom the language of Hell is so familiar that blasphemy is become their mother tongue and that they speake not a word of our country language the language of Canaan that they are so hardened in evill that they are past grace and past feeling that the swearer and blasphemer is like a mad dog which flieth in his masters face that keepes him That as roaring and drinking is the horse way to Hell whoreing and cheating the footway so swearing and blaspheming followes Corah Dathan and Abyram That it is a sure rule and an undoubted signe if any man does weare and curse ordinarily that he never truly feared God as it cannot be that the true feare of God and ordinary swearing should dwell together in one man yea dead are they while they live if they live in this sinne That Sathan stands ever at the swearers elbow to take notice reckon up and set on his score every oath he swâ—areth and keepes them upon record against the great day of reckoning at which time he will set them all in order before him and lay them to his charge and that then every oath shall prove as a daggers point stabbing his soule to the heart and as so many weights pressing him downe to Hell And shall further tell them that swearing is clâ—athed with death Ecclus. 23. 12. and that the swearer wounds his owne soule worse then the Baalites wounded their owne bodies that he which useth much swearing shall be filled with wickednesse and that the plague shall never goe from his house yea his house shall be full of plagues Ecclus. 23. 11. that the curse of God shall enter into the house of the swearer and shall remaine in the midst of it and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof untill the owner be destroyed Zach. 5. 2. 3. 4. that God himselfe will be a swift witnesse against swearers Mail. 3. 5. That the Almighty hath spoken it and that in thunder and lightning how hee will not hold them gâ—iltlesse which take his name in vaine and that such mighty sinners as they bee shall be mightily punished And goe on in this manner to shew them the heynousnesse of their sinne and grievousnesse of their punishment it is to no purpose for they will answer all yea confute what ever hee can say with this short sentence God is mercifull yea though the swearer hath made his soule Hell fire hot with oathes and blasphemies yet hee presumes that one short prayer for mercy at the last gaspe shall coole him they will not believe that are ordained to perish Yea the Divell and sinne so infatuates and besots them that they thinke to be saved by the same Wounds and Blood which they sweare by and so often sweare away that Heaven will meete them at their last hower when all their life long they have galloped in the beaten roade toward Hell not considering that the Devill being alwayes a lyer labours to perswade the Godly that their estate is damnable and the wicked to believe without once questioning that they are in favour with God so they spend their dayes in mirth saith Iob and suddenly they goe downe into Hell Iob. 21. 13. § 34. NEither is it strange that they should be so jocund confident and secure that they should neither be sensible of their present condition nor afraid of future Iudgments for for what the eye seeth not the heart rueth not security makes worldlings merry and therefore are they secure because are they ignorant A dunse wee know seldome makes doubts yea a foole saith Salomon boasteth and is confident Pro. 14. 16. and by a foole in all his Proverbs hee meanes the naturall man As the Spyder which kills men cures Apes so ignorance doth wonderfully profit nature which is the greatest bane to grace that can bee it is a vaile or curtaine to hide away their sinnes our knowledge saith one of the learned doth but shew us our ignorance and wisdome saith another is but one of mans greatest miseries unlesse it be as well able to conquer as to decerne the next to being free from miseries is not to be sensible of them Erasmus could spie out a great priviledge in a blockish condition Fooles saith hee being free from ambition enuy shame and feare are neither troubled in conscience nor masserated with cares and beasts we see are not ashamed of their deeds Where is no reason at all there is no sinne where no use of reason no apprehension of sinne and where is no apprehension of sinne there can be no shame Blind men never blush neither are these men ashamed or afraid of any thing because for want of bringing their lives to the rule of Gods word they perceive not when they doe well when ill the timber not brought to the Rule may easily appeare straight when yet it is not nay because they see not their owne soules they are ignorant that they have any and as little care for them as they know them they beare that rich treasure in their bodies as a Toade doth a pretious stone in her head and know it not What 's the reason a worldling can strut it under an unsupportable masse of Oathes blasphemies thefts murthers drunkennesse whoredomes and other such like sinnes yea can easily swallow these spiders with Mithridates and digest them too their
stomackes being accustomed unto them when one that is regenerate shrinkes under the burthen of wandering thoughts and want of proficiency It is this the one is in his element the state of nature the other taken forth now a fifth in the river is not afraid of drowning Yea let a man dive under whole tunnes of water in the Sea he feeles not any weight it hath because the water is in it's proper place and no element doth weigh downe in it's owne place but take the same man forth and lay but one vessell upon his shoulders he feeles it a great burthen and very weighty so every small sinne to a holy man who is in the state of Regeneration hath a tender conscience and weigheth his sinne by the ballance of the Sanctuary is of great weight but to a naturall man who hath a brawny conscience is plunged over head and eares in sensuallity and weigheth his sinne by the ballance of his owne carnall reason it is a light thing not worth the regarding yea so long as they remaine in this estate they are dead in sin Eph. 2. 1. Rev. 3. 1. Now lay a mountaine upon a dead man hee feeles not once the weight Well then may these doe much evill to others but small hope is there that others should doe good upon them or reforme them from this sinne of swearing no it is an evill which for insolencie and grouth scornes to be slaine either by tongue or pen but like the Princes of Middian it calls for Gideon himselfe even the power of the magistrate to fall thereon § 35 INdeed a course might be taken by the State to make them leave it though nothing shall ever be able to make them feare an oath should they see never so many stroke dead while they are jesting with these edged tooles as diverse have beene I will onely instance three examples A Serving man in Lincolneshire for every trifle used to sweare Gods pretious blood and would not be warned by his friends to leave it at last he was visited with a grievous sicknesse in which time he could not be perswaded to repent of it but hearing the bell towle in the very anguish of death he started up in his bed and swore by the former oath that bell towled for him whereupon immediatly the blood in abundance from all the joynts of his body as it were in streames did issue out most fearefully from mouth nosthrils knees heeles and toes withall other joynts not one left free and so died Earle Godwine wishing at the Kings table that the bread hee eate might choake him if he were guilty of Alpâ—red's death whom he had before slaine was presently choaked and fell downe dead It was usuall with Iohn Peter mentioned in the booke of Martyrs to say if it be not true I pray God I may rot ere I dye and God saying Amen to it he rotted away indeede For what 's the use they would make of Gods judgments in the like cases â— Even the same that the Philistins of Asâ—dod made of their fellowes destruction when God so fearefully plagued them for keeping and prophaning of his Arke which was this peradventure it is Gods hand that smâ—t them for so they reasoned and so these would halfe believe yet it may be it is but a chance that hath happened unto them 1 Sam. 6. 9. when yet they saw that all which were guilty suffered in the judgement and onely they so these would but halfe believe if they should see the like judgements executed upon their fellowes The onely way to make them leave their swearing is let them have it upon their carkases and then though the belly hath no eares yet the back would feele Or let them for every oath bee injoyned and enforced to a months silence as Tibertâ—s the Emperor condemned a great railer to a whole yeares yea as he among the Indians take it on Aelian's credit that told a lye thrice was condemned to perpetuall silence so I am sure it were happy for the Church if these swearers were so silenced except they would forbeare their swearing Or let their purses pay for it and this would touch them to the quicke this is a tryed remedy the land hath had experience of it when there was an act made by King Henry the fifth and his Parliament that if any Duke swore an oath hee should pay forty shillings a Barron twenty shillings a Knight or an Esquire ten shillings a Yeoman three shillings foure pence a Servant whipt and the same as well executed as inacted no man was once heard to sweare or very rarely And would not the like penalty now work the like effect â— yes undoubtedly for men stand more upon their silver or upon their sides smarting then upon their soules Have you not heard how that Host answered his guests when they could get no flesh at his house in Lent yet might have it in other places â— alasse said he we are bound and they are but sworn the tale lookes like mirth but the meaning is in good earnest too many feare an Obligation more than Religion and are more carefull of a Recognizance then of their Conscience What most mens care is touching spirituall evills and eternall reward is lively exprest by Salomon because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to do evill Eccle. 8. 11. Ignorant worldlings thinke because God strikes not he minds not Ps. 50. 21. but O foole though hee come softly to Judgement yet he commeth surely and in the end what hee wanted in swiftnesse shall be supplyed in severenesse Yea were that good statute lately enacted by our gracious King and his Nobles thorowly strictly and severely put in execution without partiallity we should finde another manner of reformation touching oaths then now we see beâ—ides the pore should be richly maintained and none be in want but swearers whose want also were the onely way to make them rich to recover their soules and procure all blessings from God upon their persons and estates so all should be gainers whereas now though we have good laws provided the matter is as well mended touching oaths as it was once in Lyons touching Stewes of which Hugo Card nalis said that whereas Innocentius found foure at his comming thether he had left them but one indeed that reached from one end of the City to the other urbs est jam tota lupanar for wee have not lesse but more swearing since that prohibition by reason that mans nature most lusteth after that which is most forbidden and slights the fruite of that tree which is easily climbed so that for want of due execution because of oathes the Land doth mourne Hos. 4. 3. and threatens to spue out her inhabitants because of drunkennesse And so much of the drunkards swearing § 36. NOw when the pots for a while have stopt all their mouths though every man
who think as good be buried as so much debarred of their appetites so fares it with these touching their soules for use what meanes you will to reclame them they will reject it What saith S. Basil shall we speake to drunkards wee had as good round a dead man in the eare yea certainly saith another he is drunk himselfe that prophanes reason so as to urge it to a drunken man in regard whereof S. Augustine compares drunkennesse to the pit of hell into which when a man is once fallen there is no redemption Whoring is a deep ditch yet some few shall a man see returne to lay hold on the wayes of life one of a thousand but scarce one drunkard of ten thousand Indeed S. Ambrose mentions one and another by a moderne Divine of ours is confest and but one a peece of all that ever they knew or heard of I speake of drunkards not of one drunken such who rarely and casually have Noah like beene surprised and overtaken at unawares but if once a custome ever a necessity Drunkennesse beastiates the heart and spoiles the braine overthrowes the faculties and organs of repentance and resolution It is a sinne of that nature that it hardens and makes up the heart against all repentings Yea the Holy Ghost by the Prophet Hosea tells us that it takes away the heart Hosea 4. 11. And we find it too true for commonly it is accompanied wâ—th finall impenitence which is the greatest evill that is incident to man in this life in that it is a certaine forerunner of eternall condemnation yea it is much to bee feared that the Lord hath done by them as by Ieremiah hee threatneth the Babylonians even given them over to a perpetuall drunkennesse Ier. 51. 39. And is it not most just with God that hee who will put out his naturall light should have his spirituall extinguished he that will deprive himselfe of reason should loose also the guide and pylot of reason Gods Spirit and Grace he that will wittingly and willingly make himselfe an habitation of uncleane spirits should not dispossesse them at his owne pleasure that their deaths should bee answerable to their lives as commonly such as a mans delights and cares are in health such are both his thoughts and speeches on his death-bed Some that have beene used to swearing have dyed with oathes and curses in their mouthes Some persecutors have dyed raging blaspheming and despiting the Spirit of grace Some Usurers have died while in their conceit they were telling their money and casting it up after ten in the hundred Yea one being used to play at Tables all his life with great delight cried out upon his death-bed size-ace cater-trey c. I deny not but God may raise a Lazarus of this kind though he bee dead in excesse dead in sense yea though he be buried and stinkes againe thorow long custome in filthines and breath into his nosthrils againe the breath of life whereby he may become a living soule but rarely is it seene that he doth so § 58. NEither speak I of what God can do for with him all things are possible but with men with drunkards it is in a manner impossible for surely if there were the least possibility of their leaving it if they were not altogether hardened past feeling and past grace then would they now abstaine whilst the plague is hot amongst us But alasse even at this present when many lawfull and indifferent actions are unexpedient these warped wicked wretched men neither feare nor cease to roare drinke drab sweare c. so difficult is the work like Iairus Minstrels they cannot forbeare to play and revell even in the time and place of mourning Dives-like they must have exquisite musick merry company dainty fare c. every day so little are they mooved with Gods displeasure and this grievous judgement Yea notwithstanding it is for their sakes that judgements are upon us and that their crying sinnes have pierced the heavens and brought downe the Plague upon thousands as when Achan sinned Israel was beaten neither did the wickednesse of Peor stretch so far as the Plague yea the Adultery of those few Gibeoâ—ites to the Levites wife was the occasion of six and twenty thousand mens deaths besides all their wives and children together with forty thousand and odd of the Israelites Iudg. 20. when the death of those few malefactors would have saved all theirs and put away evill from Israel vers 13. yea if the Campe of Israel suffered so much for one Achan's fault what may wee expect that have such a multitude of Achans amongst us Notwithstanding I say it is for their sakes that judgements are upon us yet they of al men are least sensible of them as it fared with Ionas who for all that grievous tempest was for his sake yet Ionas alone was fast asleep and the Disciples in another case as wherefore was that unspeakable agony of Christ but for the sinnes of his Disciples and chosen and yet even then the Disciples were asleepe But why doe I make the comparison when betweene them there is no comparison for the fire of Gods wrath being kindled amongst us for their sakes they doe but warme themselves at the flame sining so much the more freely and merrily even drinking in iniquity as the fish drinketh in water and living as if they were neither beholding to God nor affraid of him both out of his debt and danger yea as if the Plague were not only welcome unto them but they would fall to courting of their owne destruction as if with Calanus they hated to dye a naturall death The pleasure of the world is like that Colchian hony whereof Zenophon's Souldiers no sooner tasted then they were miserably distempered those that tooke little were drunk those that took more were mad those that tooke most were dead so most men are either intoxicated or infatuated or killed out right with this deceitfull world that they are not sensible of their feares or dangers It is like a kind of melancholy called Chorus Sancti Viti which who so hath it can doe nothing but laugh and dance untill they be dead or cured as it made Argos in the Poet and another mentioned by Aristotle sit all day laughing and clapping their hands as if they had beene upon a stage at a Theater Wickednesse makes guilty men feare where is no cause these have cause enough but no grace to feare they are so besotted with a stupid security that they are not affected with any danger yea they account it the chiefest vertue to be bold fearelesse and carelesse according to that Ier. 5. where the Prophet complaines unto God thou hast smitten them but they have not sorrowed thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a stone and have refused to returne verse 3. which was Pharaoh's case who though his backe were all blew and sore with stripes
Ambrose Ierom c. testifie besides our own experience And many men thinke they cannot doe their absent friends a greater honour yea their friends also take it for an high honour But O the stupidity both of the one and the other for can this be any honour or credit unto any to be thus dishonoured of every infamous and beastly drunkard of every pot-companion Tunne or Hogshead to be the dayly phrase the Theame the Rhetoricke of every ebrious and luxurious sot the occasion cause and patronage of drunkennesse and excesse yea what Christian would not scorne to have their healthes their names their place and persons made a common Prologue or praeludium an ordinary bawd or pandor an usuall in-let way or passage to drunkennesse and excesse a common shoe-horne baite or engine to force or draw men on to drinke beyond all measure a dayly patronage plea or sanctuary to justifie and beare out or else a frequent but unjust apology or excuse to extenuate salve or mitigate the excesse of sinne and infamous wicked base and swinish men It was a noble answer of a great Prince Doe not drinke my health but pray for it and a wise reply of a grave and worthy States-man of this Kingdome I will pray for the Kings health but drinke for mine owne And surely none but sots will bring themselves into grievous diseases by drinking healthes to other men and such is the case of health drinkers What said Callisthenes to one that urg'd him to drinke at Alexanders Feast as others did I will not for who so drinketh to Alexander had need of Aesculapius meaning a Physitian Nay it 's well if they prevent not the Physitian and drinke not themselves past all hope of recovery for not seldome doe they save the Physitian a labour and drinke at once anothers health their owne death as I could instance in sundry examples I 'le onely give you two but they are as good as twenty At one supper which Alexander prepared for his Favourites and Captaines there was no lesse then one and forty which kild themselves in that goodly conflict of carousing healthes Where Promachus having swallowed downe foure Gallons of wine got the prize and victory And at another drinking feast or combat which he appointed for the Indians himselfe dranke his death and ruine in quaffing off a whole carouse or health out of Hercâ—â—es cup and to beare him company there was five and thirty more at the same time dranke themselves dead in the place and never revived more with carousing healthes and rounds There is another example recorded which is so remarkable that I am loth to passe it though the circumstances vary It is recorded of Popelus the second King of Poland that having incurred the displeasure of his Nobility through his ill government for which they intended to depose him he feigned himselfe to be very sicke by his Queenes advice and thereupon sent for twenty of the chiefe Princes of Pomerania who had the principall voice in the election of the Polâ—nian Kings to come and visit him in this his sicknesse which they did accordingly the King upon their comming requested them to elect his sonne to the Kingdome after his decease which thing they answered they would willingly doe if the rest of the Nobility would consent the Queene in the meane time provides a cup of sudden poyson of purpose to dispatch them and presents it to them all to drinke the King her husbands health they to testifie their love and alleagiance to the King dranke off the cup as their manner was unto his health but to their owne instant confusion and immediate death and to the subversion of all the stocke and race of the Polonian Princes a sudden and fearefull yet a just jâ—dgement of God upon these Princes who were much addicted to the drinking of healthes formerly But loe the infinite justice of God on both hands for out of the dead and poysoned Carkases of these Princes there issued such infinite troopes and swarmes of Rats and Mice as chased Popelus his wife and all his children from place to place both by Sea and land till at last they were forced to flye to the strong castle of Oraccovia where they were drowned and eaten up of these Rats and Mice in despite of Guard and Garisons and all those Arts and policies of fire and water-workes that were used to secure them as the Polonian Histories doe at large declare But not to travell so farre for examples how many health-sokers and drunkards may we see or heare of every yeare within the verge and compasse of our land who doe suddenly consume perish and come to a fearfull end being cut downe by strange and unexpected deathes in the very act of their sinnes before they had any time or space to repent whose deathes even charity it selfe must needs judge most miserable seeing they dye in their sinnes and are taken away in Gods just wrath even whilst they are sacrificeing their soules to Sathan And doth not the very Eccho of these drunken and excessive healthes dayly cry in the eares of God for vengeance on all that use them if not upon the whole Land for their sakes yea undoubtedly § 82. THen let no drunkard force thee either against thy stomack or thy inability to pledge his healths yea let quaffers quarrell rage and scoffe threaten curse and loade thee with a thousand censures yet hold thou thine owne still It is true they will be strangely importunate what then a shamelesse begger must have a strong denyall Indeed if the word pledge were used seriously properly opportunely and not altogether mistaken and used in a wrong sense I should grant it a duty when any shall bee called thereunto But sotted drunkards understand not what they speake when they use the phrase for the word pledge implies no intention of drinking as looke we but to the originall and first institution thereof and we shall find that when in the borders of Wales twelve Welchmen had treacherously stabb'd 12. Englishmen as they were holding the cups to their mouths it grew to that that none would drinke at any publike meeting except they had some friend present who would undertake to be their pledge and carefully see that none should hurt them the while but hee who useth the word now makes himselfe ridiculous the occasion being taken away for God bee thanked we have no such cause of feare having the Lawes of God to guide the vertuous and the Lawes of the Land to restraine the wicked Yet their mistake is no more in this their challenge then it is in the combate it selfe and the victory they get by it for whereas they make a sport of drunkennesse counting him a malefactor in the highest degree that departs without staggering and fit to be carried before a Magistrate to render an account of his contumacie and delight to make men drink till they vomit up their shame againe like a filthy Dog or lye
be filled with uproare and confusion every one taking Diana's part and not one taking part with God Act 19. 23. to 41. you know a stone throwne into the water makes of it selfe but one circle but that one begets a hundred in a word if but some godlesse persons in Sodom assault just Lot and his two Angells before night all the men of the City from the young even to the old from all quarters will compasse the house round about revile him and seeke to breake open the dore upon him yea though they are strucken with blindnesse they will still persist till they have wearied themselves and feele fire and brimstone about their eares Gen. 19. 4. to 25. We give but a touch here when we could be large for I speake to those that understand and plaine things which our selves are dayly witnesses of neede no proofe It is but too well knowne how many blaspheme and persecute the Godly because they see others doe so as many will yawne when they see others yawne and make water when they see others doe so before them that most men yeeld themselves like dead Images or engines to be mooved onely with the wheeles of custome and example Like so many fooles they know their heads are insufficient to direct them and therefore they resolve that custome shall whence it is that we are censured laughed to scorne and counted silly fooles of the greatest number that we are made the But of every ones malice and the subject of all their discourse for should the world be barred this practice should we or could we gag people from censuring talebearing slandering detractions c. there would be silence at our boards silence at our fire â—ides silence in the Taverne silence on the way silence in the Barbers shop in the Mill in the Market every where silence yea our very Gossips would have nothing to whisper Indeed every visible act of vice should be our encouragement to vertue but woe is me we are Cesternes to sinne Sives to grace § 97. Fourthly our infamous drunkards censure and slander us that they may mitigate their owne shame with our discredit having lost their owne they so vex if they heare or meeâ—e another which hath got a good name that presently they will set upon him and seeke by all meanes to take it away as Panus having lost his Boate sued every one for it that he met Their cunning is to condemne others that themselves may be justified as Caligula tooke off the heads from the images of the gods to set up his owne or as Merchants who to raise the prices of their owne commodities beate downe the prices of others we know the twinkling starres at the approach of the Sunne lose their light and after regaine it not untill darkenesse be upon the deepe Bad natures whom they cannot reach by imitation they will endeavour to doe by detraction and doe so in some measure for by making vertue contemptible and depraving the Godly they seeme to be upon the same ground with them being out of hope to attaine to the vertues of the Religious they seeke to come at even hand yea have the better by depressing them for like Gamesters at play what the one loseth the other wins or like two buckets in a Well as the one dryeth the other dippeth Yea their dealing with us is like that of a Theife who meeting with a full purse not onely takes it away but returnes a stab Pride was ever envious and contumelious thinking she adds so much to her owne reputation as she detracts from others And is it not good policy for a swinish drunkard or a beastly liver to fling dirt in a holy mans face seeing any colour seemes the fairer when blacke is by But let these depravers take heede least imitating the fact of Censor Fulvius who as the Heathens feigne untiled Iuno's Temple to cover his owne house they partake not of the like judgement runne mad and dye despairing § 98. Fiftly these drunkards speake evill of us because they can not doe evill unto us and traduce us because they cannot otherwise hurt us Because the Law binds their hands they will be smiting with their tongues and because they dare not smite us on the mouth as Annanias served Paul Act. 23. 2. they will smite us with the mouth which is as bad or worse For as these spitting Adders wil smite their stings very deepe so their wounds are commonly incureable Many particular persons know to their smart that a slander once raised will scarse ever dye whereas truth hath much a doe to bee believed a lye runs far before it can be stayed yea so far that even death it self which delivereth a man from all other enemies is not able to deliver him from this of the tongue A report once comming into the mouth of the vulgar whether true or false like wild-fire can never be quenched why report and heare-say is the alone oracle of the common people and what they speake is hard to disprove would any undertake the same for it is the jealous mans misery hee may prove his wife false hee can never prove her true besides the evill minded would have it true and what men would have to be they are apt to believe Yea in this case a wicked drunkard will beleeve that to bee true which lately hee knew to bee false for a lyer may tell his lyes so often till in the end hee forgets that himself was the deviser and so believeth them himself wherin men are parties they are apt to be partiall But this is not all the mischiefe for their evill reports will increase as well as continue a mans good name is like a milk-white Ball that will infinitely gather soyle in tossing for this is there manner one begins a whisper another makes it a report a third enlargeth it to a dangerous calumny a fourth adds somewhat of his own the which is augmented and divulged for a truth by a thousand So that as a stone cast into a pond begets circle upon circle or as a little Ball rowled in the Snow gathers it selfe to a great lump so the report that is but a little sparke of fire at the first proves a great flame by that it hath past through many mouths Or admit the best that can come I am sure a man once wounded in his good name is seldome cured without skarres of suspicion as fine linnen being once stained with black Inke though it be wash'd never so will retaine an Iron-mould ever after O the malice and mischiefe of aslanderer for he not only woundeth the party of whom he speaks but the party likewise to whom hee speakes if hee either rashly believes it or is delighted in hearing it or further divulgeth it or doth not defend the absent wronged party so slaying three at once with the one Arrow of his viperous and venimous tongue himselfe being one of the number as Luther well
he had beene dayes in the country Nay hath not the Devill made as good use of some famous drunkard as Sampson did of that Jaw-bone of an Asse Iudg. 15. wherewith he slew a thousand men § 113. NOw wherein doe they overcome and what is it these spirituall Kings and their Regiments chiefely fight for for having made cleare way I come now at length to prove the second part of my former proposition namely that their utmost aime and end whether they seeke to intise or enforce us to sinne with them is that they may have our company hereafter in the burning lake but to win soules each from other and what thinke you doe drunkards the seede of the Serpent and children of the Devill more delight in then the murther of soules and why doe they so subtilly perswade and so violently enforce us to sinne with them but that they may pluck us out of Christs fould and bring us into the same place of torment whether they are going This is the very end and purpose of all their warring against the seede of the woman For as nothing but the dishonour and rape of Tamer could please Amnon and nothing but the blood of Amnon could satisfie Absalom and nothing but the heart of Absalom could content Ioab and nothing but the death of Ioab could pacifie Salomon so nothing but our soules will satisfie the Serpent and his seede This is the very Pricke White and Butt whereat they shoote all their Arrowes and lay their levell If any shall say this word is too big for my mouth I wish them first heare and then determine The Devill by these as through so many Bowes shootes a deadly Arrowe at thy soule as Lycian Pandorus did at Menelaus the Grecian but God like Pallas turneth by the Shaft and makes it hit upon the body goods or good name as that upon the buckler of his girdle Why thinke you are all their frownes and frumps and censures and scoffes Why so many slanders and stigmaticall nick-names raised and cast upon the Religious why are they the alone object of their scorne and derision but that they may flout them out of their faith dampe or quench the spirit where they perceive it is kendled but that they may baffle them out and make them ashamed of their holy profession and religious course and consequently pull them back to the world Why did the Heathen Emperours so violently oppose and so cruelly persecute the Christians but to make them become Heathens too Why did Bonner and Gardiner with the rest of that crew in the time of Queene Mary burne at the stake all that truely profest the purity of Religion but to winne them from Christ Why did St. Paul before his conversion breath out threatnings and slaughters against the Disciples why did he persecute them even to strang cities shut up in Prison and punish them throughout all the Synagogues but that he might make them renounce Christ and his religion and compell them to blaspheme as himselfe confesseth Acts 26. 10. 11. Why did the high Priests so consult and contrive about putting Lazarus to death after he was raised and Christ also that raised him but because for his fake many of the Iewes went away and beleeved in Iesus as the Holy-Ghost affirmes Iohn 12. 10. 11. see also Chap. 11. 48. Lastly if there were not many men so cursedly wretched as to delight in the murther of soâ—les what should holy David so much and in so many places use these and the like expressions They have laid waite for my soule Psa. 59. 2. 3. They rewarded me evill for good to have spoyled my soule Psal. 35. 12. Mine enemies the wicked compasse me round about for my soule Psa. 17. 9. They gather themselves together and lay waite for my soule Psalme 56. 6. and many the like which was not more his case then it is ours for all their ayme when they either tempt or afflict us is that they may make us square our lives according to their rule as that Gyant did proportion the bodies of all his guests to the bed of his Harlot either by stretching out if they wanted in length or cutting off if they did exceed and consequently draw us to perdition They rather wish all damned with themselves then any to bee freed from their owne Prison and as in the blessed there is perfect charity so in the damned there is perfect envie neither the good would be saved nor the wicked would be damned alone wherefore they seeke to winne all they can § 114. WHen once a man is got out of the snare of the Divell he will doe what he can to pluck others after him As by his sinnes and bad example hee hath drawn others from God so now he will all hee can draw others with himselfe to God Saul converted will build up as fast as ever he plucked downe and preach as zealously as ever he persecuted But take a view of each case in severall persons and first of the godly We read that Noah and Lot hazarded their own peace and safety such was their charity to preserve theirs that afflicted them they did admonish others like Prophets and advise them like Fathers but both in vaine these holy men seemed to them as one that mocked and they did more then seeme to mocke them againe We read likewise how Andrew was no sooner converted and become Christ's Disciple but instantly hee seeketh out his brother Simon to gaine him also to the same faith Iohn 1. 41. And of Philip that he did the like to Nathaniel verse 45. And of the woman of Samaria that she did the like to many of her neighbours Iohn 4. 28. to 41. And of the twelve Apostles that so soone as they were endued with the Holy Ghost they spread the Gospell throughout the whole world and with so good successe that wee reade of three thousand soules converted by one of them at one time namely by Peter so well did he obey Christ's command who said unto him when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Luk. 22. 32. Yea Moses so thirsted after the salvation of Israel that rather then hee would bee saved without them hee desired the Lord to blot him out of the Booke of Life Exodus 32. 32. and Paul to this purpose saith I could wish my selfe to be separated from Christ for my brethren that age my kinsmen according to the flesh meaning the Iewes Rom. 9. 3. Their charity and spirituall thirst after salvation was much like the naturall thirst of Alexander who being with his troopes in the Field and in extremity of thirst when one presentted him an Helmet of water he refused it saying si solus bibero hos maeror occupabit or that of Rodolphus the Emperour who in his warres against Octocarus King of Bohemia being offered drink by a rusticke that attended his harnesse when both he and his whole Army were ready to perish with thirst refused it saying
Devill be the father lust the mother consent the midwife sinne the child and death the portion yet all is like to miscarry if custome become not an indulgent nurse to breede up the â—ame till it come to an habit Sathan first twines certaine small threads together of seeming profit pleasure c. and so makes a little cord of vanity therewith to draw us unto him and afterwards composeth of such lesser cords twisted together that cart-rope or cable custome of iniquity and therewith he seekes to bind men fast unto him for starting for when â—inne by custome and long practice is growne to an habit this is sinne in perfection or the perfection of sinne because custome in sinne brings hardnesse of heart hardnesse of heart impenitency and impenitency damnation Yet this by the way is to be noted and remembred that men of yeares liveing in the Church are not simply condemned for their particular sinnes but for their continuance and residence in them sinnes committed make men worthy of damnation but liveing and abiding in them without repentance is that which brings damnation upon them such as live within the precincts of the Church shall be condemned for the very want of true faith and repentance § 125. SIxthly thy judgment shall not onely be increased according to thy sinnes but God will therefore adjudge thee to so much the fâ—rer and severer condemnation by how much thy meanes of repentance hath beene greater If I had not come and spâ—ken unto them saith our Saviour they should not have â—ad 〈◊〉 but now have they no cloake for their sinne Iohn 15. 22. Ordinary disobedience in the time of grace and wilfull neglect of Gods call in the abundance of meanes is a great deale more damnable then the commission of sinne in the dayes of ignorance and blindnesse when the like meanes are wanting Those Gentiles the Ninivites were more righteous then the Iewes in that they repented at the voice of one Prophet yea and that with one Sermon whereas the Iewes refused and resisted all the Prophets which God sent among them but the Iewes who resisted our Saviour Christ's doctrine and put him to death were more righteous then such as amongst us are scoffers at Religion and Antipodes to the power of grace they were never convinced that he was the Messias sent from God to redeeme the world as all or almost all are that call themselves Christians because they professe themselves members of Christ and Protestants in token that they are ready to protest against and resist all such as are professed enemies to and opposers of Christs Gospell As for the Heathen Philosophers who knew not God in Christ they are more righteous then wicked Christians beyond compare for they beleeved as Pagans but lived as Christians wheras such beleeve as Christians but live like Pagans yea many of them would have beene ashamed to speake that which many of these are not ashamed to doe and though we are unworthy to be called Christians if we professe him in name and be not like him in workes yet the most part of men amongst us proclaime to the world that they have never thought whether they are going to Heaven or Hell There be many professed Christians but few imitaters of Christ we have so much science and so little conscience so much knowledge and so little practise that to thinke of it would move wonder to astonishment had not our Lord told us that even amongst those that heare the Gospell three parts of the good seede falls upon bad ground The common Protestant is of Baalam's Religion that would dye the death of the righteous but no more Ioshua's resolution I and my house will serve the Lord is growne quite out of credit with the world and there are more banquerupts in Religion then of all other professions but let men take heede least by their disobedience they lose their second Paradise as our originall Parents did their first If we are commanded to exceede Scribes and Pharisees in our righteousnesse then those that come short of the Ethnick Pagans what torments shall they suffer Ierusalem is said to justifie Sodom yet were the Sodomites in Hell now if we justifie Hierusalem sure we shall lye lower in Hell then either the Sodomites or the Iewes for we are so much the worse by how much we might have beene better § 126. BUt see how many wayes God hath called thee how many meanes he hath used that he might winne thee to repentance First the holy Scriptures are as it were an Epistle sent unto thee from Heaven and written by God himselfe to invite and call thee to repentance and therein Christ himselfe no lesse saith unto thee from Heaven when thou art drinking swearing mocking scoffing deriding enuying hateing opposing and persecuting any that beleeve in him then once he did to Saul why persecutest thou me I am Iesus whom thou persecutest it is hard for thee to kicke against the prickes for whatsoever the Spirit speaketh generally or specially in the Word is the voice of the whole Trinity and intended particularly to thee and to me and to every man single his case being the same What dost thou looke for Caine or Iudas to come out of Hell to warne thee it is sufficient their sinne and punishment is written for thy learning But this is not all for though he calls chiefely by his Word yet he doth not call onely by it for never any thing happened unto thee in thy whole life whether thou receivest benefits or punishments hearedst threatnings exhortations or promises from any his Embassadors of the Ministery but all whether faire meanes or foule have beene sent from God to invite and call thee to faith and repentance He even therefore threatens Hell saith St. Chrysostome that he may not punish thee by the same All Gods blessings are like so many suters woing thee to repentance yea they put on even the formes of Clyents and petition thee for repentance his afflictions are Embassadors sent to treat with thee about a league which cannot be had without repentance all the creatures of God ordained for thy use are so many silent Sermons so many trumpets that summon thee to repentance in briefe wherefore doth the Spirit of grace knock at the dore of thine heart with such infinite checks and holy motions but that he would come in and he will not come in till repentance hath swept the house Why wast thou not with thy harlot like Zimry in the armes of Cozby smitten in the act of thy Adultery Why was not thy soule and hers sent coupled to the fire of torment as your bodies were undevided in the flame of uncleannesse While thy mouth is opened to sweare and blaspheme why is it not instantly fild with fire and brimstone When thou art dead drunke why art thou suffered to wake againe alive but this God waites as in the Parable of the Fig tree Luk. 13. another and another yeare to try
repenteth c. for hee can take liberty to continue his sensuall lusts by a warrant of Scripture what is written for his consolation hee turnes to poyson making of his restorative Physicke a drinke to intoxicate him to desperatenesse yea he can apply Christ's Passion as a Warrant for his licentiousnesse not as a remedy and takes his Death as a Licence to sin his Crosse as a letters Patent to doe mischiefe so they not only sever those things which God hath joyned together sin and punishment and joyne together what God hath severed sinne and reward but even turn the grace of God into want onnesse as if a man should head his Taber with his pardon Wherein the Divell deales with them as once with our Saviour Cast thy selfe downe headlong for the Angels shall beare thee up so plung your selves into this or that sinne the mercy of God shall helpe you out poyson thy selfe here is a counterpoyson break thy head here is a plaister surfeit here is a Physitian Upon which ground the most impudent and insolent sinners Drunkards Adulterers Swearers Mammonists c. presume that though they live like Swine all their life long yet a cry for mercy at last gasp shal transform them into Saints as Circe's charmes transformed Men into Swine We are all willing to believe what we wish The Divell makes large promises and perswades his they shall have what they desire but ever disappoinrs them of their hopes as what a liberty what wisdome did hee promise our first Parentsâ— when indeed hee stole from them that liberty and wisdome they had even as Laban promised Iacob beautifull Rachel but in the dark gave him bleare-ey'd Leah or as Hamor promised the Sechamites that by their circumcision all the goods of the house of Israel should be theirs wheras in deed the goods of the Sechamites fell to the house of Israel Diabolus â—entitar â—t fallat vitam pollicetur â—t periâ—at saith S. Cyprian The condition of an inconsiderate worldling is much like as Alchymists who projecting for the Philosophers stone distils away his estate in Limbecks not doubting to find that which shall do all the World good yea hee dares promise his friends before hand Gold in whole Scuttles but at last his glasse breaks and himselfe with it Thus when Agag was sent for before Samuel he went pleasantly saying the bitternesse of death is past but his welcome was immediately to be heâ—en in peeces 1 Sam. 15. 33. The rich man resolves when he hath filled his Barnes then soule rest but God answers no then soule come to judgement to cverlasting unrest Luk. 12. 19. 20. The hope of an hypocrite is easily blown into him and as soone blowne out of him because his hope is not of the right kind yea it is presumption not confidence viz. hope frighted out of it's wits an high house upon weak pillars which upon every little change threatens ruine to the inhabitant for a little winde blowes down the Spiders-web of his hope wherby like the foolish builder he comes short of his reckoning That heart which Wine had even now made as light as a feather dyes ere long as heavie as a stone 1 Sam. 25. 36 37. § 143 IT is Sathans method first to make men so senselesse as not to feele their sins at all and then so desperate that they feele them too much In the first fit men live as if there were no Hell in the last they dye as if there were no Heaven While their consciences are asleepe they never trouble them but being stirred by Sathan who when he sees his time unfolds his Ephemerides and leaves not the least of all theit sinfull actions unanatomized but quoats them like a cunning Register with every particular circumstance both of time and place they are fierce as a mastive Dog and ready to pul out their throats This Serpent may bee benummed for a time through extreamity of cold but when once revived it will sting to death The Divell is like Dalilah who said to Sampson the Philistims be upon thee when it was too late and she had taken away his strength Iudges 16. Wicked men are altogether in extreams at first they make question whether this or that be a sin at last they apprehend it such a sin that they make question whether it can bee forgiven either God is so mercifull that they may live how they list or so just that hee will not pardon them upon their repentance no meane with them betweene the Rocke of presumption and the Gulfe of despaire now presumption encourageth it selfe by one of a thousand and despaire will not take a thousand for one If a thousand men be assured to passe over a Foord safe and but one to miscarry desperation sayes I am that one and if a thousand Vessels must needs miscarry in a Gulfe and but one escapes presumption sayes I shall be that oneâ—as we read of but one sinner that was converted at the last howre of millions that had lesse iniquity yet have found lesse mercy But see further the strength of their argument The Thiefe was saved at the last howre and therefore I shall Thou maist as well conclude the Sunne stood still in the dayes of Ioshua therfore it shall doe so in my dayes for it was a miracle with the glory whereof our Saviour would honour the ignominy of his Crosse and wee may almost as well expect a second crucifying of Christ as such a second Thiefes conversion at the last howre Hee were a wise man that should spurre his Beast till hee speake because Baalams Beast did once speake yet even so wise and no wiser is hee that makes an ordinary rule of an extraordinary example Againe the Thiefe was saved at the very instant of time when our Saviour triumphed on the Crosse tooke his leave of the world and entered into his glory Now it is usuall with Princes to save some heinous malefactors at their Coronation when they enter upon their Kingdomes in triumph which they are never knowne to doe afterwards Besides the Scripture speaks of another even his fellow in that very place and at that very instant which was damned There was one faith S. Augustine that none might despaire there was but one that none should presume That suddaine conversion of one at the last howre was never intended in Gods purpose for a temptation neither will any that have grace make mercy a Cloak or warrant to sinne but rather a spurre to incite them to godlinesse well knowing that to wait for Gods performance in doing nothing is to abuse that Divine providence which will so worke that it will not allow us idle and yet by Sathans policie working upon wicked mens depraved judgements and corrupt hearts in wresting this Scripture it hath proved by accident the losse of many thousand soules The flesh prophesies prosperity to sin yea life and salvation as the Pope promised the Powder traitors but death and damnation which
When the heart is changed and set towards God all the members will follow after it as the rest of the creatures after the Sunne when it ariseth the tongue will praise him the foot will follow him the eare will attend him the hand will serve him nothing will stay after the heart but every one goes like hand-maides after their Mistresse which makes David presenting himself before God summon his thoughts speeches actions c. saying all that is within me praise his holy name Psal. 103. 1. Prov. 23. 26. so that it is a true rule he that hath not in him all Christian graces in their measure hath none and he that hath any one truly hath all For as in the first birth the whole person is borne and not some peeces so it is in the second the whole person is borne againe though not wholly how much the regenerate man is changed from what hee was wont to be may be seene 1 Corinth 6. 9. 10. 11. Tit. 3. 3. to 8. Rom. 6. 4. to 23. and here upon Christ is compared to purging fire and Fullers Sope to signifie how hee should fine and purg purifie and cleanse his people Mal 3. 2. 3. God never adopteth any his children but he bestowes love tokens upon them which are the earnest of his Spirit in their hearts 2 Cor. 1. 22. and his saving graces as an earnest and for a signe that they shal overcome their Ghostly enemies and live everlastingly with him in heaven as he gave Hezekiah the going backe of the Sunne tenne degrees for a signe that hee should be delivered out of the hands of the King of Ashur and have added to his dayes fifteene yeares 2 Kings 20. 6. 8. 11 Alasse though there bee scarce a man on earth but he thinks to goe to heaven yet heaven is not for every one but for the Saints would any man have a lot in Canaan let him bee a sure to bee a true Israelite And so we see there must of necessity bee a manifest change that fruitfulnesse is the best argument he hath begotten us anew that the signes of salvation are to be sought in our selves as the cause in Iesus Christ that wee must become new creatures as S. Paul hath it 2 Cor. 5. 17. talk with new tongues Mar. 16. 17. and walk in new wyaes Matth. 2. 12. hating what we once loved and loving what we formerly hated then shall we have new names Rev. 2. 17. put on new garments and have a portion in the new Ierusalem Revel 21. otherwise not Take notice of this all ye carnall worldlings who are the same that yee were alwayes even from the beginning ' and think the same a speciall commendations too though you have small reason for it for that wee need no more to condemne us then what we brought into the world with us Besides doe you live willingly in your sinnes Let mee tell you ye are dead in your sinnes this life is a death and wee need no better proofe that you are dead then because you feele not your deadnesse § 150. SEcondly that thou hast not repented nor doest yet believe is plaine for as faith is a gift of God whereby the elect soule is sirmly perswaded not only that the whole word of God is true but that Christ and all his benefit doe belong unto her so it is an honourable and an operative grace alwayes accompanied with other graces over bearing fruit and repentance being a fruit of faith is a whole change of the mind and a very sore displeasure against a mans selfe for sinne as it is sin and a breach of God's holy Lawes and for offending so good a God so mercifull a Father with a setled purpose of hateing and for sakeing all sinne and yeilding universall obedience for the time to come wherefore hast thou a true lively and a justifying faith it will manifest it selfe by a holy life For as fire may bee decerned by heat and life by motion so a mans faith may bee decerned by his workes for though faith alone justifieth yet justifying faith is never alone but ever accompanied with good workes and other saving graces as the Queene though in her state and office shee be alone yet shee goeth not without her Maids of honour Tttus 3. 8. spirituall graces the beauties of the soule and good workes the beauty of graces and our justification is to bee proved by the fruits of our sanctification faith and workes are as inseparable as the root and the sap the Sun and its light and wheresoever they are not both present they are both absent I am 2. 17. 24. faith purifies the heart Act. 15. 9. worketh by love Galath 5. 6. and sanctifieth the whole man throughout 1 Thes. 5. 23. Act. 26. 18. for as if our repentance bee sound it will make us grieve for sins of all sorts secret as well as known originall as well as actuall of omission as of commission lesser viz. thoughts as well as greater yea as well for the evill which cleaves to our best workes as for the evill workes Rom. 7. 21. and as heartily and unfainedly desire that we may never commit it as that God should never impute it 2. Tim. 2. 19. Againe it will worke tendernesse of conscience and such a true filiall feare of God that we shall feare to displease him not so much because hee is just to punish us as for his mercy and goodnesse sake and more feare the breach of the Law then the curse which we may know by asking our owne hearts these questions Whether we would refuse a booty if we had as fit an opportunity to take it and no man perceive the same as Achan had Whether wee would refuse a bribe like Elisha though wee should meet with one which were as willing and able to give it as Naaman Whether we would not deceive though we were in such an of fice as the false Steward whose Master referred all unto him and knew not when he kept any thing backe Whether wee would not yeeld in case it should be said unto us as the Divell said to Christ all this will I give thee if thou wilt commit such a sinne Whether we have a Spirit without guile Psa. 32. 2. and be the same in Closet and Market as being no lesse seene in the one then in the other Whether we more love to be then seeme or be thought good as Plato spake of his friend Phocion and seeke more the power of godlinesse then the shew of it Iob 1. 1. For Christians should be like Aples of gold with Pictures of silver whose inside is better then their outside but both good and hee serveth God best who serveth him most out of sight that wheresoever hee is keepes a narrower watch over his very thoughts then any other can doe of his actions and no mans censure troubles him more then his owne Againe whether wee are as carefull to avoide the occasions of sinne as sinne
repent when thou art sicke though indeed the farthest end of all thy thoughts is the thought of thy end and to make thy reckoning at the last day the last and least thing thou makest reckoning of But hark in thine eare Oh secular man thy life is but a puff of breath in thy nosthrils and there is no trusting to it yea the least of a thousand things can kill thee and give thee no leasure to be sicke Surges may rise on suddaine ere wee think And whiles we swim secure compel us sink Sâ—ul being minded to aske counsell of the Lord concerning the Philistins was prevented for want of time 1 Samuel 14. 19. And commonly wee never have so much cause to feâ—re as when we feare nothing When Sampson was sporting wâ—th his Dal lah he little thought that the Philistins were in the chamber lying in waite for his life Ind 16. Full little doe sinners know how neare their jollity is to perdition judgement is often at the threshold while drunkennesse and surfeit are at the table § 152. BUt admit what thou imaginest namely that death be not suddaâ—ne much the better for is it not commonly seene that the purpose of proroging for a day or a weeke doth not onely last for a yeare as the suspension of the Councell of Trent made for two yeares lasted tenne but as ill debtors put off their creditors first one weeke then another till at last they are able to pay nothing so deale delayers with God they adjourn the time prefixt from next yeare to next yeare whereby they and that good howre never meet as you shall observe one Coach wheele followes another one minute of a Clock hastens after another but never overtake each other In youth men resolve to afford themselves the time of age to serve God in age they shuffell it off to sicknesse when sicknesse comes care to dispose their goods lothnesse to dye hope to escape c. martyres that good thought and their resolution still keepes before them Or else it fares with them as with many an unthrifty Trades-man who is loth to turne over his books and cast up his debts least it should put him into sad dumps and fill him with melancholly cares When Christ went about to cast out divels they said he tormented them before the time Matthew 8. 29. so whensoever thou goest about to dismisse thy sinnes and pleasures though thou stay till thou be an old man yet they will still say thou dismissest them before the time but then is the time when the divell saith the time is not yet for the divell is a layer Alasse how many men post off their conversion and at twenty send Religion before them to thirty then put it off to forty and yet not pleased to overtake it they promise it entertainment at three score at last death comes and will not allow them onehowre and perchance when their soule sits on their lips ready to take her slight then they send for the Minister to teach them how to die well But as in such extremity the Apothecary gives but some opiate Physick so the Minister can give but some opiate Divinity a cordiall that may benum them no solid comfort to secure them here is no time to ransack for sins to search the depth of the ulcer a little balme to supple but the core is left within for though true repentance is never too late yet late repentance is seldome true But here is great hope thou wilt say as it is the Divinity of diverse let men live as they list in ignorance and all abominable filthinesse so they call at last and but say Lord have mercy upon me we must infallibly conclude their estate as good as the best as though the Lord had not said you shall cry and not bee heard Prov. 1 I know the mercy of God may come inter pontem fontem inter gladium jugulum betwixt the bridg and the brook betwixt the knife and the throate and repentance may bee suggested to the heart in a moment in that very instant but this only may bee there is no promise for it many threatnings against it little likelihood of it it were madnesse for thee to break thy necke to try the skil of a Bone-setter But how many on the other side dye in Spira's caseâ— who being willed in his sicknesse to say the Lords prayer answered I cannot find in my heart to call him father whereas not one of many leave a certaine testimony or sure evidence behind them that their repentance is true and sound And indeed how is it likely they should dispatch that in half an howre which should be the busines of our whole lifeâ— For as hee which never went to Schole will hardly when he is put to it reade his neck-verse so hee that never learn'd the doctrine of repentance in his life will find it very hard if not impossible at his death Let men therefore repent while they live if they would rejoyce when they dye let them with Noah in the dayes of their health build the Arke of a good conscience against the floods of sicknesse yea if they have spent a great part of their time in the service of sinne as Paul did let them for the residue of their life make the world amends by their double yea treble endeavour to redeeme that time by a holy life and godly conversation for else we may justly suspect the truth and soundnesse of their repentance and conversion We seldome reade of any that were long barren either in soule or wombe but they had the happiest issue afterwards witnesse Sarah Manodh's Wife Hannah Elizabeth Saul Mary Magdalen c. As for the purposes of repentance which men frame to themselves at the last hourâ— they are but false conceptions that for the most part never come to bearing and indeed millions are now in hell which thought they would repent hereafter not being wise enough to consider that it is with sinne in the heart as with a Tree planted in the ground the longer it groweth the harder it is to be pluck'd up it is too late to transplant Trees after two seaven years or a Nayle in a Post which is made faster by every stroke or a Ship that leaketh which is more easily emptied at the begining then afterwards Or a ruinous house which the longer it is let runne the more charge and labour will it require in the repairing Yea sinne out of long possession will plead prescription custome of any evill makes it like the lawes of the Medes and Persians which may not be altered or removed an old vice is within a degree of impossible to be amended which maketh the Lord say by his Prophet Can the Black-more change his skin or the Leepard his spots then may ye also doe good that are accustomed to do evill ler. 13. 23. All other men have but three enemies to encounter with the Divel the World and the Flesh but
from passion and affection touching either party and as our eyes could not aright judge of colours except they were void of all colours nor our tongues discerne of tastes unlesse freed from tasts so no man can jndge aright of passions except his mind be altogether free from passions Wherefore bee not so much led by lust passion or affection as by reason Wee know appetite in a burning Feavor will call for cold drink even to the overthrow of our lives if reason gainsay it not But as they that would see more sharply and certainly shut one eye so doe thou let the eyes or windowes of thy affections bee shut to the allurements of the world and the flesh least they draw thee from the right line of obedience yea shut to humane reason also least it make thee mistake and swerve from faiths injunctions And then if thou canst but bring thy flesh with it's lusts a little asleep while thy soule is waking thou hast entred â—hrough the gate into the porch of this heavenly Palace But he that will doe this must shunne all dispute with Sathan of which else where Secondly he must get an humble conceit of his owne wisdome The first step to knowledge is to know our owne ignorance we must become fooles in our owne judgements before we can be truly wise 1 Cor. 3. 18. And indeed the opinion of our knowing enough is one of the greatest causes of our knowing so little for what we presume to have attained we seeke not after Humble eyes are most capable of high mysteries he will teach the humble his way saith David Psal. 25. 9. yea the first lesson of a Christian is humility Matth. 11. 29. Pro. 1. 7. and he that hath not learnt the first lesson is not fit to take out a new One would thinke that a worldly wise man might most easily also make a wise Christian but St. Paul saith no except first he becomes a foole that is acknowledge his cleare light and wisdome which he hath so magnified for clearenesse to be blindnesse and ignorance he cannot be wise in this case 1 Cor. 3. 18. Yea saith St. Cyprian it is as much lost labour to preach unto a man the things of God before he be humbled with the sight of hiâ— wants as to offer light to a blind man to speake to a deafe man or to labour to make a brute beast wise Pride is a great let to true wisdome for God resisteth the proâ—d aâ—d onely gives grace to the humble Iames 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 5. hence it comes to passe that few proud wits are reformed I am come unto judgement into this world saith our Saviour to the Pharisees that they which see not might see and that they which â—ee meaning in their owne opinion might be made blind Ioh. 9. 39. which was the reason he propounded his woes to the Pharisees and his Doctrines to the people An heart full of Pride is like a vessell full of aire this selfe-opinion must be blowne out of us before saving knowledge will be powred into us Humility is the knees of the soule and to that posture only the Lamb will open the booke Christ will know none but the humble and none but humble soules truly know Christ. Now this grace of humility is obtained by taking a serious view of our wants the Peacock's pride is abated when she peâ—ceives the blacknesse of her legs and feete Now suppose we know never so much yet that which we doe knovv is farre lesse then â—hat which we are ignorant of and the more we know the more we knovv vve vvant at all both vvise and holy â—en have felt and confest yea this vvas the judgement of the vvisest even amongst the Heathen 〈◊〉 being demanded vvhy the Oracle of Delphoâ— should pronounce him the vvisest man of Greece made ansvver I know nothing but this that I knoâ— nothing neither can there be any thing in me to â—â—rifie the Oracle eâ—cept this that I am not wise and know it whereas others are not wise and know it not and to be ignorant and knovv it not is by farre the greater ignorance So the renovvned Orator Cicero even bevvayled his own emptinesse I would quoth he I could light on the truth as easily as I can 〈◊〉 fasehood a negative knovvledge vvas the greatest knovvledge he vvould acknovvledge in himselfe He is wise that can truly see and acknowledge his ignorance he is ignorant that thinkes himselfe wise I 'le cleare it by a similitude being here below we thinke one Iland great but the whole earth unmeasurably if we were above in the firmament with these eyes the whole earth were it equally enlightned would seeme as little to us as now the least Starre in the firmament seemes to us upon earth and indeed how few Stars are so little as it even such is the naturall mans mistake in judging of and comparing what he hath with what he wants naturall wisdome with spirituall and Heavenly Wherefore if thou perceivest not more strength and wisdome to be in the weaknesse and foolishnesse of Gods truth 1 Cor. 1. 25. which therefore only seemes weaknesse and foolishnesse because the strength and wisdome of it is not perceived by the fleshly eye then in the strength and wisdome of the profoundest Naturian and if thou beleivest not the godly to be most wise doe not blame them for foolishnesse but thy selfe for blindnesse and desire the Lord as Elisha did for his servant to open thine eyes Thus as by mortification and dying unto sinne we come to vivification and living unto grace or as by dying the death of nature we obtaine the life of glory so by becomming a foole a man may attaine to wisdome Wherefore get humility and thou hast mounted another step toward wisdome entred a second roome of this Palace § 164. THirdly let him get faith For as without faith no man can please God so without faith no man can know God Faith doth clearely behold those things which are hid both from the eye of sense and the eye of reason I am come into the world saith our Saviour that whosoever beleeveth in me should not sit in darknesse Iohn 12. 46. Reason and faith are the two eyes of the soule Reason discernes naturall objects faith spirituall and supernaturall We may fee farre with our bodily eye sense farther with the minds eye reason but farther with the soules eye Faith then with both Yea the rationall doth not so farre exceede the sensuall as the spirituall exceeds the rationall and though reason and humane learning is as oyle to the Lampe of our understandings which makes them burne clearer yea so doubles the sight of our minds as Menander speakes that there is as much difference betweene the learned and unlearned as there is betweene man and beast yet Faith and illumination of the spirit adds to the sight of our minds as a Prospective glasse adds to the corporall sight Matth. 16. 17. Christ is
goodnesse And so doing thou mayst perchance winne thy Brother even as that penitent wanton in St. Ambrosse did his old love who when she courted him according to her accustomed manner and wondred at his overmuch strangnesse saying why doe you not know who I am answered yes I know you are still the same woman but I am become another man I am not I now neither would You be You any longer if yee knew so much as I doe 4 But if yet they persist and seeme incorrigible flye their company for feare of infection least it happen with thee as once it did with a chast person among Penelopes suters who went so often with his friend till in the end he was caught himselfe for if thou keepest them company there is no possibility of thy holding out to the end though thou shouldest for a time as a man may make some progresse in a good way and yet returne before he is halfe at his journeys end as Saul kept himselfe well for two yeares Iudas for three yeares and as it is storied Nero for five yeares yet all fell into damnable wickednesse scarce three worse in the world But of this more in it's proper place Besides how hard a thing is it for thee a coward to shew thy dislike of this sin in some companies where thou shalt be scoff't at thy selfe if thou dislike their drinking and scoffing at others Fiftly another thing which I had need to advise thee of is to take heede of delayes for to leave sinne when sin leaves us will never passe for true repentance besides if the evill spirit can but perswade thee to deferre it untill hereafter he knowes it is all one as if thou hadst never purposed to leave thy sinne at all as you have it largely proved Sections 151. 152. 153. Sixtly omit not to pray for the assistance of God's spirit to strengthen thee in thy resolution of leaving this sinne St. Ambrosse calls prayer the key of Heaven yet prayer without answerable endeavour is but as if a wounded man did desire helpe yet refuseth to have the sword puld out of his wound Seventhly be diligent in hearing God's Word which is the sword of the Spirit that killeth our corruptions and that unresistable cannon-shot which battereth and beateth downe the strong holds of sinne Eighthly be frequent in the use of the Lord's Supper wherein we dayly renew our covenant with God that we will forsake the Devill and all his workes of darkenesse Ninthly ponder and meditate on Gods inestimable love towards us who hath not spared to give his Sonne to death for us and the innumerable benefits which together with him he hath plentifully bestowed upon us both in temporall and spirituall things say unto the Lord what shall I render unto thee for all thy benefits but love my Creator and become a new creature Tenthly meditate on that union which is betweene Christ and us whereby wee become members of his glorious body and so shall we stand upon our spirituall reputation and be ashamed to dishonour our Head by drawing him as much as in us lyeth into the communication of this swinish sinne consider that our bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost the which we shall exceedingly dishonour if by drinking and swilling we make them to become like wine vessells Eleventhly consider that the Lord beholdeth thee in all places and in every thing thou doest as the eyes of a well drawne picture are fastned on thee which way soever thou turnest much more while in a brutish manner thou liest wallowing in this sinne and consider him as a just judge who will not let such grosse vices goe unpunished Twelftly beever or at least often thinking of the last and terrible day of Iudgment when we shall all be called to a reckoning not only for this sinne but for all other our sinnes which this shall occasion to our very words and thoughts And lastly if thou receivest any power against this great evill forget not to be thankfull and when God hath the fruite of his mercies he will not spare to sow much where he reapes much § 176. More especially that thou maist master and subdue this abominabâ—e sin does but set before thee in a generall view the heinousnesse thereof and the manifold evills and mischiefes which doe accompany it of which I have already spoken as that it is a vice condemned by God and men Christians and infidells that thereby we grievously offend God by making our bellies our god by unfiting and disabling our selves for his service by abusing his good creatures which with a pleantifull hand he hath bestowed upon us the necessary use whereof many better then we want that thereby we sinne in a high degree against our neighbours generally and particularly against the whole Church and common wealth strangers and familiar acquaintance and most of all against our owne family that hereby we most grievously sinne against our selves by making us unfit for our calings and for the performance of all good duties by disgracing our profession and bringing our selves into contempt by making our selves the voluntary slaves of this vice by impovershing our estate and bringing upon us want and beggery by infatuating our understandings and corrupting our wills and affections by deforming disabling weakning and destroying our bodies and bringing our selves to untimely death by excluding our selves out of the number of Christs members by quenching the gifts of the Spirit and strengthening the flesh and lusts thereof by causing our soules to be possessed with finall impenitency which is inseparably accompanied with eternall damnation Also remember that as in it selfe it is most sinfull so it is also the cause of almost all other sinnes as of the manifold and horrible abuses of the tongue of many wicked and outragious actions and particularly of those fearefull sinnes of murther and adultery Also call to mind that as it is the cause of sinne so also of many heauy and grievous punishments as making a man lyable to a fearefull woe and Gods heauy curse subjecting his name to infamy his state to beggery his body to diseases infirmities deformities and immature death his soule to senselesse sottishnesse and deprivâ—ng the whole man of the joyes of Heaven entereth him into the possession of eternall hellish torments and this will be a good meanes to make thee moderate thy greedy desires mortifie thy carnall affections and curbe thy unruly appetite by putting a knife to thy throâ—â—e as Salomon adviseth saying I could but I will not take more then is good or fit Yea the consideration of these things and of the wofull condition that drunkards are in will provoke thee to hate their opinions to strive against their practice to pity their misguiding to neglect their censures to labour their recovery and to pray for their salvation For O how ugly doth this monster appeare to the eye of that soule which hath forsaken
would have as much against what they say which must be endured Reade a late Treatise called THE VICTORY OF PATIENCE In the meane time thinke what account you shall give of that you have read FINIS THE TABLE A ADmonition admonitions and corrections the chiefe offices of friendship 826. no admonishing a drunkard 52. he is incapable of good counsell 106. drunkards and swearers contemne it 98 admonition to sellers of drinke Officers c. 711. Adultery looke drunkennesse Agents some for Christ some for Sathan 714. Sathans agents have many advantages above Gods servants in winning soules 714 and keeping 727. and improving them 734. Aggravation the drunkards sin aggravated by eleven circumstances 465. Atheisme drunkards and al vicious men Atheists in heart 229. 558. 590. B BElieve drunkards will believe nothing except their senses say Amen to it 623. they have no faith in the Scriptures 229. few men believe the whole written Word 590. they seeme to believe the promises but really and indeed believe no part 558. Bitter why so bitter and tart 9. Blessings no blessings without God blesse them to us 658. C CEnsure 347. of it foure reasons 349. Chide them sharply when they pray for them heartly 848. Children wel born children are touched to the quick with the injuries of their parents 824. wicked men children of the divel and partake of his nature 407. those whom they hate traduce c. children of God and partake of his nature 407. each must do the works of their father 402. Combine wicked men combine against the godly 391. and lay divellish plots to destroy them ibid. Company evill a maine cause of drunkennesse 286. exhortation to avoid evill company 856. and keepe good company 858. that it is lawful to shun their company and how 776. five reasons why 781. I that they may look into themselves 782. 2 that we may not be infected by them 787. 3 that we may not be infeoffed in their punishments 805. 4 because their company wil bereave us of much comfort 811. 5 that we may be at peace 821 many objections about leaving their society answered 796. excuses for keeping company taken away 860. drunkards would have our company in sinne 382. and likewise in torment 436. they think it will be some ease to have company 448. but it will prove contrary 449 Confident why worldlings are so jocund and confident 109. Consideration want of it the cause of all impiety 490. Consciences of wicked men will be awakned when perhaps the gate of mercy will be shut 488. Constancy and inconstancy 840. change in the vicious as rare a vertue as constancy in the vertuous ibid. Contempt of religion the greatest rub in the way to heaven 532 Corruption will mix with our purest devotions 574. Covenant that we will forsake the divel and all his works constantly believe c. one part of the covenant of grace â—64 Covetousnesse a cause of drunkennesse 275. covetous men fooles 613. in 6. main particulars made good 621 Cowardlinesse one speciall cause of drunkennesse 282. it will not suffer a man to doe well 749. but this is base blood 753. a coward pot-valiant will kill and stay 48. Counsell we should go to counsell and advise with others 668. wicked men give divellish counsell to others against the godly 392. Custome of sin takes away the sense of fin 427. D DEath as men live so commonly they dye 236. defering repentance til death 579. death may be sudden and give a man no leave to be sicke 580. or if it be not repentance is no easie work 581. and late repentance is seldome true ibid. death in a good cause shall pleasure not hurt us 769. which hath made many preserre it before profit pleasure c. 770. Degrees Sathan workes men by degrees to the heigth of impiety and not all at once 423. Drunkennesse seven causes of it 259. the transcendency of the sin 694. it is the root of all evill 27. the rot of all good 33. it disables and indisposeth a man to all good 32. the cause of adultery 54. and of murther 50. brings poverty 62. deformes a man 66. debilitates the body 40. beastiates the soule 59. findes men fooâ—es or makes them so 124 examples of drinke besotting men 129 discovers all secrets 82. makes dry and they cure sinne with sinne 78 no dispossessing of a drunken divel 231. wee ought not bee drunk to save our lives 768. Drunkards not to be reckoned among men 2. for they are beasts and wherein 7. yea they exceed beasts in beastlinesse 5. are inferiour to them in five particulars 10. they shame their creation 14. the drunkards outward deformities 37. his inward infirmities 40. he is his own executioner 19. 47. one drunkard tongue enough for twenty men 80. his vaine babling 85. scurrilous jesting 86. wicked talking 87. impious swearing 89. his discourse and behaviour on the Ale-bench 115. to drink is all his exercise 144. all his labour is to satisfie his lusts 74. they drink not for the love of drink if you will believe them 272. which being so doubles their sin 274. they drink more spirits in a night then their flesh and brains be worth 145. Drunkards transform themselves into the condition of evill Angels 25. and practise nothing but the art of debauching men 307. how they intise 319. what they thinke of him they cannot seduce 521. but in time of their distresse they think otherwise ibid. how they will enforce men to pledg their heâ—lths 320. how impatient of deniall 321. an unpardonable crime not to drinke as they doe 137. to damne their own soules the least part of their mischiefe 331. one true drunkard makes a multitude 332. if the divel would surrender his place it should be to some good fellow or other 334. the divell speakes in and workes by them as once he did by the Serpent 299. how drunkards smarme in every corner 336. Sathan more men on earth to fight for him then the Trinity which made us 301. Drunkards like Iulian who never did a man a good turn but it was to damn his soule 339. wherefore keepe out of their reach 714. see the danger and know their aime 714. refraine dispute with them or thou wilt not hold out 773. punishment of drunkards 147. 456. they are reserved to the great day ibid. the drunkard hath beene too long sicke to bee recovered 690. they have a way to evade all Gods threatnings 542. E ENmity betweene the wicked and godly 341. proclaimed by God in Paradise 430. Envie if drunkards cannot seduce us they will envie and hate us 341. how their enuy vents it self at their mouths 1. by censuring the sober 347. whereof foure reasons 349. secondly by slandering them 358. whereof seven reasons 366. againe at their hands many wayes 391. of which five reasons 402. Evill we are more prone to then good 717. Example of the greatest Number 165. let Custome 162. be added the greatest Men 169. let Reason 202. be
application of the for mer doâ—â—riâ—e That drunkards have no faith in the Scriptures Wherefore politicall physicke the fiâ—est for them No dispossessing of a drunken Devill purpose the drunkard never so oft Commoly such as a mans delights and câ—res are in health such are both his thoughts and speeches on his death-bed Were there any possibility of their leaving it they would abstaine in the heate of the plague VVere they not â—eere strangers to themselves they could be no other then confounded in themselves Security the certaine usher of destruction The Plague hath wrought 〈◊〉 or nâ— reformation Yea many are the worâ—e The Tavernes fnilest when â—e 〈◊〉 are emptiest The difference betweene their practise and the godâ—es Exhortation to the sober touching this time of visitation In all ages the godly alone have mourned for the abominations of their time So many aâ— repent shall be singled out for mercy 7 〈◊〉 of excessive drinking 1 To drive away meâ—ancholy which is increased thereby 2. To drive away time 3. Cause is lust That they drinke not for love of drink is either false or makes their sinne double 4 Cause covetousnesse 5 Cause reputation of good â—ellowship Or pride of wit 6 Is sotrish feare and base cowardise The last cause is evill company The drunkards chief delight is to infect others A digression proving that all wicked men resemble the divell in tempting to sinn drawing to perditio How politick to fit their temptations to every mans huâ—our How Sathan guls the rude multitude in giving every vice a title â—nd each vetue a disgracefull name Many so greedy of â—emptation that Satan needs but cast out 〈◊〉 angle Or suggest the thought The many wayes which Sathan hath to set upon us Sathan the great sedâ—cer wicked men are Apprentises or factors under him The Devil speakes in and works by them as once he did by the Serpent Sathan more meâ— on earth to fight for him then the Trinity which made us The minde of man not capeable of a violaâ—ion either from man or Sathan As impossible to rec kon up all sorts of seducers as to tell the moates in the Sun Of drunkards who are sathans principall agents in this busines Drunkards to turne others into beasts â—â— make them selves diâ—vells They practile nothing but the art of debauching men Drinking 〈◊〉 forceing of â—ealâ—â—s their priâ—cipall sâ—râ—tageme Their â—ealtâ—s either great in â—easâ—re â—r â—â—ny in number 1 Of great â—ealtâ—s 2 If tâ—eiâ—â—ealtâ—s be 〈◊〉 the liqâ—â—â— iâ— stronger or the number 〈◊〉 Least Sathan should want of 〈◊〉 due 〈◊〉 drinke the◠〈◊〉 their kâ—ees The rise and originall of health dâ—inking Basil ser. de â—â—riet Aâ—gustiâ— de temp Serm. 231 Exâ—â—ples of Gods vengance on â—ealtâ— drinkers Not more forward to drinke healthes then zealous and â—arefull that others pledge the sâ—â—e 1 How they will iâ—tise 2 How they wil inforce How impatient of deniell Their misprision of â—onour and reputation Examples of some that have drunke other mens healthes and their owne deaths Original of the word pledge In câ—â—quering they are â—â—st overcome To bee a â—â—â—pter â—he basest office â—en have 〈◊〉 objection answered To damâ—â— their owne soules the least part of their mischiefe What a multitude of drunkards one true drunkard â—akes If the Devill would surrender his place it should be to some good fellow or other How drunkards swarme in every corâ—er â— Hall Drâ—nkards like lulian who never did a man a good â—urn but it was to damn his soule He whoâ— the Lord loves shall be deliveâ—ed frâ—m their meretricious allureâ—eâ—ts If they 〈◊〉 not seduâ—e uâ— they wil envie and â—ate 〈◊〉 1. Hâ—w drunkardâ— eâ—vie the sober and 〈◊〉 2 How they wiâ—â— hate them VVhich hatred is the most bitter and exorbitant of all otherâ— How their envy and haâ—red vents it selfe at the â—outh and haâ—ds At their mouthes first by censureing the sober VVâ—ereof foure reasons first they judge others by themselves 2 Their ignorance makes them suspicious 3 Their pâ—ssions and affections make them partiall 4 They see and look to us not to themselves How drunhards will raise slanders of the conscionable How apt others are to believe their slanders and afterwards to spread them How pleasant it is to wicked men to â—eare ill of the religious The manner of their dealing in this case 7 Reasons why they slander us Ever such as scoffe at and traduce others have greater faults themselves First reason of their raising slanders to divert mens thoughts from minding their villany 2 By depraving the godly themselves passe for indifferent honest men 3 Drunkâ—rds censure and slander 〈◊〉 godly to â—acite and stirre up other â— to doe the like And the multitude like a flock of sheepe if they see but one take a wrong way all the rest will folloâ— Of which many examples 4 That they may mitigate their owne shamewith our discredit 5 They Iraduce us because they cannot otherwise burt us A slander once raised will scarce ever dye Yea the slander is increased The sinne and pâ—ntsh ment of a slanderer 6 They must doe what Sathan will hnve them The receiver as bad â— as the tale-bearer They will flout us out of our faith have our company here in sin herafter in torment 1 They would have our company in fiâ—ne vvhat a strait the godly are in Let us turn openlyprophane theirquarrell is at â— end Sathan disturbs not his ownâ— No greater tâ—mptation then not to be tempted Our case would be 〈◊〉 worse 〈◊〉 should be 〈◊〉 peace 〈◊〉 them 2. There malice and enviâ— would breake out at their hands if they were not mâ—nacled by the Law First they would combine together aâ—d lay 〈◊〉 pâ—â—â—s to destroy uâ— 2 They would deliver us up â—nto the Magistrat 3 Give deâ—ilish counsell against 〈◊〉 cause 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 â— strike us 5 â—urt and maâ—me us Lastly drunkards would kill us for being so resâ—actory The same prooved by Scripture 2 By experience of former ages 3 By the experience of our Saviour who suffered twenty two wayes oâ—ely for his goodnessâ— But they cannot doe as they would thougâ— their punishment shall be the same as if they did it 5 Reasons of their savage disposition They must doe the workes of their father the Devill 2 That theâ—r deeds of darknes may not come to lâ—ght 3 otherwise they cannot follow their sinnes so freely nor so quietly 4 VVhat they cannot make good by arguments of reason they would by arguments of steele â—nd iron 5 Their glory and â— edit is eâ—lipsed The ground of all their tempting and enforceing to â—â—ane Drunkards children of the Devill and partake of his nature Those whom they hate and persecute the children of God and partake of the Divine nature Vertue and vice can never accord They can brooke all conditions of men â—ave practisers of piety But the Religious shall be sure of opposition Not strange that wicked men should aâ—reesâ— well They strive tâ— be supâ—rlative