drunkards is only a corporeal transient pleasure but the joy and delight which temperate men find in the wayes of God are spiritual pleasures the joyes and comforts of the Holy Ghost Act. 9.31 Walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Ghost And there are no pleasures in this world to be compared with the comforts of the Holy Ghost 2. The pleasures of drunkenness bring dreadfull pains along with them And those after pains are of that afflicting nature that no wise man would purchase those vain imaginary pleasures at so dear rate as to have all those pains that they bring with them For 1. Drunkenness causeth sharp and painfull sicknesses which sometimes are of long continuance And what good will a man's pleasures that are vanished away do him when he is on his sick-bed 2. Drunkards meet with many sharp rebukes and sore afflictions which vex and peirce them like Thornes Prov. 26.9 As a Thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard And if there be a Thorn in the hand there can be but little joy in the heart 3. There are pains in the Conscience that follow the drunkard 's pleasures The guilt of his sins will one day sting the drunkard like a serpent and bite him like an adder though for the present it seems a pleasing thing to be among drunken companions Prov. 23.31 32. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red when it giveth his colour in the cup when it moveth it self aright At the last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder 4. The worst pains that follow drunkards are the pains of Hell for they are eternal intolerable unspeakable pains Then all their mirth and jollity shall cease for ever VVhat is said of Israel in the day of their calamity Amos 8.3 The Songs of the Temples shall be howlings in that day The like may I say of drunkards when they are in Hell The Songs of the Taverns shall be howlings in that day Then those that were styled roaring boyes that were wont to sing shall howl and roar in Hell through grief and anguish of heart And what the Prophet Isaiah saith of the calamities that were coming on the Jews Isa 24.7 8 9. All the merry hearted do sigh the mirth of Tabrets ceaseth the noise of them that rejoyce endeth the joy of the Harp ceaseth they shall not drink wine with a Song strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it The same shall be verified of drunkards that were full of mirth while they lived when God shall cast them into Hell all the merry hearted shall sigh and mourn for ever there are no Musical Instruments no pleasant Songs there the noise of them that rejoyce endeth there shall be no drinking of wine or strong drink no not one drop of water to cool their tongues their strong drink shall be bitter to them that took most pleasure in it 3. Are wine and strong drink thy chiefest joy and delight thou hast in this world then thou makest thy belly thy God For that which is our chiefest joy that we make our God Ps 43.4 I will go unto the altar of God of God my exceeding joy And such as make their Belly their God their end will be destruction Phil. 3.19 Whose end is his destruction whose God is their belly 4. The pleasure men take in drunkenness is sinful pleasure and the pleasures of sin are so dangerous so destructive to Body and Soul that a wise and gracious person will chuse rather to suffer any kind of Affliction than to embrace the pleasures of Sin Moses was a wise man and he chose rather to undergo an afflicted condition in the Wilderness than enjoy all the Pleasures of Pharaoh's Court because he could not enjoy them without sin Heb. 11.25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season 5. If the pleasantest and most delightful Wine in the World were presented to you if you saw a Spider or a Toad or some other poisonous Creature in the Cup would you not throw it away Drunkenness will do you more hurt than any poison For poison only kills the Body but drunkenness kills and destroys both Body and Soul for ever If any man should say to you when you are in your Cups as they cryed to the Prophet 2 King 4.40 O thou man of God there is death in the Pot. As if one should say to you O thou Drunkard there is death in the Cup and were sure what he said was true would you not throw away your Cup There is a worse thing than death in the drunkards Cup there is damnation in the Cup. And shall the pleasantness of the Liquor entice you to drink your own damnation 6. The more pleasure men take in their sin the greater is their sin and the greater will be their punishment It is a damnable sin not only to do unrighteous actions but to take pleasure therein 2. Thess 2.12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness The more voluptuously men live here the greater sorrow and torments they shall have hereafter Rev. 18.7 How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment give her § The obstinate Drunkard's Plea that is resolved to take his course though he go to Hell when he die Plea 25. You may spare your pains for I am resolved I will go on in my way if I must be damned for this sin of drinking I will bear it as well as I can I shall have good store of Company with me in Hell and shall have Neighbours sure and therefore let God have his will on me hereafter and I will have my will while I am here A. 1. Dost thou consider what thou sayest Thou art a Heaven daring a God provoking Sinner Dost thou contemn God Who hath hardned himself against him and prospered Job 9.4 Dost thou make a light matter of Hell Torments The Devils who have not their full torment till the day of Judgment are afraid of those Torments that they must undergo when that day is come Matth. 8.29 Art thou come hither to torment us before the time And they begged of Christ they might not be tormented Luk. 8.28 I beseech thee torment me not And art thou more hard-hearted than a Devil to make a light matter of Hell Torments 2. Canst thou bear a fit of the stone in extremity or other racking pains when thou hast all manner of helps that love or mony can procure to asswage thy pains and give thee ease and when thou hast thy Friends about thee to comfort thee and a soft Bed to lie on How then wilt thou bear the Torments of Hell where there is no bed to lie on but flaming fire no Friends to comfort thee but Devils that will mock and laugh at thee no Cordials to bear up thy fainting Spirits not so much as a
pious ingagement with this deadly sin He convicts it as the common Enemy of the Bodies and Souls of men declareth open war against it defieth and casteth dirt upon the face of its glory armeth and incourageth the assailing host of Christians to oppose it dischargeth against it the thundering Canon laden with the vengeance of Almighty justice pursueth it to its higher Mountains raiseth batteries against its strongest holds discovereth and defeateth all its subtil stratagems and confuteth all its pretences Having performed his work according to his great ability and delivered his zealous Soul to a particular Congregation viva voce he designed with some enlargement for general use to commit it to the Press But before he had put to it ultimam manum God put to his Life ultimam lineam Which Providence I am not prone to interpret as a voice from Heaven saying to him let the Drunkard alone thou shalt be dumb and shalt not be a reproover He that is filthy let him be filthy still but will rather hope God so ordered that it should be his dying Pen that it might be the more affecting Such as he left it worthy of the Press beyond my commendation is here Published and humbly presented Gentlemen to your hands I am aware how much I presume thus to approach you for which I am concerned to make my Apology I am not ignorant what Honourable Respects the Reverend Author deservedly had for your Worships and what reciprocal Respects obliged him thereunto which I am bound to believe he would gladly have expressed and acknowledged by some more publick Testimony Be pleased then to understand and accept this as a posthumous offering which a lesser hand though not with less Respects humbly maketh to you as in his Name The Relation affection and compassion which he had towards Colchester and the Souls therein alwayes excited the vehemency of his desires sharpened the edge of his just actions directed the aim of his endeavours and intended the fervour of his Prayers on its behalf that some happy fruit of the travail of his Soul and particularly of this might there be found In complyance wherewith considering the Character you bear in your Town I have presumed to prefix your worthy Names to this small Volume which being an Orphan doth more earnestly crave your Patronage and is ambitious of the favour and influence of your recommendation to the concerned Reader The dreadful providence towards the young man who was made an open spectacle of God's Righteous Judgment the occasion of the following sheets speaking more especially to Colchester because in it did naturally prompt me to betake my self to the advantage of some more eminent names among you through which to revive the memory of so loud a warning if happily some at least who have been long instances of Patience might with the greater intention legere exemplum justitiae ne fiant I must not forbear to add that by Royal favour and trust you fill honourable seats of Authority extended to a large Province in the Civil Government Now such is the pride and frowardness the obstinacy and contradiction of the sin complained of so strengthned by corruption within and temptation without that the best instructed Ministry cannot prevail against it but is forced to confess the weakness of its most powerful arguments and passionate perswasions and therefore cryeth to you as the woman in Holy Writ in another case help O Magistrate ye also are the Ministers of God into whose hands God hath put the Sword of Justice not to be born in vain Your own great examples of Sobriety shall strengthen your hands in exerting your just Authority to restrain the intemperance of licentious appetites Wherein you are beyond doubt assured there is no colour of disloyalty to Prince no Non-conformity to Church no violation of Oaths no breach of Trust none to be offended but the guilty who ought not to be pleased God and the King Law Sacred and Civil Conscience and Honour call upon you and warrant you to apply your politick remedies to this Insatiable Dropsie which if Vniversally practised by the State-Physitians would no doubt as effectually cure as the policy of the antient Gaules maintained the moderation of their dayes who were wont to fine those who through intemperance out grew their girdles But here I reform my Pen least I seem to teach you your Office while I only implore your aid and aggravate my presumption while I labour to excuse it As the publication of what the Reverend Author hath so industriously and with the Evidence and Authority of Holy Scripture as well as strength of argument so convincingly written is a Testimony of my full consent with him in representing this unmanly and ungodly excess as matter of just indignation and abhorrence to the reason and ingenuity of men and Religion of Christians So this Dedication and Presenting thereof to your hands desires to be understood as a Testimony of that true Honour and Reverence for your Persons Virtues and Offices the Dignity whereof can never be lessened by disgracing an inglorious vice which he justly hath who is Gentlemen Your Worship 's most humble Servant John Fairfax Barking Feb. 25. 1681. Isa 28.1 Wo to the Crown of Pride to the Drunkards of Ephraim SECT 1 THE occasion of my handling this Text is a sad and dreadfull Providence which lately befell a young man who for some years was very hopefull for Religion a diligent attender upon God's Ordinances and well esteemed of among the people of God but afterwards being led away with temptation he was sometime overtaken with the sin of drunkenness and it seemed good to the Holy and Righteous God to cut him off in the act of sin when he was as is generally reported so far overcome with strong drink that he was not able to go but was led and laid upon a bed and dyed in few hours without coming to himself again When a Malefactour is punished by men all that hear thereof should fear to commit the like sins Deut. 13.11 And all Israel shall hear and fear and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you This is spoken of stoneing to death a person that should entice another to go and serve other Gods God expected that the hearing of such a mans death should make all Israel fear and do no more any such wickedness When a sinner is cut off by the immediate hand of God his death is as much or more to be regarded than when he dyeth by the hands of men and therefore I may say of this judgment that befell this young man Oh that all Colchester would hear and oh that all England might hear and fear and do no more any such wickedness as this is to drink Wine or strong drink till they be drunk I do the rather take this occasion to preach against this sin of drunkenness because this young man on whom God sent this judgment was one that used to
the Lord of Glory Drunkards sin against light both against the light of nature For nature teacheth us that it is a shamefull thing for a man to be drunk and against the light of Gods word and that is a great aggravation of sin to sin against the light of Gods word Sins of ignorance are as it were no sins compared with sins against knowledge Joh. 15.22 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin Drunkards cast Gods word behind their backs and trample his Commandments under their feet God faith be not drunk with wine Take heed least your hearts be overcharged with drunkenness But they say in affect though not in words we will not regard these commands of God let God say and do what he will we will take our fill of wine and strong drink Drunkards and other sinners that know God's will and will not do it contemn and despise God Psal 10.13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God Drunkards are guilty of rebellion against God who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords for sinning against the light of Gods word is accounted rebellion Job 24.13 They are of those that rebell against the light And that is an heinous sin to be stubborn and rebellious against the God of Heaven 1 Sam. 15.23 Rebellion is as the sin of witch-craft and stubborness is as iniquity and idolatry § It is a beastly sin II. Drunkenness is a beastly sin it deprives a man of his reason and makes him carry himself like a beast It is a vile thing for a man to degrade and make himself like a beast Job 18.3 Wherefore are we counted as beasts and reputed as vile in your sight Bildad thought himself and his friends wonderfully disparaged when he thought they were counted as beasts But how do they vilifie and disparage themselves who do in reality make themselves no better than brute beasts by their drunkenness yea this sin makes a man worse than a beast The Ass is a silly beast yet the Asses will not drink to excess they drink no more than will quench their thirst Psal 104.11 The wild Asses quench their thirst And therefore as Solomon sends the sluggard to the Ant Prov. 6.6 Go to the Ant thou sluggard consider her ways and be wise So may I send the drunkard to the wild Asses go to the wild Asses thou drunkard and consider their ways and be wise who having no guide over-seer or ruler never drink any more than will quench their thirst though they meet with the best and pleasantest Springs and purest Fountains under Heaven And wilt thou who hast had many instructors that have taught thee the odiousness of this sin of drunkenness be enticed by the pureness of the wine or the pleasantness of thy drink to drink to excess Toads and Serpents which are hatefull creatures will not drink more than is suitable and convenient to their natures And shall man who was made after the Image of God make himself worse than a Toad or a Serpent by drinking to excess § It is a mischievous sin both to body soul and estate III. Drunkenness is a most mischievous sin and brings a world of mischief along with it both to soul and body and estate and good name 1. It doth great mischief to the Soul For 1. It besots and stupifies the Soul and estrangeth a mans heart from God who is his chiefest good Hos 4.11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart We may take heart here for the understanding As Rom. 2.21 Their foolish heart was darkned And so it is true that wine takes away the heart that is it stupifieth the mind it blinds and darkens the understanding and maketh men sottish as Jeremiah complains of the Jews who were much addicted to drunkenness Jer. 4.22 My people is foolish they have not known me they are sottish children and have none understanding they are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge Or we may take heart for the affections and so it is true that wine taketh away the heart for drunkenness taketh of the heart from God and all that is good Drunkards have no love to God no delight in God no desire of enjoying God no fear of God no heart to that which is good Drunkenness is a fleshly lust and fleshly lusts war against and tend to the ruine of our precious Souls 1 Pet. 2.11 Dearly beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the Soul 2. It brings great mischief to the body by the painfull diseases that it breeds in the body and by the wounds and bruises men get by falls when they have drunk so much they are not able to go or to guide the Horses they ride on and also by the wounds they get in quarrels and contentions with their Companions when they are in their cups Prov. 23.29 30. VVho hath wo who hath sorrow who hath contentions who hath wounds without cause who hath redness of eyes They that tarry long at the wine Not only the eyes are made red but the whole body is enflamed and greatly distempered by excessive drinking Isa 5.11 VVo to them that follow strong drink that continue till night till wine enflame them Our bodies should be the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 VVhat know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you And it is dangerous defiling the Temple of God with excess of wine or strong drink 1 Cor. 3.17 If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy 3. It brings ruine upon a mans estate Prov. 23.21 The drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty Many persons by their drunken and sottish courses wast fair estates that were left them by their Parents others that have been brought up to callings spend all they gain by their callings in excessive drinking whereby it comes to pass that they make no provision for their Families but their Wives and Children are brought into great want and straits such as these are as bad yea worse than Infidels 1 Tim. 5.8 But if any provide not for his own and especially for those of his own house he hath denyed the faith and is worse than an Infidel 4. It blasts a mans reputation It is a shame for a man to have the brand of a drunkard set upon him even children will hour and deride a drunken man when they see him reel and stagger as he goeth in the streets § Drunkenness is the cause of many other sins IV. The greatness of the sin of drunkenness will appear from hence that it disposeth a man to many other great and crying sins as for instance 1. Drunkenness disposeth men to commit uncleanness Prov. 23.31 33. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red Thine eyes shall behold strange women When men are overcome with wine they
which spake by Solomon who is the Spirit of truth be worthy to be believed we must assent to it as a certain truth that whosoever is deceived by wine or strong drink is not a wise man They may be wise for managing worldly matters but they have not that wisdom which cometh from above which maketh wise to Salvation for that wisdom teacheth men to be pure and holy Jam. 3.17 The wisdom that is from above is first pure And therefore impure and filthy drunkards have none of this wisdom They are so far from being wise men that in truth and reality they are very fools for they part with the glory and pleasures of Heaven for ever for a pot of drink or a cup of wine and for the enjoyment of the pleasures of sin which are but for a season they plunge themselves into the torments of Hell for ever 4. They are not the best sort of Gentlemen that are given to drinking and other vices Debauched Gentlemen are the reproach of the Gentry The best sort of Gentlemen are pious and virtuous Gentlemen who hate and abhor vicious courses such as walk in the fear of God and themselves and families are patterns of piety and virtue such as love and seek the welfare of their Country and are rich in good works 5. This will not excuse any man at the day of Judgment to say many Gentlemen and men of great parts were addicted to drunkenness For 1. Those Gentlemen will be in as miserable a condition as the poorest beggars at the Judgment seat of Christ Who have been vicious persons their Riches will avail them nothing at all at that day Job 36.19 Will he esteem thy Riches No not gold nor all the forces of strength Those Rich men that fared deliciously every day and drunk their fill of wine and strong drink while on earth shall not get one drop of water to cool their tongues when they are in Hell Luk. 16.19 23. 2. Vicious Gentlemen will be in a worse condition in the other world than the poorest and meanest begger on the face of the earth for they shall be tormented for mispending their Estates with which God intrusted them to do good with all Potentes potenter torquebuntur What is said of Babylon Rev. 18.7 How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her The same measure shall be meeted out to vicious Gentlemen the greater pomp they have lived in on earth and the more deliciously they have fared the more sorrow and torment they shall have hereafter 3. Pious persons that have been so poor that they have begged their bread shall reign with Christ in Heaven while vicious gentlemen shallcry and roar in Hell and beg for a drop of water to cool their tongues and be glad of it though brought by the hand of a beggar that hath begged Alms at their doors Luk. 16.20.21 22 23 24 26. Lazarus was a poor begger full of noysom running sores which the dogs licked when he lay at the rich mans gate he would have been glad of any crumbs that fell from the rich mans Table but when he dyed Angels carryed his Soul into Abraham's Bosom and when the rich man dyed he went to Hell and there being in great torment he begged that Lazarus might dip the tip of his finger in water and cool his tongue but he could not obtain that favour to have so much as a drop of water to cool his tongue though he was a great man and lived gallantly while he was on earth § The example of such Ministers as are given to this sin No excuse for drunkards The wofull condition of a drunken Minister Plea 2. There are many Ministers will drink as hard as any other men and we hope we may do as our Ministers do we have honourable thoughts of our Ministers and besides our Ministers are learned men and if drunkenness were such an horrible sin as you would make us believe surely they that are such learned men would not be addicted to such a foul sin A. 1. To be a Minister of Christ is an high and honourable employment and it is a good thing that people should have honourable thoughts of the Ministers of Christ and esteem them very highly for their work and office sake 1 Cor. 4.1 Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Thes 5.12 13. We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you And to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake 2. We must not follow the example of any Minister though he should be the best Minister in the World farther than he followeth Jesus Christ Who was a better Minister than the Apostle Paul yet he desired no man to follow his example farther than he himself followed Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ 3. Did you know what a wofull condition drunken Ministers are in you would not be in their case for the whole World The Prophet Jeremiah trembled Body and Soul and was amazed when he considered the wofull condition of drunken Ministers Jer. 23.9 11. Mine heart within me is broken because of the Prophets all my bones do shake For both Prophet and Priest are prophane Prophane Ministers are in Gods account as bad as Sodomites Jer. 23.14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing they commit adultery and walk in lyes they strengthen also the hands of evil doers that none doth return from his wickedness they are all unto me as Sodom And we know that the men of Sodom were such an abomination to the Lord that he consumed them with Fire and Brimstone from Heaven Prophane Ministers are the worst sort of men and therefore in Scripture they are compared to the tail Isa 9.14 15. The prophet that telleth lyes he is the tail There is a most bitter cup as bitter as wormwood and gall prepared for drunken and prophane Ministers Jer. 23.15 When Ministers are ignorant or negligent in their work or prophane in their lives their flock lyeth open for a prey to all that have a mind to devour them Isa 56 9 10 11. And the blood of all those souls that perish either by their negligence or evil example will be required at their hands 4. It is no marvel to see some Ministers that have great parts and much learning given to drunkenness and other scandalous sins For 1. Knowledge without Grace will not make a man an Holy man The devils have great knowledge yet they are wicked Spirits and do very wicked things 2. It was so under the law there were many wicked Priests that lived in scandalous sins Jer. 10.21 The pastors are become brutish Jer. 23.11 Both prophet and priest are prophane And it is foretold it would be so under the Gospel that there would
dearest friends or nearest Relations we have in all the World should entice us to that which is evil we must by no means consent unto them Deut. 13.6 8. If thy brother the son of thy mother or thy son or thy daughter or the wife of thy bosom or thy friend which is as thine own soul entice thee secretly saying let us go and serve other Gods Thou shalt not consent unto him nor hearken unto him 3. It will not excuse us in the sight of God to say we were enticed to this or that sin for it is an heinous offence to be drunk or commit idolatry or any other such like sin though we were enticed to these sins Job 31.26.27 28. If I beheld the Sun when it shined or the Moon walking in brightness and my heart hath been secretly enticed or my mouth hath kissed my hand This also were an iniquity to be punished by the Judge for I should have denyed the God that is above § The plea of being urged and importuned to drink more than is meet is no excuse for drunkenness Plea 7. If I drink too much it is at such times as I am urged and importuned thereto by the company among whom I am and I can't tell how to withstand the importunity of my friends when they are very urgent with me to drink beyond measure I hope the urgency and importunity of friends will be my excuse if I now and then drink too much A. 1. The great God is more urgent and importunate with you to abstain from excessive drinking and all other sins then any men can be He calls to you he chargeth you to take heed that you be not at any time overcharged with drunkenness Luk. 21.34 Take heed to your selves least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfitting and drunkenness He commands you to abstain from drunkenness Eph. 5.18 Be not drunk with wine He beseecheth you to abstain from fleshly lusts 1 Pet. 2.11 Dearly beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the Soul And drunkenness is a lust and work of the flesh as you may see Gal. 5.19 20 21. He pleads with you to turn from those evil courses that will be your ruine Ezek. 33.11 Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye dye O house of Israel And shall not the importunity of the great God prevail with you above the importunity of all the men in the World Though they be great men though near friends though such as will be angry with you if you yield not to them yet their importunity should not prevail with you to break the command of the great God 2. Brute beasts cannot be drawn by any urging and importunity to drink more than satisfieth their natures unless there be force used with them and the drink be powred down their throats they will not take more than quencheth their thirst And therefore it is below a man to say I could not avoid drinking to excess for I was importuned and urged thereunto Yea they are sunk a degree below beasts that will be prevailed with by importunity to drink more than is for their good 3. If a man should urge you to cast your selves into a fiery furnace would you consent thereto or if a man should importune you to part with a fair Estate for a trifle would you consent to it Should importunity prevail with you to do these things When by importunity of any man you yield to drink unto drunkenness you yield to that which is more prejudicial to you than casting your selves into a fiery Furnace or parting with a great estate for a trifle For by drunkenness you provoke God to shut you out of the Kingdom of Heaven and to cast you body and soul into that Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone there to remain for ever And that is infinitely worse than to be cast into any fiery Furnace on earth 4. They are none of your friends that urge and importune you to drink more than is for your good They may be pretended friends but are real enemies For they urge you to that which will be your ruine to that which will undo you Body and Soul for ever And is he a friend or an enemy that urgeth you to that which will be your ruine § The plea of such as say they are drawn to this sin by their Relations and Friends on whom they have their dependance Plea 8. My Friends and Relations on whom I have my dependence are addicted to this sin of drunkenness and if I should not do as they do they would cast me off they would disinherit me they would leave me out of their Wills and give me nothing at their death and therefore I am forced to comply with their way and humour and drink more than is meet to please my Relations from whom I hope to be much advantaged at their death A. 1. You have a greater dependance on God than on any man upon the face of the Earth You depend upon God for your beings your life your motion yea for all things Act. 17.28 In him we live and move and have our beings And therefore you had need be more carefull to please and more fearfull to offend God than to please or offend any man on the face of the earth 2. Suppose your Parents or Relations should cast you off for retaining your integrity and because you will not defile your self with their evil ways the Lord will be a friend to you and will take the care of you Psal 27.10 When my Father and Mother forsake me then the Lord will take me up But if we sin against God to please our Relations and forsake his wayes the Lord will cast us off 1 Chron. 28.9 If thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever And if the Lord cast us off it is not all the men in the World can do us good 3. What is the loss of an earthly inheritance to the loss of the Kingdom of Heaven Suppose you should lose a great inheritance on earth for want of complying with your Parents or Relations in sinfull courses yet that is nothing in comparison of the loss of Heaven which you will bring upon your selves by excessive drinking although it be to please your Relations for drunkards shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.10 If you sustain loss for Righteousness sake all such losses shall be made up with an hundred sold advantage both here and hereafter Math. 19.29 But if you lose the Kingdom of Heaven you are a lost undone man for ever Nothing is able to make up that loss 4. If you resolve to please God rather than to please your Friends it may be the Lord will turn the hearts of your Friends towards you For the hearts of all men are in his hands And it is said Prov. 16.7 When a mans wayes please the Lord he maketh even his enemies to be
drop of water to cool thy tongue All the pains that were ever felt by any men in this world are but flea-bites compared with the Torments of Hell Canst thou hold thine hand one hour in the fire If not how wilt thou be able to lie Body and Soul in Hell-fire for ever The fire of Hell is seven times hotter than any fire on Earth 3. How troubled was Jesus Christ when our sins were only imputed to him He was so full of sorrow that he was ready to die with grief Matth. 26.38 He was in such an Agony that his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground Luk. 22.44 And if our Lord Jesus Christ found it so difficult to bear the punishment of our sins when they were only imputed to him how wilt thou be able to undergo the punishment of thy own sins in the other world for ever 4. It will be no mitigation but an addition to thy torments in Hell that thou shalt have many of thy Neighbours and Companions with thee Their hideous cries and their roarings will add to thy sorrows especially such as thou hast been instrumental to draw to sin The rich man when he was in Hell torments was very solicitous to have means used that his five Brethreen might not come into the same place of torment Luk. 16.28 Which he did not out of love to his Brethren's Souls for there is no true love among the damned in Hell but for fear of encreasing his own Torments It would terrifie a Drunkard and almost put him out of his wits whilst he is on Earth if the Ghost of one of his sottish Companions that died in his sins and is damned for his sins should appear to him and where ever he goeth haunt him But it will be a far greater trouble to be with them and haunted with them in Hell and to have them cry out against them had it not been for you had not you enticed me encouraged me by your example I had repented and had not come into this place of torment § The Atheistical Drunkard's Plea who doth not believe there is a God or Life to come answered Plea 26. As for those that believe there is a God to whom an account must be given for what is done whilst we live in this world and a Heaven for the righteous and a Hell for the wicked and yet live in drunkenness and such like sins they are vile wretches that will act so contrary to their Consciences and their profession but for my part I believe none of these things but do look upon them as Stories and Fables I do not think that there is a God a Heaven or an Hell or a future life but am of opinion that when a man dyeth there is an end of him even as there is of a Beast and therefore I will take all the pleasure I can while I live and do approve of that saying Let us eat and drink for to morrow we must die A. 1. Drunken sottish Atheists that do not believe there is a God are the greatest Fooâ—s in the whole world For there is nothing more evident and plain than that there is a God What we see with our Eyes and hear with our Ears and feel with our Hands is not more â—ure than this truth that there is a God For 1. All Creatures in Heaven and Earth proclaim the being of God with a loud voice Thregular Motions of the Heavens and the fir mament which is beset with an innumerable company of Stars and the constant succession of day and night declare that there is a God and that this God is a glorious God for no Creature was able to frame such a glorious work as the Heavens which are adorned with Sun Moon and Stars these are the work of none but a God neither can any but a God guide and order their motions Ps 19.1 2. The Heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy work Day unto day uttereth Speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge Yea if thou goest to the Birds or Beasts of the Earth or Fishes of the Earth and they will convince thee of thy folly and tell thee that he is a very ignorant and blind Creature that doth not see the Workmanship of a God in all these things For none of these Creatures made themselves neither could any man make them none but a God was able to make maintain and govern all these Creatures Job 12.7 8 9. But ask now the Beasts and they shall teach thee and the Fowls of the air and they shall tell thee or speak to the Earth and it shall teach thee and the Fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought all this All Creatures in the Air on the Earth and in the Sea do proclaim with a loud voice that there is a God and own the Workmanship of God in every Creature 3. They are more foolish than the Ox and the Ass that will not believe there is a God For the Ox knoweth his Owner and the Ass his Masters Crib Isa 1.3 And seeing all men live and are maintained by the Providence of God Act. 17.28 For in him we live and move and have our being It is greater folly than is found in the Ox or the Ass for a man to deny his Master yea his God that made him and maintains him and to say there is no God 4. The Being of God is so evident that all people in all places and all ages of the World do own that there is a God none but very Fools ever said or thought otherwise Mich. 5.5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his God and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and for ever We see here that all people do own a God though many of them are ignorant of the true God and Worship Idols instead of God And therefore they deserve to be chronicled for the veryest Fools that ever lived who think or say in their hearts there is no God Ps 14.1 The Fool hath said in his Heart there is no God 2. Thou that thinkest there is no God wert once of another mind before thou hadst debauched thy Conscience by thy sottish courses thou didst believe the being of God as well as other men See therefore into what a woful condition thou hast brought thy self by thy drunken and sottish courses thou art fallen into a worse condition than a Devil and art more blind and hardned than a Devil For the Devils believe there is a God and tremble at the apprehensions of the Torments that he will inflict on them Jam. 2.19 Thou believest that there is one God thou doest well The Devils believe also and tremble And therefore such as neither tremble at Gods judgments nor believe that there is a God are greater Infidels and more hardned than the Devils 3.
Thou that saiest there is no God see whither thou dost speak against thine own conscience It is most likely that thou rather wishest there were than really thinkest in thy heart that there is no God For this truth is so deeply graven upon man's heart that there is a God that it is hardly possible to root it totally and constantly out of our minds but Conscience will some time or other discover that there are some Notions of a Diety remaining in the worst of men What mean those accusations of Conscience which even such as profess themselves Atheists feel for secret sins which none know but themselves especially in times of distress and when they are in danger of death They are intimations that there are apprehension there is a God to whom men must be accountable even for their secret sins Why do Atheistical persons fear and tremble when it Thunders and Lightens in a dreadful manner Why did Caligula the Emperour who feared no man on Earth shew so much timerousness when it Thundred and Lightned that he got under his Bed Their fears of God's judgments shew that there are some impressions of the Being of God remaining in the Minds and Consciences of the most professed Atheists 4. If you will not be convinced of your folly in being of this singular and wicked Opinion that there is no God enjoy your Opinion to your self and please your self in your own delusion and take your fill of sin but know whither you will believe it or will not that there is a righteous God who will call thee to judgment for all these things and will without repentance cast you into Hell-fire for your sins and when you feel his vengeance in the other world you shall never doubt any more whither there be a God to Eternity For whatever Atheistical Opinions men hold on Earth they shall cease to be Atheists when they come in Hell § The despairing Drunkard's Plea who thinks there is no hope of mercy for him and therefore resolves still to go on in his sins Plea 27. I have been such a vile and wretched sinner and have lived so â—â—…ng in this sin of drunkenness that I am afâ—â—â—… there is no Mercy for me And therefore I had as good enjoy what delight and pleasure I can whilst I live seeing I must perish when I die If I did apprehend there was any hope of Mercy for me I would speedily break off my evil courses and reform my life A. 1. Despair doth harden mens hearts to go on still in their trespasses Jer. 18.12 And they said There is no hope but we will walk after our own devices and we will every one do the Imagination of his own evil heart And therefore we should be careful that we do not give way to despairing thoughts concerning the mercy of God 2. Though your case should be hopeless yet you had better break of your evil courses than go on to add sin to sin for that will lessen your torments in the other world 3. There is hope upon your Repentance that you may obtain mercy from God though you have been as vile a Drunkard as any that lives upon the face of the Earth For 1. The blood of Christ is of sufficient vertue to wash away the greatest sins of the greatest sinners in the world Joh. 1.23 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world All sins though never so many for number and never so heinous for nature are cleansed away by the blood of Christ from such as repent and believe in him Joh. 1.7 The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin 2. The Lord for Christ his sake hath promised remission of sins upon their repentance to the chiefest of sinners and such as have continued so long in their sins that they have even wearied the patience of God to bear with them Isa 1.16 17 18. Put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil learn to do well Come now let us reason together though your sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red as Crimson they shall be as wool The most heinous sins such as are like scarlet and crimson of a deep die shall be forgiven to such as cease to do evil Isa 43.24 25. Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thine Iniquities I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins Though a man hath been a very wicked man and led an evil Life and committed abundance of sin yet upon his Repentance God will pardon all his sins Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon 3. Abominable Drunkards and other vile sinners have obtained pardon of sin through the blood of Christ and Sanctification by the Spirit of Christ 1 Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Such were some of you that is such as are mentioned in the foregoing verses Drunkards Idolaters Adulterers abusers of themselves with Mankind Theives Revilers Extortioners And yet though some of them had been such abominable sinners they were pardoned by the blood and sanctified by the Spirit of Christ And therefore let no man though a great sinner though the chiefest of sinners say his case is desperate for there is mercy for him upon his Repentance Prov. 28.13 Who so confesseth and forsaketh shall have mercy Sect. 7 And Exhortation to such as are addicted to this sin of drunkenness to break off their sin If drunkenness be such a wofull sin then let me exhort all persons that are addicted to this sin of drunkenness whether they be rich or poor young or old speedily to break of their sin and to leave of their drunken courses and companions I entreat and beseech you for God's sake whose name is dishonoured by this beastly sin and for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake who shed his most precious blood to redeem you from this and your other sins and for the Holy Ghost's sake who is greived and vexed by your sensual courses and for the Gospel's sake which is scandalized by your lose Conversations and for your own sake that you would not ruine your selves Body and Soul for ever and for the Kingdom of Heaven's sake that you would not deprive your selves of the unspeakable glory and joys of Heaven rather than to leave off this swinish sin and for your Families that you would not ruine and corrupt your Families and entail God's Judgments on your Posterity and for the Nation 's sake that you would not pull down God's wrath upon the Land of your Nativity leave off your
bemoaned their sins and prayed to God to turn them from their sins God gave them grace to forsake their Idols Jer. 31.18 20. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself Turn thou me and I shall be turned I will surely have mercy upon him compared with Hos 14.8 Ephraim shall say what have I to do any more with Idols Obj. 3. I have prayed to God often to give me Grace to leave off this sin of drunkenness but God doth not regard my prayers this sin prevails over me as ever it did I find no help against this sin by praying to God 1. Do you not dissemble in your hearts with God when you pray for grace to leave this sin though you pray against this sin yet possibly you have no desire no mind no intention to leave it and this is a dissembling with God As the Jews dissembled in their hearts when they sent to the Prophet Jeremiah to pray for them when they had no mind to do that which they desired him to pray for Jer. 42.20 Ye dissembled in your hearts when ye sent me unto the Lord your God saying Pray for us unto the Lord our God and according unto all that the Lord our God shall say so declare unto us and we will do it So men may pray for themselves they may pray against their sins as if they had a mind to leave their sins and yet but dissemble in their hearts with God and not be really willing to break off their sins The Lord is nigh to all them that call upon him in truth Ps 145.18 If you would obtain what you pray for you must heartily desire what you pray for else you do not pray in truth 2. Do you watch against the Temptations and Occasions that may draw you to this sin This you must do as well as pray against it if you would have God keep you from it Matth. 26.41 Watch and Pray that you enter not into temptation To pray against drunkenness and yet to run your selves needlesly upon temptations to go into idle and vain company and to Taverns and Ale-houses this is but a mocking of God 3. Do you strive against this sin and use means to avoid it as well as pray against it If not that may be the reason why the Lord doth not answer your prayers For we must strive against sin as well as pray against it Heb. 12.4 Striving against sin When any evil Motions or evil Lusts arise into our hearts and solicit us to gratifie them we must not yield to them but must deny the sollicitations of sin Tit. 2.12 Denying ungodliness and worldly Lusts 1. Pet. 2.11 I beseech you abstain from fleshly Lusts 4. You must wait as well as pray if you would have your prayers answered Psal 40.1 2. I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined his Ear and heard my cry He brought me up also out of an horrible pit out of the miry Clay By the horrible Pit and miry Clay out of which the Lord brought David upon his crying and waiting on the Lord some understand his exceeding great afflictions and troubles out of which he obtained deliverance by Prayer †de profundo iniquitatum ex vitijs carnalibus Aug. Others interpret this Pit and miry Clay out of which David was delivered of his sins that defiled him like the mire and cleaved and stuck fast to him as the Clay And to warrant this interpretation we shall find that sinful Lusts are compared to a pit Prov. 22.14 Prov. 23 27. And to the mire Isa 57 20. 2 Pet. 2.22 Such as find their feet stick fast in the miry Clay of their sins if they cry unto the Lord and wait patiently upon him he will bring them out of the miry Clay and establish their goings in his wayes so as they shall not return to their sins again § Consideration of the evil and danger of this sin will help us to forsake it 2. Consider seriously with your selves the evil and horrible Nature of this sin of drunkenness and what the latter end of it will be It offends and displeaseth God it is a trampling under foot the blood of Christ who shed his blood to redeem us from our vain conversations it makes a man like a Beast yea worse than a beast it ruines your Bodies destroys your Souls wasts your Estates blemisheth your reputations will undo your Families it is the Nursery of all manner of wickedness though it be pleasant for a while at the last it will bite like an Addar and sting like a Serpent It will most certainly shut you out of Heaven and plunge you in the depths of Hell A serious consideration of their wayes is useful and beneficial for all sorts of persons Good men by pondering their wayes may reform what is amiss in them Ps 119.59 I thought on my wayes and turned my feet unto thy testimonies And such as are wicked and graceless persons by considering their ways may be led and brought to repentance Ezek. 18.27 28. When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed he shall save his soul alive Because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed he shall surely live he shall not die Mark those words because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions A serious consideration of our wayes will help us to turn from all our transgressions The want of a due consideration of our ways is the reason why men commit and continue in abominable impieties Hos 7.1 2. They commit falsehood and the Thief cometh in and the troop of Robbers spoileth without and they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness § Reading Hearing and Meditating on God's word a great help against Drunkenness and all other sins 3 Read the Scriptures diligently attend on the Preaching of God's word Meditate on what you read and hear this will be a means to reclaim you from drunkenness and all other sinfull and destructive courses The Word of God hath a converting power in it and when it is set home by the Spirit of God it will convert a sinner from the error of his wayes Psal 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul It was by God's word that David was kept from sinning against God Psal 119.11 Thy word have I hid in mineheart that I might not sin against thee It was by God's word that he was kept from sinfull and destructive courses Psal 17.4 By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer The reading of the Scriptures is a great help to bring men to the knowledge and the fear of the Lord and to make them leave and forsake their sins Deut. 31.11.12 Thou shalt read this Law before all Israel in their hearing that they may learn and fear the Lord your God and observe to do all the words of this Law And as reading the Scriptures so
that caution consider diligently what is before thee There is another awakening expression Put a knife to thy Throat if thou be a man given to thine appetite that is 1. Stand in as much awe and be in as great fear of offending God by thine excess in eating or drinking as a man is in fear of offending that hath a knife put to his Throat 2. Look upon thy Soul to be in as great danger of perishing by intemperance when thou art at a great man's table as thy body is in danger of perishing when thou hast a knife at thy Throat Or 3. Put a knife to thy Throat that is use all means possible to mortifie and restrain thine inordinate appetite 't is like the expression Ps 39.1 I will keep my Mouth with a bridle that is I will force my self to be silent I will refrain from speaking I will keep in such words as are unseemly though they would be breaking out So put a knife to thy Throat that is restrain thine inordinate affections force thy self to be temperate in eating and drinking Many think that it is a desirable thing to be invited to feasts with great men to eat at a Rulers Table and they have a longing mind after such things but let them hear what Solomon saith in this case Prov. 23.3 Be not desirous of his dainties for they are deceitful meat The greater dainties are on the Table the greater is the danger The Daintier our Meat and Drink is the more deceitful For while dainties please the Palate if they allure us to intemperance they kill the Soul And is not that deceitful that comes with an appearance of pleasure and destroys both Body and Soul 2. You are under a temptation to this sin when sensual Lusts arise in your hearts or evil motions are put into your minds by Satan whereby you are enticed and enclined to go to Taverns and Ale-houses to be merry among your jovial Companions James 1.14 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his lust and enticed Now when such Lusts or inordinate desires after wine or strong drink arise in your hearts do not gratifie them do not make any provision for their satisfaction Rom. 13.14 Make no provision for the Flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof But withstand resist and deny their solicitations hearken not to their enticings but list your heart to God to subdue your evil inclinations and attend the the works of your callings When the lusts of our hearts solicit us to evil we may give a double reply to them Non licet How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God And Non vacat I am not at leisure We may reply as Nehemiah Neh. 6.3 When we are employed and diligent in our callings we have a great advantage against the lusts of our own heart and the temptations of Satan by not being at leisure to attend their motions When we are idle and out of employment our own sins and Satans temptations have a great advantage on us and will easily prevail over us 3. You are under a temptation to this sin when your drunken companions entice and call you to go to the Alehouse or when being there they urge and importune you to drink more than is meet In this case remember what the Lord saith Prov. 1.10 15 18. My Son if sinners entice thee consent not my son walk not thou in the way with them refrain thy foot from their path They lay wait for their own blood they lurk privily for their own lives If one should entice you to an Alehouse to murder you when he comes there if you knew this before hand would you go with him They that entice you to Alehouses and make you drunk when you come there do a worse thing than murder your Bodies for they draw you to that sin which will damn your Body and Soul for ever and that is a worse hurt than murder What Solomon saith of such as yield to the enticing of an Harlot Prov. 7.21 22 23. With much fair speech she caused him to yield He goeth after her strait-way as an Ox goeth to the slaughter or as a fool to the correction of the stocks till a Dart striketh through his Liver as a bird hasteth to the snare and knoweth not that it is for his Life The same is applicable to those that yield to the enticing of drunkards or other sins VVhen they yield to their enticings and go along with them they go as an Ox to the slaughter that they follow them to their own destruction as surely though they consider it as little as the Ox that goeth to the slaughter they go as a Fool to the correction of the stocks when once they are got in they can as hardly get out as a man can get his feet out of the Stocks Till a dart strike through his Liver that is till he be certainly ruined body and Soul If a dart go through the Arm or Thigh that wound may be cured but if it strike through the Liver it is certain death there is no cure for such a wound As a bird hasteth to the snare and knoweth not that it is for his life A snare taketh suddenly and holdeth surely Such is the case of those that follow the enticing of Sinners they as little consider that they are doing that which will destroy their Souls that their lives lie at stake as the bird doth that hastneth to the snare she looks for meat but looseth her life so doth the Drunkard that is taken in the snare of evil Company he looketh for pleasure but looseth his Soul 4. You are under a temptation to excess of drinking when you meet with brisk and pleasant Wine or other pleasant drink that which is pleasant to the Eye or pleasant to the Tast The most pleasing Wine or other drink it taken excessively will bite like a Serpent and sting like an Addar Prov. 23.31 32. § Inordinate affection to Wine and strong drink to be mortifyed by such as would avoid drunkenness 7. Let such as would avoid drunkenness mortifie their inordinate affection to Wine and strong Drink This is necessary because the inordinacy of the affections to VVine or strong Drink is is sinful and offensive to God as well as the act of Drunkenness It is evil to have the mind and heart hanging after Taverns and Ale-houses as well as to be a frequenter of those places He is a Drunkard in his heart that hath an inordinate Affection to Wine or strong Drink as well as he committeth Adultery with a Woman in his heart that lusteth after her in his heart Besides this inordinate affection to Wine or strong Drink is the root of this sin of drunkenness We do not lay the Ax to the root of Drunkenness if we only indeavour to forbear the actual Commission of this sin and do not endeavour to mortifie our inordinate affections A man may purpose and make vows and use other means
fulfil the lusts of the flesh Some might enquire what course shall we take that we may subdue the lusts of the flesh the Apostle directs to a ready way for getting power over all lusts and it is this that we get and walk in the spirit But some may say How shall we come to be filled with the spirit A. 1. By earnest longings and servent Prayers to God to give us yea to fill us with his Holy Spirit Luk. 11.13 Your Heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him Psal 81.10 Open thy mouth and I will fill it Psal 107.9 He satisfieth the longing soul and filleth the hungry with goodness 2. By acting Faith on God's Promises where he hath promised to give his spirit in an abundant and plentiful measure to us The more full we are of Faith the greater fulness we shall have of the spirit Act. 6 5. They choose Stephen a man full of Faith and of the Holy Ghost Now we have divers promises wherein the Lord hath promised to pour out his spirit richly and abundantly upon us Isa 44.3 I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground By water and floods we are to understand a plentiful effusion of the spirit as the words following shew us I will pour my spirit on thy seed See also Joh. 7.38 39. 3. Be careful you do not quench nor grieve the Holy Spirit after the Lord hath given any measure of it to you either by the Omission of known duties or the Commission of known sins For thereby you will hinder farther Communications of the spirit But some may say I am afraid God will not fill me with his Holy Spirit because I have been such a vile and sinful creature though I should seek unto him A. God through and for the sake of Jesus Christ will shed abroad his spirit abundantly on those that have been vile and great sinners if they turn to the Lord and make their supplication to him Prov. 1.23 Turn you at my reproof behold I will pour out my spirit unto you This promise is made to such as have been very great sinners to such as loved simplicity hated knowledge delighted in scorning as we may see in the fore-going verse yet even to these upon their turning God promiseth to pour out his spirit See also Tit. 3.5 6. According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour These persons on whom God through Jesus Christ did shed abroad his spirit abundantly had been great sinners as we may see ver 3. They were sometime foolish disobedient serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating one another yet on them for Christ's sake the Lord did shed abroad his spirit abundantly § Putting on the Lord Jesus is a special help against drunkenness and all other sins How we are to put on Christ 10. If you would cast off this sin of drunkenness put on the Lord Jesus Christ for the puting on Christ will help you to put off your drunkenness and all your other sins Rom. 13.12 13. Let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness not in strife and envying but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ The Apostle doth not bid us put on temperance that we escape rioting and drunkenness or put on chastity as a remedy against wantonness or put on love and peace as a remedy against strife and envying but as a remedy against drunkenness and all the other sins he bids us put on the Lord Jesus Christ The putting on Christ will help us to put off drunkenness and all other vicious courses But some may say what is it to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and how and when may we be said to put on Christ Ans 1. We put on Christ by faith when we put on a garment we apply it to our bodies So we put on the Lord Jesus Christ when we make application of him and his saving benefits to our souls Christ is to be put on not only for justification from the guilt but also for sanctification from the filth and power of sin For he hath righteousness and holiness merit and spirit for sinners wherein all that believe in him do communicate with him This is absolutely necessary for the mortification of this and all other sins the power of sin can never be subdued but by the power of Christ Our old man must be crucified with him Rom. 6.6 and through the spirit we must mortifie the deeds of the body Rom. 8.13 To him therefore must we look and upon him we must rely by faith for grace and help to enable us to forsake and mortifie our sins It is through faith in Christ that we obtain victory over our corruption 1 Joh. 5.4 This is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith By the world which is overcome by faith understand not onely th◠men of the world but the lusts and corruptions which we are liable to whilest we are in the world Now we have good encouragement to look to Christ and rely on him for grace to help us against our lusts For 1. Jesus Christ was sent into the world by the Father on purpose to bless us in turning us from our iniquities Act. 3.26 And we may warrantably rely on Christ for the giving us those blessings which his Father sent him to beslow upon us 2. Our Lord Jesus gave himself to death for us that he might redeem us from the guilt and power of all our sins Tit. 2.14 who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works And we may warrantably rely on Christ for that blessing which he hath purchased for us with his own blood 3. Trusting and hoping in Christ is the way to be redeemed from all our iniquities Psal 130.7 8. Let Israel hope in the Lord And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities 2. We put on Christ by imitation when we make him our pattern and example resolving and endeavouring by the help of his grace to walk as he walked while he was in the world 1 Joh. 2.6 It was one end of God's sending Christ into the world to set us an example even in our own humane nature Rom. 8.29 Whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son And it is our duty to be followers of Christ Matth. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart Joh. 13.15 I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done 1 Cor. 11.1 Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ Now Christ did no sin 1 Pet. 2.21 22. Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps who did no sin The wicked Jewes indeed maliciously slandered him and said Math. 11.19 Behold a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber But they laid to his charge things that he knew not And Christ challenged any of them to prove their charge Joh. 8.46 Which of you convinceth me of sin If then we thus put on Jesus Christ by imitation and warrant our practise by his example we shall not make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof which is the last direction Now the Lord in whose hand the hearts of all men are turn the eyes of concerned sinners upon these lines convince the guilty of the evil aggravations and danger of this shameful woful destroying damning yet abounding sin stop the mouth of all pleas in excuse or extenuation thereof and effectually persuade to a serious compliance with the counsel of God by speedy repentance and thorow reformation that they may never-feel the dreadful execution of the wo denounced It appeareth by the Authors manuscript that he designed had not death prevented him to have added hereto a narrative of the remarkable judgments of God upon drunkards with the use that ought to be made thereof FINIS
it if he hath an occasion and temptation to commit it § Drunkenness brings national judgments V. Drunkenness is such an abominable sin that it brings down National Judgments Whole Nations are punished for this sin of drunkenness The Earth is weary of bearing drunkards and often spueth out its inhabitants We read of the inhabitants of the Land of Canaan that their Land spued them out for their defiling it and the Israelites are warned not to defile their Land least they also be spued out Lev. 18.28 That the Land spue not you out also when ye defile it as it spued out the Nations that were before you And when the Israelites did defile their Land by drunkenness and other sins they were a burden to the Land it was weary with bearing them it spued them out and they were carryed captive into a strange Land Isa 5.11.13 Wo to them that rise up early to follow strong drink and continue untill night till wine enflame them Therefore my people are gone into captivity The Lord threatned to send a mighty adversary against Ephraim for their pride and drunkenness which came upon them as furiously as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm and as a mighty flood of waters that should overflow all places and bear down all before it Isa 28.1 2. Wo to the crown of pride the drunkards of Ephraim Behold the Lord hath a mighty and strong one which as a tempest of hail and a destroying sterm as a flood of mighty waters over-flowing shall cast down to the earth with the hand So that drunkards are the plague of a Nation that bring down Gods judgments on themselves and the places where they live And when an over-flowing scourge comes on a Nation usually drunkards have the speediest and deepest share in the judgments of God Amos 6.1 3 6 7. Wo to them that are at ease in Zion that put far away the evil day that drink wine in bowls Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive When the King of Assyria invaded the Land of Israel the drunkards were trod under feet like mire in the streets Isa 28.2 3. Behold the Lord hath a mighty and strong one c. The crown of pride the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trod under foot § Drunkards oft times dye in the act of sin VI. Drunkenness appears to be a great sin because oft times it is punished with sudden death and sometimes drunkards are cut off in the very act of sin They are very frequently cut off suddenly and unexpectedly Nah. 1.10 While they are drunken as drunkards they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry Stubble that is fully dry is consumed in a moment so are many drunkards cut off suddenly when they have no thoughts no expectations of death Luk. 12.45 46. If that servant shall begin to eat and drink and to be drunken The Lord of that Servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him and at an hour when he is not aware and will cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers We see here the wofull condition of drunkards both in their death and after their death Their death is oft times sudden and unexpected they have not a day not an hours warning Their Lord comes in a day that they did not look for him and in an hour that they were not aware of and shall cut them in sunder that is seperate their souls from their bodies by death and after death give them their portion with unbelievers that is in the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone Rev. 21.8 Drunkards are ost times cut off in the very act of sin which is a dreadfull token of Gods displeasure when he will not vouchsafe a sinner space for Repentance but cuts him off in the very act of sin Elah a King a King in israel was cut off in the very act of sin while he was drinking himself drunk in his Stewards house 1 King 16.9 10. His servant Zimri conspired against him as he was in Tirzah drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza Steward of his house in Tirzah And Zimri went in and smote him and killed him This is recorded to the terrors of all drunkards in all Ages to the end of the World As Christ said to deterr us from looking back remember Lots wife So may I say to deter you from drunkenness Remember Elah who was killed whilst he was drinking himself drunk And if God did not spare a King in Israel take heed least he do not spare you Besides Elah's example Amnon one of David's Sons was killed whilst his heart was merry with wine 2 Sam. 13.28 When Belshazzar had been drinking wine with a thousand of his Lords in the day time he was slain in the night Dan. 5.1 30. Belshazzar the King made a great feast to a Thousand of his Lords and drank wine before the Thousand In that night was Belshazzar the King of the Caldeans slain Besides these examples we have known or heard of several others some that have dyed dead drunk and never came to life again others that have fallen off their horses in their drunkenness and broke their necks others that have fallen into the water and been drowned and others cut off by other means § It unfits a man for the service of God and his Generation and for Death and Judgment VII Drunkenness makes a man unfit for any good work unfit for the service of God and Men unfit for Death and Judgment It makes a man unfit for Prayer and all other Religious Duties 1 Pet. 4.7 The end of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watch unto Prayer No men are fit for Prayer but sober men It is probable Nadab and Abihu had distempered themselves with wine or strong drink when they presumed to offer up strange fire and fire went out from the Lord and devoured them for immediately after the relation of their sin and punishment there is a strict charge given to Aaron and his Sons that they should not drink wine or strong drink when they went into the Tabernacle of the Congregation upon pain of death that they might be fit for their employment Lev. 10.8 9 10 11. It also unfits a man for the service of his Generation especially for a place of publick trust Many Armies have been ruined Towns and Kingdoms lost by the drunkenness of the Commanders A small Army of the Israelites not exceeding 7000 setting upon the Syrians when Benhadad their King was drinking himself drunk with his Confederates put the Syrians to flight and slew them with a great slaughter although besides his own great army he had Thirty and Two Kings that came to his assistance 1 King 20.16 17 20. And as this sin renders us unfit for the service of God and Men so also it makes us unfit for the day of death and judgment Luk. 21.34 And take heed to your selves least at any time your
hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness and the cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares § It will exclude a man out of Heaven VIII Drunkenness is such an odious sin that the Lord hath told us expresly that he will not admit any drunkards into the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know y not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived Neither Fornicators nor Drunkards shall inherit the Kingdom of God If a man be a drunkard and think to go to Heaven when he dyeth he deceiveth his own Soul Drunkenness is a manifest work of the flesh and the Scripture tells us plainly that they that live in drunkenness and such like sins shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Gal. 5.19 20 21. Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness Drunkenness Revellings and such like of which I tell you before as I have also told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Drunkards may know their doom before they come to the judgment seat of Christ I tell you before that is before the day of judgment come before the sentence be past upon you that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God The Apostle knew drunkards were dull of hearing and slow of heart to believe and therefore he tells them over and over that they shall not inherit the Kingdom of God and what folly and madness is this to part with a Kingdom an Everlasting Kingdom the Kingdom of Heaven for a pot of drink or a cup of wine It was a foolish act in Esau and argued him to be a prophane man to sell his Birth-right for a morsel of meat Heb. 12.16 Least there be any fornicator or prophane person as Esau who for one morsel of meat sold his birth-right Drunkards are guilty of worse prophaneness than Esau for they part with a better blessing than a Birth-right namely with the Kingdom of Heaven for a pot of drink or a cup of wine which doth them no good but much hurt It is not drinking wine or strong drink but excess of drinking excludes us from the Kingdom of Heaven and excess of wine doth a man no good but much hurt § It is a damnable sin IX Drunkenness is a damnable sin a sin for which men shall be condemned to the torments of Hell for ever The drunkard shall be cut asunder and have his portion appointed with unbelievers Luk. 12.45 46. If that servant shall begin to eat and drink and be drunken the Lord of that servant will cut him asunder and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers But what is it to have our portion appointed with the unbelievers It is to be damned and to be cast into the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone Mark 16.16 He that believeth not shall be damned Rev. 21.8 The unbelieving shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone Hell is full of drunkards Isa 5.11 14. Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink that continue untill night till wine enflame them Therefore Hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth without measure and their glory and their multitude and their pomp and he that rejoyceth shall descend into it There is scarce any sin fills Hell like drunkenness following of wine and strong drink sends great multitudes to Hell The glory and pomp and jollity of drunkards shall be no security to drunkards to keep them from the bottomless pit The drunken Gentleman and drunken Prince notwithstanding all his bravery shall descend into Hell as well as the drunken beggar They that enflame themselves with wine and strong drink shall be tormented in flames of fire for ever And then they that drunk wine in bowls and filled themselves with strong drink shall not with all their entreaties get so much as one drop of water to cool their tongues § It is a bewitching sin very hardly left by those that are addicted to it X. Drunkenness is an enticing bewitching sin which is very hardly left by those that are addicted to it Neither the word nor rod of God prevaileth with men to leave this sin but they go on sinning against light sinning against the counsels and reproofs and tears of friends against the checks of their own Consciences though the Lord afflict them in their bodies estates good names yet still they persevere in this sin Though when upon sick beds they are under terrors of Conscience and feel as it were some flashes of Hell Fire and make great vows and solemn protestations that if God will spare their lives and raise them up again they will leave off their drunkenness yet when they are restored to health they return to their old courses again Prov. 23.35 They have stricken me shalt thou say and I was not sick they have beaten me and I felt it not VVhen shall I awake I will seek it yet again Solomon speaks here of drunkards who are not disheartned by all the difficulties and troubles and blows that they meet with in following after strong drink but resolve to seek yet again and to persist in their dissolute courses Drunkards are wont to encourage themselves and one another to persist in their drunken courses under all discouragements Isa 56.12 Come ye say they I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more aboundant In stead of desisting they grow more resolved in their way And the reason why this sin is hardly left and so few recovered from it may be partly from the strength this sinfull habit gets in the soul by the many repeated acts of this sin and also from the pleasingness of this sin to corrupt nature for the more pleasing any sin is the more hardly it is left and chiefly from the just and righteous judgment of God who giveth up men who go on sinning against light unto their own hearts lusts saying to them he that is filthy let him be filthy still Drunkenness is called by some vitium maximae adhaerentiae a sin that sticks closer and faster to a man than any other sin Sect. 5. Several aggravations of the sin of drunkenness We have seen the greatness of this sin of drunkenness now let us consider the aggravations of this sin It is worse in some men than others and worse at sometimes than others § It is worse in Magistrates than in other persons I. It is a great sin for any man to be overcome with drink but 't is worse for Magistrates than for other persons The greater and more eminent the person is that commits the offence the more heinous is the offence Omne animi vitium tanto conspectius in se Crimen habet quanto major qui peccat habetur The Scripture
are called to preach God's Holy word and take the care and oversight of mens souls and it is twice mentioned concerning them that they must not be given to wine The use of wine is not wholly forbidden to the Ministers of the Gospel for such as have weak stomachs may lawfully make use of this good creature of God but then it must be with very much moderation Timothy an Evangelist was allowed by the Apostle the use of wine but it was in a small measure and sparingly so far as his weak stomach had need of it 1 Tim. 5.23 Drink no longer water but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities That drunkenness and other scandalous sins are far worse in Ministers of the Gospel than in any other men will appear several ways 1. Ministers of the Gospel are under greater obligations to Holyness than other men They are to be the light of the World and the salt of Earth Mat. 5.13 14. Ye are the salt of the earth ye are the light of the world They are Christs Ambassadors 2 Cor. 5.20 And Gods Stewards 1 Cor. 4.1 And what a dishonour is it to God to have a drunken Steward a drunken Ambassadour They are stiled Angels Rev. 2.1 And what an uncomely sight is it to see one whose office and dignity resembles him to an Angel by his drunken and sottish practices to make himself like a beast Ministers of the Gospel ought to be examples and patterns of Holyness to such as believe in Christ 1 Tim. 4 12. Be thou an example of the believers in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity Tit. 2.7 In all things shewing thy self a pattern of good works And for a man that is to be an example of holiness to believers to be given to drunkenness which civil men which sober Heathens detest and which makes a man worse than a beast is a most abominable sin 2. The evil example of Ministers of the Gospel will draw multitudes to that which is evil If Ministers frequent Taverns and drink to excess their example will encourage and embolden their neighbours to follow wine and strong drink a prophane Minister makes a prophane people Jer. 23.15 From the Prophets of Jerusalem is prophaneness gone forth into all the Land See also ver 10.11 The Land is full of adulterers For both the Prophet and the Priest are prophane When those that are teachers of others depart from the ways of God their example makes many to stumble Mal. 2.7 8. The Priests lips should preserve knowledge But ye have departed out of the way ye have caused many to stumble at the law 3. The same Sacrifice under the Law was required for the sin of the Priest which was required for the sin of the whole Congregation As we may see Lev. 4.3 13.14 When the Priest sinned he was to bring a young Bullock for a sin offering and this was the same offering which was appointed for the sin of the whole Congregation ver 13.14 Whereas for the sin of the Ruler there was but a kid of the goats a male without blemish ver 22.23 And for the sin of any of the common people a kid of the goats a female without blemish which is of less value than the male ver 27.28 From this difference of the Sacrifices there being less appointed for the common people than for the Ruler and less for the Ruler than for the Priest we may learn that the sins of Rulers are greater than the sins of the common people and the sins of Ministers are greater than the sins of Rulers and greater than the sins of the common people they may be counted equal of the sins of a whole Congregation 4. When such as are preachers of God's word are drunkards or given to any other scandalous sins they bring themselves and their office and the worship and service of God into contempt among the people Isa 43.27 28. Thy teachers have transgressed against me therefore I have prophaned the Princes of the Sanctuary and have given Jacob to the curse and Israel to reproaches When Ministers of Gods word do not keep Gods ways the Lord makes them base and contemptible among the people Mal. 2.9 Therefore have I made you contemptible and base before all the people according as ye have not kept my ways This is spoken of the Priests as we may see ver 1.7 8. When they proved vicious they brought their persons and office into contempt among the people It was the Apostles care to magnifie his office Rom. 11.13 I magnifie mine office and to walk circumspectly in all things that his Ministry might not suffer any blame 2 Cor. 6.3 Giving no offence in any thing that the Ministry be not blamed Yea they that are prophane Ministers do not only bring their persons and office into contempt but make the worship and service of the Lord to be abhorred and that is a mighty sin for Ministers by their evil conversations to give occasion to any men to abhor the service of the Lord. 1 Sam. 2.17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord for men abhorred the offering of the Lord. 5. When such as are preachers of God's word prove drunkards or live in any other scandalous sins though they should be instrumental to save others they themselves shall be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 7.22 23. Many will say unto me at that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderfull works And then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity And what a sad condition is this to cast devils out of others and yet we our selves to be cast into the bottomless pit to abide with the devil for ever It was the Apostles care to be temperate in all things and keep under his body least while he endeavoured to save others souls he should lose his own 1 Cor. 9.25 26 27. Everyone that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things I therefore so run I keep under my body and bring it into subjection least that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should become a cast-away 6. Drunkenness is such an odious sin in Ministers of the Gospel that it hath been by several councells deemed scandalous in Ministers to frequent Taverns and divers Canons have been at several councels made against this scandalous practise of Ministers being frequently at Taverns § It is worse in knowing men that make a a profession of Religion than in ignorant and prophane men III. Drunkenness is worse in knowing men and such as make a profession of Religion than it is in ignorant and prophane persons Isa 28.1 Wo to the Crown of Pride to the drunkards of Ephraim Ephraim was a Tribe in Israel and the Israelites were a knowing people Deut. 4.6 Surely
an Idol but they must bow themselves and shew respect to every Idol that came in their way Jer. 3.6 She is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree and there hath played the Harlot So they are notorious drunkards that can't pass by any Tavern or Ale-house but they must go in and tipple there 4. They are greedy drunkards that can never have enough but drink till they are dead drunk that they can't go nor speak but lye like dead men And if Friends send for them there is no getting them away or the Master of the house would perswade them to forbear drinking they fall into a rage and are like mad men of such it may be said what the Prophet speaks Isa 56.11 They are greedy dogs which cannot have enough 5. They are greedy drunkards who do not only go themselves frequently to Taverns but invite and entice others to go along with them Isa 56.11 12. They are greedy dogs that cannot have enough Come ye say they I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink § It is an aggravation of this sin to boast and glory of it IX It is an aggravation of the sin of drunkenness or any other sin when a man will glory and boast either of being drunk himself or making others drunk All sin is matter of shame and blushing Jer. 3.25 We lye down in our shame and our confusion doth cover us for we have sinned against the Lord our God Ezra 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for our iniquities are encreased And therefore they are impudent sinners that will glory and boast of their sins God will confound those that boast of their sins Psal 97.7 Confounded be all they that boast themselves of Idols And as boasting of Idols so boasting of any other sin will bring confusion with it Such as glory in those evil courses whereof they have cause to be ashamed their end will be destruction not only in this life but in the other World for ever Phil. 3.19 VVhose end is destruction whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame § It is an aggravation of this sin to continue long in it X. The sin of drunkenness and all other sins are aggravated by long continuance in them Jerusalem's adultery was the greater and more heinous because of its long continuance Ezek. 23.43 I said unto her that was old in adulteries And the hatred of the Philistines against the Jews was the more displeasing to God because they had hated the Jews a long time Ezek. 25.15 16. Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge and have taken vengeance with a despitefull heart to destroy it for the old hatred Therefore thus saith the Lord God I will stretch out mine hand against the Philistines When a man hath been disobedient from his youth this makes his disobedience the greater sin Jer. 22.21 This hath been thy manner from thy youth that thou obeyest not my voice All impenitent sinners are under the curse of God but more especially the old sinner Isa 65.20 The sinner being an hundred years old is accursed Sect. 6. The pleas and excuses of drunkards whereby they would excuse their sin answered and removed As it was with those that were invited to the supper and did not go They all with one consent began to make excuse Luk. 14.18 So it is with this Generation of men they have all of them one excuse or other whereby they would excuse or at least extenuate and lessen this abominable sin of drunkenness I will instance in several excuses and shew how vain and frivolous they are § Though men of good fashion and great parts be addicted to this sin we must not follow their example Plea 1. The greatest wits the able'st Scholars and the best sort of Gentlemen are usually great drinkers they are only a company of dull souls pitifull sneaking fellows such as affect singularity that speak against drunkenness and will not go to Taverns and drink as freely as other men and therefore I can't believe this is such an odious and abominable sin as you would represent it to be A. 1. There never were wiser and better men in the World than the Prophets and the Apostles yet they all with one consent declaim against this sin of drunkenness as a most odious abominable sin yea our Lord Jesus Christ chargeth and commandeth us to take heed least at any time our hearts be overcharged with drunkenness Luk. 21.34 And take heed unto your selves least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness John the Baptist was an eminent person for wisdom and piety our Lord Jesus Christ gives this Character of him Mat. 11.11 Verily I say unto you among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist He was not only highly esteemed among men but he was great in the sight of God and converted many Souls and he never drunk any wine or strong drink Luk. 1.15 16. He shall be great in the sight of the Lord and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his Mothers Womb and many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God And therefore to say none but dull souls and sneaking fellows and such as affect singularity speak against drunkenness is a reproaching the Prophets and the Apostles and the best men that ever lived yea our Lord Jesus Christ himself for they all preached against and abhorred the sin of drunkenness 2. To say that all generous Spirited men and great wits are great drinkers and that they that are not so are a company of dull souls and pityfull sneaking fellows is to reproach and condemn the generation of the righteous as if they were the basest fort of men whereas they are the excellentest persons that are upon the face of the earth Psal 16.2 3. My goodness extendeth not unto thee but to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight Prov. 12.20 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Those sober men whom drunkards call pityfull sneaking fellows shall lift up their heads with joy and boldness before Jesus Christ at the day of judgment when wine bibbers shall call to the Rocks and Mountains to fall on them and to hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. 3. Though drunkards think themselves the only wise men and cry up their Companions as the only witty and brave men yet in truth and reality they are very fools and there is not one wise man amongst them Prov. 20.1 Wine is a mocker and strong drink is raging and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wie If Solomon be to be believed who was one of the wisest men that ever lived yea if the Spirit of God
be many preachers that would live wickedly Mat. 7.23 24. 5. If the example and practise of scandalous Ministers would make drunkenness no sin or but a very little one then the greatest sins that ever were commited might be excused and be counted no sins or but very small ones for they that have been teachers of the people have sometimes been guilty of the greatest sins What greater sins than Idolatry Murder and Adultery yet we find many Priests under the Law taxed with the guilt of these fins Hos 6.9 As troops of robbers wait for a man so the company of Priests murder by consent in the way for they commit lewdness Jer. 23.14 I have seen in the Prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing they commit adultery and walk in lyes 2 King 23.5 He put down all the idolatrous Priests What greater sin than Crucifying Christ yet the Priests had the principal hand in putting our Lord Jesus Christ to death Mat. 27.20 The chief priests and elders perswaded the people that they should ask Barrabas and destroy Jesus And ver 1. All the chief priests and elders of the people took counsell to put Jesus to death § The plea of such as think drunkenness good fellowship and the way to preserve love and friendship answered Plea 3. My Neighbours are generally given this way and I esteem it a piece of good Fellowship to go to the Tavern with my Neighbours and I look upon it as a way to preserve love and friendship to go now and then with my neighbours to the alehouse and to drink and be merry and when I am among my friends and neighbours I am overcome before I am aware but in regard I have good ends in what I do I hope I may be excused A. 1. This is evil and not good fellowship to keep company with drunkards and such fellowship as is condemned in Scripture such as we ought to reprove and not to be partakers with them Eph. 5.11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darkness but rather reprove them 2. To call drunkenness good fellowship is to call evil good and there is a wo denounced against those that call evil good Isa 5.22 Wo to them that call evil good that put darkness for light and light for darkness It is a strange delusion that men should think that that fellowship which undoeth men both Body and Soul that ruines their Estates beggars their Children hinders their Salvation should be called good fellowship 3. Such friendship as is got and maintained by drinking at Taverns and tipling at Ale-houses is wofull friendship for it makes God an enemy to us and makes us enemies to God Jam. 4.4 Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God This is a weighty dreadfull sentence and of large extent It is better to have all the great men yea all creatures our enemies than to have God our enemy yet it is an undoubted truth that whosoever will be the friend of the world is the enemy of God 4. Though this hath a shew of love and friendship to go to the ale-house among our neighbours and to sit and tipple with them yet in reality there is more of hatred than love in it To suffer sin upon our neighbour and not to reprove him is to hate him in our hearts Lev. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin upon him If they hate their neighbours in their hearts that suffer them to live in sin and do not rebuke him how much more do they hate them that countenance and encourage their drunken meetings by their presence and example 5. Suppose that going to the Ale-house with your neighbours and to tipple there with them were the way to preserve love and friendship yet we must not do any evil that good may come of it Rom. 3.8 And not rather as we be slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say Let us do evil that good may come whose damnation is just This passage whose damnation is just may either relate to the slanders that were raised of the Apostle's Person and Doctrine and then the sense is this it will be a just thing with God to damn those men that raise or spread abroad slanderous reports of his Ministers either as to their persons or Doctrine for they do a world of mischief and hinder the efficacy of their Ministry by filling mens minds with prejudice against them Or it may relate to the words immediately foregoing Let us do evil that good may come And the sense is that is just with God to damn those men who are of this opinion and practice To do evil that good may come A good intention will not excuse will not justifie a bad action in the sight of God for he will condemn evil doers and that justly though they do evil that good may come 6. Tipling and drinking at ale-houses begets quarrels and contentions instead of friends and makes those that were friends before oft times to become enemies one to another for it often happens that when men are in their cups on some trifling occasion or other they give provoking speeches each to other whence arise Law-suits which prove very chargeable vexatious and of long continuance And sometimes their quarrels are so great that they beat and wound each other and sometimes kill each other Prov. 23.29 30. Who hath sorrow who hath contentions who hath wounds without cause They that tarry long at the wine § The plea of such as are drunk but seldom answered Plea 4. If I were a common or an old drunkard I should look upon my self to be in a wofull and miserable condition but though I confess I am sometime overcome with wine and strong drink yet it is but lately that I begun this practice and I use it very seldom when I light into company of my old acquaintance or at a fair or at some other chance time and therefore I hope my crime is not so great but I may be excused A. 1. The oftner a man commits any sin the more provoking his sins are in the sight of God Psal 78.40 How oft did they provoke him in the Wilderness and grieve him in the desart The frequency of the murmurings and other sins of the children of Israel in the Wilderness did greatly greive the Lord and provoke him to anger Hos 12.1 12. Ephraim dayly encreaseth lies Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly To tell lies dayly or to commit any other heinous sin dayly provokes the Lord to anger most bitterly 2. Though it be a great aggravation of drunkenness to be a common drunkard and to be dayly tipling at ale-houses yet 't is a vain thing for a man to think to excuse himself by saying he is drunk but now and then which he may be convinced of if
he see how vain this excuse is in other sins If a Murderer should say I do not make it my common practice to kill men I do it but now and then when I meet with men to whom I have born a grudge a long time Or an adulterer should say I do not commit adultery every day it is but now and than when I have convenient opportunity Or a Thief should say I am no high-way man that maketh a trade of robbing I do steal only at some times when I can do it and no body take notice of it would not these excuses be vain in the case of murder adultery theft and such like sins and if so why not in the case of drunkenness also 3. Christians should be so carefull of scandalous sins as not to commit them so much as once Eph. 5.3 Fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness let it not be once named among you as becometh Saints And particularly concerning drunkenness our Lord Jesus chargeth us to beware not only of being drunken often but least at any time our hearts are overcharged with drunkenness Luk. 21.34 And take heed least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness 4. Once being drunk is enough to shut a man out of the Kingdom of Heaven for ever without Repentance Gal. 5.21 Drunkenness revellings they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God It is not said they that do such things often but they that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Adam did eat but once of the forbidden fruit and for that one offence he was cast out of Paradise and by that one offence judgment came upon himself and upon all men to condemnation Rom. 5.18 The Bethshemites looked but once into the Ark and for that one offence there dyed Fifty Thousand Threescore and Ten men 1 Sam. 6.19 David numbered the people but once yet for that one offence there came a Pestilence which killed Seventy Thousand men 2 Sam. 24.10 to the 16. 5. Though you are but beginning to be a company keeper and are overcome but seldom yet who knows that if at any time your heart be over-charged with drunkenness but that may be the time when God may call you out of the World Luk. 21.34 Take heed least at any time your hearts be overcharged with drunkenness and so that day come upon you unawares God cuts off some men when they do but begin to be company keepers and gives them their portion in eternal misery Mat. 24.48 49 50 51. If that evil Servant shall begin to smite his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunken the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of and shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth .. 6. Though at present you are drunk but seldom yet unless you repent and break off this evil course of drinking you will by degrees fall into it more and more and may in a little time prove as common as notorious as sottish a drunkard as any other man For it is ordinary for impenitent sinners to grow more vile every day than other 2 Tim. 3.13 Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse § Privacy in the commission of this sin is no excuse for it Plea 5. If I were an open drunkard I should think my self to be in a sad condition but though I cannot deny but that I am sometime overtaken with the sin of drunkenness yet it is very privately and therefore I hope God will be mercifull to me A. 1. The more open and impudent men are in the commission of their sins the greater their punishment shall be Isa 3.9 The shew of their countenance doth witness against them and they declare their sin as Sodom they hide it not wo unto their Soul Those impudent sinners as are not ashamed to sin openly and seek not to hide their sins are in a most wofull condition 2. Drunkenness is such a shamefull sin that in old times men sought for private times and private places for the commission of this sin They were ashamed to be drunk in the day time and took the opportunity of the dark night to keep their drunken meetings 1 Thes 5.7 They that be drunken be drunken in the night When some persons that heard the Apostles speaking with tongues supposed them to be drunk the Apostle refutes that supposition not from the piety of the men that abhorred that vice not from the rationality of their discourse but from the time of the day Act. 2.15 These are not drunken as ye suppose seeing it is but the third hour of the day It was such an unusual thing in those times to see a man drunk in the day that the Apostle thought it sufficient proof that they were not drunken because it was but the third hour of the day But alas it is otherwise in these times wherein we see men frequently reeling and staggering at high noon day 3. Although open drunkards are in a worse condition than such as are secretly given to drunkenness yet such as are secret drunkards shall not be excused by their secresie in their sins For 1. All our secret sins are committed in the sight of God Psal 90.8 Thou hast set our sins before thee our secret sins in the light of thy countenance David plotted Vriah's death and defiled Bathsheba with great secresie 2 Sam. 12.12 Thou didst it secretly Yet he confesseth these sins were committed in the sight of God Psal 51.4 Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight 2. What sins we commit in secret without Repentance shall be punished openly Eccl. 12.14 God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or bad As it is with secret duties they shall have an open reward Math. 6.4 Thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly So it is also with secret sins § The plea of such as say they are good natured and never go to ale-houses but when enticed answered Plea 6. I never go to Ale-houses but when I am enticed and I am so good natured that if any of my friends or acquaintance ask me to go with them to the Ale-house I can't deny them and when I am there I am overtaken before I am aware A. 1. What you call good nature is an evil nature to be so flexible and easie to yield to a temptation to sin God commands us when sinners entice us not to give our consent unto them Prov. 1.10 My son if sinners entice thee consent thou not A good nature will teach us to obey God and to refuse our consent to the enticings of sinners That is an evil nature that prompts us to disobey God to please and gratifie a friend or neighbour 2. If the
at peace with him And if God can encline the hearts of our enemies towards us then much more the hearts of our friends when we do those things that are pleasing in his sight However run the hazard rather adventure the displeasing your friends by obeying God than displease God by complying with the sinfull humours and ways of your friends 5. It is great folly to comply with friends or Relations in their evil ways in hope to get an Estate from them after their Death For 1. Who can tell but you may dye before your friends And what will your sinfull complyance do you good if you dye before your friends Or who can tell but they may take a disgust at you though you strive to humour mour them in that which is sinfull And what a sad case is that to lose the favour of God and your friends also 2. If you should obtain that estate you hope for your sinfull complyance will do your souls more hurt than ever your Estate will be able to do you good 3. Such an state as is gotten by a sinfull complyance hath not God's Blessing going with it And it is better being without an Estate than to have it without the Blessing of God For an estate without a blessing doth a man much hurt of such an estate it may be said as Solomon doth Eccl. 5.13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the Sun namely riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt § The excellency of wine or strong drink is no excuse for drunkenness Plea 9. I am not won't to be disguised with drinking except it be at such times as I light of excellent wine and very pleasant liquors and when I meet with pure and pleasant wine or other choice drink I can't refrain my self but I must drink to excess and I hope in such a case I may be excused A. 1. This is a vain frivolous foolish excuse If a thief should say I never rob a man but when I meet with a rich and tempting prize Or an adulterer should say I never commit adultery but when I meet with a fair and beautifull woman Would such pleas excuse the thief and adulterer No more will it excuse a drunkard to say I am never overcome with wine but when I meet with pure rich and generous wine 2. There is no purer clearer pleasanter water than Spring water yet the pleasantness and purity of the Spring water doth not tempt the wild asses or other beasts to drink more than will quench their thirst Psal 104.10 11. He sendeth the springs into the valleys which run among the hills they give drink to every beast of the field the wild asses quench their thirst And shall man who was made after the Image of God and who hath a more excellent Spirit than any of the beasts drink to excess because he meets with pure wine and excellent drink 3. The purest and most excellent wine when drunk to excess will prove the most deadly poyson for it destroyes Body and Soul whereas other poyson destroys the Body only That passage of Moses may be applyed Deut. 32.33 Their wine is the poyson of dragons and the cruel venom of asps And what wise man would drink the poyson of dragons and the cruel venom of asps though it should be made pleasant to the tast Or would drink the sweetest and richest wine under Heaven if he knew there were the poyson of dragons or the cruel venom of asps infused into it The guilt of drunkenness is more destructive to a man than the poyson of dragons or the cruel venom of asps for the one kills the Body only the other will destroy Body and Soul for ever 4. Whereas drunkards say they can't for their hearts refrain from drinking to excess when they meet with choice and excellent wine which is both pleasant to the eye and and tast they should consider with themselves that the briskest purest most pleasant wine if drunk to excess will bite like a serpent and sting like an adder Prov. 23.31 32. Look not thou upon the wine whâ—… 〈◊〉 is red when it giveth his colour in the cup when it moveth it self aright at the last it biteth like a Serpent and stingeth like an adder There is scarce any drunkard so sottish that after he hath drunk a glass of wine should espy a serpent at the bottom of his second or third glass that would certainly bite him if he proceeded to drink any more and should discern an adder under the table that would surely sting him if he did not flee the room but would refrain drinking though he had a bottle of the best and pleasantest wine that ever was drunk standing before him What the Lord tells us in his holy word is as certainly true as what we see with our bodily eyes and therefore seeing the Lord tells us that such as are enticed by the pleasantness of the look or tast of the wine that is before them to drink to excess shall find their excess in drinking will bite them like a serpent and sting like an adder this should make us refrain immoderate drinking although we should meet with pure and pleasant wine If any say I have been often drunk but never found the wine that I drunk biting me like a serpent and stinging me like an adder if I had I would have broken off this course of drinking long ago A. Though you have not felt any biting or stinging from the sin of drunkenness for the present yet you may find it hereafter and shall assuredly find it without Repentance At the last it bitcth like a Serpent Though for a while this Serpent seems to be asleep yet at the last it will bite more dreadfully than any serpent and it will sting worse than any adder 1. It bites in this life many men with horrors of Conscience and sharp and painfull diseases in their bodies 2. It will sting terribly at the hour of death 1 Cor. 15.56 The sting of death is sin When a drunkard comes to dye then his frequent drunkenness and all mad pranks that he committed when he was drunk will come to his mind and sting his Conscience when he lyes upon his death-bed And the sting that sin puts into death is worse than the sting of an adder or the biting of a serpent 3. At the day of judgment then drunkenness will bite and sting worse then at the day of death then drunkards will be stung with their sin that they will be desirous that the Rocks and Mountains should fall on them and cover them from the wrath of the Lord. Rev. 6.15 16 17. 4. In Hell torments when drunkards shall be cast to the old Serpent the devil then this sin of drunkenness will torment you worse than the biting of any serpent or the stinging of any adder § The plea of common tiplers and of such as are strong to drink wine answered Plea 10. I acknowledge that I go
and others to repent of and forsake this sin of drunkenness If some drunkards be cut of in the act of sin while you are spared you must not think that they were greater sinners than you are but by their example God calls you to Repentance Luk. 13.4 5. Those eighteen upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell and slew them think ye that they were sinners above all that dwell in Jerusalem I tell you nay but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish 5. Your prospering in a sinfull course and being free from trouble of Conscience and also your being free from the judgments of God is a sure token that God intends to destroy you for ever Psal 94.7 When the wicked spring as the grass and all the workers of iniquity do flourish it is that they may be destroyed for ever Some mens sins go before to judgment and some men they follow after 1 Tim. 5.24 The less you meet with here for your sins the more you have to come in the other World 6. If you be free from God's judgments on your outward man yet it may be he sends his plagues upon your heart Exod. 9.14 I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart If the Lord give a man up to his own hearts lusts or to an hard and impenitent heart this is a worse judgment than afflictions on the Body or Estate § The plea of such as fear reproaches if they should not drink to excess as others do answered Plea 13. I would leave off this sin of drunkenness were it not that I feared reproach and scorn my companions with whom I have used to frequent Taverns and Ale-houses will call me a precise fool and say I am turned Puritan if I should not do as they do and besides my occasions do oft times lead me into the company of Gentlemen that are great drinkers and if I should scruple drinking in their company they would reproach and scorn me now I stand much upon my honour and to avoid reproaches I am drawn to that which I am convinced is a great evil but I can't avoid it unless I should make my self a derision and scorn among my acquaintance A. 1. If you stand upon your honour then whatever scoffs are put upon you hold fast your Sobriety be not by any means drawn to excessive drinking for drunkenness is a great reproach to any man be he a great or a mean man Prov. 14.34 Sin is a reproach to any people To be reproached for our temperance or any other branch of Righteousness is a real honour 1 Pet 4.14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you Then we are reproached for the name of Christ when we are reproached for our obedience to any of the Commandments of Christ of which this is one Take heed to your own selves least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfitting and drunkenness Luk. 21.34 And therefore if any man reproach you because you will not overcharge your selves with drunkenness this is your happiness this is your glory for the Spirit of glory rests upon those that are reproached for the name of Christ 2. None but fools will mock at you for refusing to drink to excess Prov. 14.9 Fools make a mock at sin And who will regard what fools say As for all good men if you live in the fear of God they will honour you It is mentioned as a Character of a good man He honoureth them that fear the Lord. Psal 15.4 Yea if you abstain from drunkenness out of Conscience to the command of Christ the Lord himself will honour you Joh. 12.26 If any man serve me him will my Father honour 3. If you are ashamed to keep your sobrietp because of the scoffs and jears of sottish men the Lord Jesus Christ will disown you and be ashamed of you before the Holy Angels and before his Heavenly Father Mark 8.33 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this sinfull and adulterous Generation of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his father with the Holy Angels 4. If you will not turn from your sottish courses at the call and command of God the Lord himself will laugh at you and mock you in the day of your calamity Prov. 1.23 24 26. Turn ye at my reproof Because I have called and ye refused I also will laugh at your calamity and mock when your fear cometh And that is very dreadfull to have God instead of helping us in our distress mock and laugh at us in our calamity Yea the Devils also who tempted you to sin will laugh at you in Hell for your folly in parting with Heaven for such a poor matter as a pot of drink 5. You have slighty thoughts of sin and low thoughts of your immortal souls and of the joys of Heaven and the torments of Hell if you will commit such an horrible sin as drunkenness and cast away your immortal souls and deprive your selves of the joys of Heaven rather than bear the scoffs and jears of foolish and sottish men § The plea of rich men whereby they would excuse their drunkenness answered Plea 14. If I were a poor labouring man and should lye at the Ale-house and spend what I earned and my Family be in want I should be greatly to be blamed but I am a rich man and have a great Estate I can spend freely at Taverns and Ale-houses and not feel any want of what I spend there and therefore I hope I may be excused A. 1. It is indeed a very great crime for labouring men or any others to wast their Estates at Ale-houses whereby their Families are brought to want for such are worse than infidels 1 Tim. 5.8 If any provide not for his own and especially for those of his own house he hath denyed the Faith and is worse than an Infidel 2. The rich drunkard shall find no more favour with God than the poor man yea than the begger For the Lord is no respecter of persons but will render to every man according to his works Riches avail nothing to keep off the wrath of God Prov. 11.4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath Job 36.19 Will he esteem thy riches No not Gold nor all the forces of strength Yea it will go worse with rich drunkards at the day of judgment than with poor men that have been addicted to this sin For they sin against greater mercy and abuse greater Talents than poor men What is said of the rust and canker which is on the Gold and Silver of rich men that are covetous and hoard up their Riches and do no good with them Jam. 5.3 Your Gold and your Silver is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witness against you and shall eat your flesh as it were fire ye have heaped treasure together
the Lord should find him idle had not such as spend away much precious time at ale-houses need desist from this course for fear that the Lord when he cometh should find them idle § The plea of such as go to Taverns is drive away their sorrows and cares answered Plea 16. I go to Taverns only at such times as I meet with crosses and am burdned with cares and oppressed with grief and sorrow and when I am there I drink freely to ease my heart of my grief and cares and I hope there is no great hurt in this though I now and then take a little more than is meet A. 1. It is true that wine and strong drink moderately taken are usefull for such as are of a sorrowfull spirit for they are of a cheering nature Psal 104.15 Wine that maketh glad the heart of man and are to be given chiefly to such as are of a sorrowfull spirit Prov. 31.6 7. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto those that be of an heavy heart Let him drink and forget his poverty and remember his sorrow no more But this doth not give a liberty to any person to drink wine or strong drink to excess And if you make use of time to chear your hearts why not at your own houses rather than alehouses 2. Wine and strong drink taken immoderately instead of driving away sorrows bring much wo and sorrow Prov. 23.29 30. Who hath wo Who hath sorrow They that tarry long at the wine Drunkenness is wickedness and wickedness bringeth a multitude of sorrows along with it Psal 32.10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked And instead of easing a man of his burden and trouble it encreaseth his burdens and troubles For excess of wine burdens the soul with the guilt of sin It leaves a load upon the Conscience And the burden that ariseth from the guilt of sin is far greater than the burden of cares Psal 38. 4. Mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me 3. Wine and strong drink taken immoderately instead of making men merry do make them mad They swear and curse and rage and carry themselves like mad men Prov. 20.1 Strong drink is raging What Festus said to Paul Act. 26.24 Paul thou art beside thy self much learning hath made thee mad The like may be said to such a man as is overcome with wine and strong drink Thou art beside thy self much drinking hath made thee mad 4. The right way to get ease and comfort under our sorrows and cares is not to go to Taverns and Ale-houses to drown our cares and drive away our sorrows with wine and strong drink and merry company which will prove bitterness in the latter end and encrease our sorrows and burdens but the right and ready way to get ease and comfort when we are oppressed with sorrow and burdened with cares is 1. To betake our selves to Prayer Joh. 16.20 24. Ye shall weep and lament ye shall be sorrowfull but your sorrow shall be turned into joy Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full See here the way for such as weep and lament and are full of sorrow to have their sorrow turned into joy and that is to betake our selves unto Prayer for hereby we shall be filled with joy Hannah who was in great bitterness of spirit before she went to Prayer got so much comfort by Prayer that she went away and was no more sad 1 Sam. 1.13 She was in bitterness of soul and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore And the woman went away and did eat and her countenance was no more sad 2. The way to get ease under our burdens and sorrows is to cast our burdens and cares upon God for if we do so he will put under his everlasting arms and bear up our spirits Psal 55.22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustein thee § The plea of Young Drunkards answered Plea 17. I am a young man and young men must have their pastimes and recreations and this is that which pleaseth me above other delights to keep jovial company and to be merry with my companions at a Tavern and I hope this is allowable in a young man and if it be not I have time enough before me I will repent when I am old and then God will be gracious unto me A. 1. Drunkenness is an abominable sin in any men either young or old and therefore not to be allowed not to be pleaded for in any Psal 5.5 Thou hatest all workers of iniquity This will not exempt a man from the hatred of God that he is a young man if he be a worker of iniquity For all the Generation of evil doers are hatefull to God the young as well as the old It is an aggravation of sin to be an old sinner Isa 65.20 The sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed Yet this will not excuse a man from drunkenness or any other sin to say I am a young man I hope it is no great offence for me now and then to be overcome with wine or strong drink 2. Vain and lose young men that give themselves to their pleasures and will not be reclaimed by the advice and counsel of Parents Friends Relations or God's Ministers they may if they think good take their own course and do whatever their own hearts prompt them to and is pleasing to their corrupt natures but yet let them know that the Lord will call them to judgment for all their idle courses and sinfull pleasures and mispent time Eccl. 11.9 Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God will call thee to judgment 3. It is very evil and dangerous for young men to allow themselves in drunkenness or other evil practises with a purpose to repent and to become new men when they are old in hope that God will be mercifull to them whensoever they repent of their sins And that on several accounts as 1. Our young time is our choicest time and our choicest is to be given to God and not to be spent in the service of sin Eccl. 12.1 Remember now thy creatour in the days of thy youth while the evil days come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them The days of old age are evil days years wherein we have no pleasure and shall we spend our good days our comfortable days in the service of sin and spend our evil days only and the years wherein we have pleasure in the service of God 2. It is dangerous to spend your young time in riotous courses or other sins and think to repent when you are old because you do not know whether you shall live to be old God cuts
off some persons that are addicted to company keeping when they do but begin to follow after vain persons and to eat and drink with the drunken Mat. 24.48.49 50 51. If that evil servant shall begin to smite his sellow-servants and to eat and drink with the drunken the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of and shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 3. If you should live till you are old if you spend your young time in sin who can tell whether God will give you Repentance in your old age It is a rare thing to see a sinner converted in his old age It is as hard for one that hath been accustomed to do evil to do good as it is for a Blackamore to become white or a Leopard to change his spots Jer. 13.23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil 4. If the Lord should give you Repentance the sins of youth will lye heavy upon you in your old age and will cause much bitterness in your soul Job 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth § The plea of such drunkards as make a profession of Religion answered Plea 18. If I were a prophane drunkard that would curse and swear I should look upon my self as in a very sad condition but though I am now and then overcome with drink I am a Religious person I hear and write Sermons I pray in my Family I will lay down my life for Christ I will rather burn than turn from the true Religion And therefore I hope God will not take any notice of my sin though I do sometimes drink to excess A. 1. To be a drunkard and yet to be a Religious person are inconsistent each with other as inconsistent as light and darkness as Heaven and Hell The grace of God teacheth a man to live soberly Tit. 2.11 12. The grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us the denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live righteously soberly and godly in this present World And therefore such as live intemperately and have not learned sobriety are destitute of the grace of God That man that maketh profession of Religion and yet is a drunkard his Religion is a vain Religion 2. Our making a profession of Religion and performing Holy duties will be so far from causing God to take no notice of our sins that he will visit us sooner and punish us more severely than other men if we live in drunkenness or such like sins Amos 3.2 You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities Such of the Jews as made a profession of Religion and yet lived sinfull lives the Lord tells them he would punish them for their iniquities even for all of them 3. The prayers and other Religious services of drunkards are an abomination to God Prov 15.8 The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. Sacrifice was part of God's worship under the Law and when offered up in a right manner was very acceptable to God yet when performed by a wicked man it was an abomination to the Lord. The services of impenitent sinners are a burden and a weariness to the Lord. Isa 1.13 14. Incense is an abomination to me the new Moons and Sabbaths and calling of Assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquity even the solemn meeting your new moons and your appointed feasts my Soul hateth they are a trouble to me I am weary to bear them Incense did cast forth a sweet and delightful smell yet when offered by impenitent sinner it was an abomination to the Lord If impenitent sinners should have such gifts in prayer as that their prayers should be pleasing and delightfull to those that joyn with them yet their prayers are an abomination to the Lord. 4. Such as make a profession of Religion and yet live in drunkenness are worse and in a more woful condition than ignorant and prophane drunkards Isa 28.1 Wo to the drunkards of Ephraim Ephraim was a Tribe of Israel and a drunken Israelite is in a more wofull condition than a drunken Egyptian or a drunken Philistine The sins of such as make a profession of Religion do bring more dishonour to God and scandal to Religion then the sins of other men Rom. 2.17 23 24. Behold thou art called a Jew and restest in the Law and makest thy boast of God Thou that makest thy boast of the Law through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God For the name of God is blasphemed through you among the Gentiles 5. They deceive their own hearts that think they could lay down their lives for Christ who will not who cannot lay down a swinish and sottish lust for Christ which is prejudicial both to their Bodies and Souls § The plea of such as drink to excess to avoid envy and hatred of their neighbours and for fear of having ill offices done them answered Plea 19. I live in a drunken sottish place where my neighbours are generally given to drinking and if I should not do as my neighbours do I shall be envied and hated and they will put troublesome offices upon me or raise me in the rates or do me some ill turn and therefore though I approve not of drinking and tipling yet I am necessitated to do as they do else I should not live a quiet life amongst them I do this only to avoid trouble and therefore I hope I may be excused A. 1. If you will not live soberly and temperately and righteously in this present evil world for fear of hatred and envy and trouble then it is not possible that you should be a true Christian and lead a holy and righteous life or do any good works for no man can be a Christian indeed but wicked men will hate him Luk. 21.19 Ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake No man can lead a Godly Life but he shall meet with trouble 2 Tim 3.12 Yea and all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution No man can do any good work but some or other will envy him Eccl. 4.4 I considered all navel and every right work that for this a man is envied of his neighbour 2. If you live righteously and soberly God will love you Psal 146.8 The Lord loveth the righteous But if you be a worker of iniquity the Lord will hate you Psal 5.5 Thou hatest all workers of iniquity And if the Lord love you you need not be troubled though all your neighbours and all the men in the World hate you And if the Lord hate you it is not the love of your neighbours will comfort you
under the hatred of God 3. If you be hated of your Neighbours and have ill Offices done you because you will not break the Commandments of God as other men do this is matter of joy rather than of sorrow such hatred makes you happy rather than miserable Luk. 6.22 23. Blessed are ye when men shall hate you and when they shall separate you from their company and shall reproach you and cast out your name as evil for the Son of Mans sake Rejoyce ye in that day and leap for joy for behold great is your reward in Heaven 4. It is far better being troubled and hated and envyed of men raised in your rates and to have all the ill Offices done that you can think of than to have troubles in your own Consciences and be shut out of Heaven and be tormented in Hell for ever which will be the certain effect and consequence of drunkenness What petty inconsiderable things are being envied of neighbours raised in your rates and the like to the loss of the Kingdom of Heaven and the suffering of the torments of Hell 5. If you cannot withstand the temptation of drunkenness by reason of your living among sottish neighbours remove your habitation and choose a dwelling among more sober and pious persons whose Godly example may excite and encourage you to lead a Godly Life § The plea of such as will not believe that God will shut them out of Heaven for such a small sin as drunkenness answered Plea 20. If I thought God would shut me out of Heaven for excessive drinking I would forthwith leave off my going to Ale-houses and Taverns and would never be drunk any more for I am not such a fool as to cast away my immortal Soul and deprive my self of the glory and joys of Heaven for ever for so small a matter as wine or strong drink but it can't enter into my heart to believe that God will shut men out of Heaven and cast them into Hell for such a small sin as drunkenness for such a small matter as drinking a little too much wine or strong drink and therefore I will take my liberty to eat and drink and be merry and hope to go to Heaven as well as the most precise and abstemious persons in the World A. 1. Dost thou call drunkenness a small sin It is a great abominable a monstrous most loathsome and beastly sin It is a sin against the light of nature and a sin against the light of Scripture It makes a man like a beast yea worse than a beast for there are many beasts will not drink more than satisfieth nature It makes a man like a devil some men when they are in their cups will rage and swear and curse at that dreadfull rate that they seem rather to be incarnate devils than men Yea some drunka ds are worse than devils for the devils are afraid of being tormented and pray that they may not be tormented before their time Mat. 8.29 Art thou come hither to torment us before the time Luk. 8.28 What have I to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God most high I beseech thee torment me not But many drunkards do frequently in their cups call out to God to damn them as if they longed to be in Hell and dared the most high God to damn them And shall any man then be so far deluded as to think or say that drunkenness is but a small sin 2. The Lord foresaw that many drunkards would flatter themselves with vain hopes of Salvation and therefore he hath given a caution to drunkards that they would not deceive themselves with vain and groundless hopes of enjoying the Kingdom of Heaven For he hath plainly declared that no drunkards shall enter into his Kingdom 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived Nor drunkards shall inherit the Kingdom of God Gal. 5.19 21. Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication Drunkenness Revellings and such like of the which I tell you before as I have also told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God By these and such like Scriptures it is plain and evident that drunkards shall not inherit the Kingdom of God and that drunkenness is a sin that will certainly shut a man out of Heaven And therefore whether you believe it or believe it not it is most sure that if you do not repent of and forsake this sin of drunkenness you shall not you cannot be saved 3. The Lord is a very merciful and gracious God and his tender mercies are over all his works but yet he will not shew mercy to any contrary to his Word He is faithfull and true as well as merciful Psal 25.10 All the paths of the Lord are Mercy and Truth Psal 85.10 Mercy and Truth are met together It was never known that the Lord did shew mercy to any in a way contrary to his truth or that mercy and truth crossed each other If the Lord should save drunkards he should not be true to his word for he hath said in his Holy Word that drunkards shall not inherit his Kingdom And therefore it is vanity and folly to hope for Salvation contrary to the word of God which is in effect to hope that God will break his word that he may save our souls 4. Such drunkards as will not believe that God will shut men out of Heaven for the sin of drunkenness do add unbelief to their drunkenness and do thereby go about to make God a lyar 1 Joh. 5.10 He that believeth not hath made God a lyar 5. It is an horrible provocation for drunkards or other sinners when they hear or read of God's judgments that he will shut them out of Heaven and cast them into Hell c. To bless themselves and think that they shall have peace and that God will be merciful to them and spare them though they go on in their sins Hear how dreadfully God threatens such persons Deut. 29.18 19 20 21. Least there should be among you man or woman or family or tribe And it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my heart to add drunkenness to thirst The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the curses that are written in this book shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven and the Lord shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel according to all the curses of the Covenant that are written in this book of the Law Here are several judgments denounced against all such persons whether men or women of what Family or Nation soever they be that bless themselves in
their sinfull courses and say in their hearts they shall have peace though they go on to add sin to sin 1. The Lord will not spare him No excuses no pleas no entreaties no tears shall prevail with God to spare such a man The Lord will not spare him that is the Lord will shew him no mercy he will not spare him from destruction here Jer. 13.14 I will not spare but destroy them Nor spare him from eternal torments in the other world Not sparing implyes a casting down to Hell 2 Pet. 2.4 God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to Hell 2. The anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man If the Lord's anger be kindled but a little they are happy that are secured from it Psal 2.12 And therefore that man is in a wofull condition against whom God's anger and his jealousie waxeth hot and sinoaketh The jealousies of a man is dreadsull Prov. 6.34 35. But the jealousie of God is far more dreadfull that burns like fire Psal 79.5 Shall thy jealousie burn like fire 3. All the curses that are written in this book shall lye upon him The curses written in this book that is the curses of God denounced in the Scripture and they are more dreadfull than the curses of any men they shall not only come and fall but they shall lye upon that man that adds drunkenness to thirst and that not only some but all of them To have any one of the curses of God come upon a man is dreadfull but to have them all not only to fall but to lye upon a man is unspeakable misery 4. And the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven That is the Lord shall give him no part no portion in the Kingdom of Heaven and the Lord shall root out his posterity and leave him no name of Son or Daughter and shall cause his name the memory and remembrance of him to perish 5. The Lord shall separate unto evil out of all the Tribes of Israel according to all the curses that are written in the book of this Law As much as to say God will separate such a man from the rest of mankind to make him an object of his wrath and a monument of his displeasure to pour out all his wrath upon him and to bring upon him all the plagues and all the curses threatned in his word against impenitent sinners Let such drunkards and other impenitent sinners as go on still in their sins and yet hope for Salvation when they dye consider and lay to heart what dreadfull judgments are here denounced against such as add drunkenness to thirst and yet bless themselves in their hearts and say they shall have peace § The plea of such as have a secret hope God will spare them either because of some excellency or because Christ dyed for sinners or because they confess their sin Plea 21. I do verily believe that some yea many drunkards shall be shut out of Heaven but I have a secret hope that God will spare me because of those excellencies he hath put upon me and because Christ dyed to save sinners and when ever I am drunk as soon as I am come to my self I confess my sin and make vows and promises to leave my sin A. 1. It is folly and self-flattery makes thee think God should spare thee for that sin for which God will condemn others For God is no respecter of persons but will execute vengeance upon every impenitent sinner of what Nation rank or condition soever they be upon the rich as well as the poor the honourable as well as the base the great as well as the mean man Act 10.34 Of a truth I perceive God is no respecter of persons Rom. 2.6 9 Who will render to every man according to his deeds Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil of the Jew first and also of the Centile 2. Let such as fancy that God will spare them and not cast them to hell for their drunkenness and their other sins because of some excellency they have above others as because they are great men or Learned men honourable men or the like consider that God did not spare the Angels when they sinned but cast them into Hell 2. Pet. 2.4 God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to Hell Yet the Angels are wiser than the greatest Scholars and most Learned Men in the World and more glorious Creatures than the greatest Gentlemen Knights Noblemen yea more glorious than Kings and Princes And if God did not spare the Angels when they sinned against him but cast them down to Hell why shouldest thou think that he will spare thee and not cast thee to Hell for thy drunkenness because thou art a Learned or an Honourable man seeing all thine Excellencies whatever are inferiour to the Excellency of Angels Obj. But Christ died to save Sinners but he did not dye to save Angels and therefore I hope God will save me though I go on still in my Sins A 1. Jesus Christ who came into the World to save sinners came also to call sinners to Repentance Luk. 5.32 I came not to call the Righteous but sinners to Repentance He came not to save Sinners in their sins I mean to let Sinners live as they list and yet to save their Souls but he came to save sinners from their sins Matth. 1.21 Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins 2. Jesus Christ who came to save Sinners tells us expresly that he will not save one sinner without Rrepentance but that all who do not repent shall perish and that he will shut out of Heaven at the day of Judgment all workers of Iniquity Luk. 13.3.5 I tell you nay but except you repent ye shall all likewise perish I tell you nay but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish He speaks the same words twice that they may sink the deeper into our hearts See also Luk. 13.27 Depart from me all ye workers of Iniquity Obj. I do believe may some say such as do not repent of their sins shall not be saved by the death of Christ but I repent of my Drunkenness when I have been overcome with Wine or strong Drink one day the next day when I am sober I am grieved for my sin and I confess my sin to God and make vows that I will not be drunk any more and therefore I hope God will spare and pardon me though he condemn other Drunkards A. 1. If you so repent of are grieved for and confess your sin as to forsake your Drunkenness you shall find mercy with God and he will pardon your sin though you have been a very vile and wicked person and have committed abundance of sin Isa 55.7 Let thē wicked for sake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will
have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon 2. If you only confess your sin but soon commit it again and make vows and promises of Reformation but break them as oft as you make them this is not true Repentance this is but dissembling with God and a kind of mocking God when you confess your sin and yet are not resolved to leave your sin and to make vows and Promises when you do not mean to perform them The promise of pardon is to such as confess and forsake their sins not to such as confess and commit them again Prov. 28.13 Whoso confesseth and forsaketh shall find mercy VVhen men make Vows and Promises to God to reform their lives and their Hearts are not real neither are they stedfast to what they promise God accounts all our vows and promises but flattery and telling him so many lies Ps 78.34 35 36 37. When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God And they remembred that God was the 〈◊〉 rock and the high God their Redeemer Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth and they lyed unto him with their tongue For their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his covenant § Noah and Lot's Drunkenness will not excuse Drunkards Plea 22. Noah and Lot were good men and there is no doubt but they are gone to Heaven yet they were both drunk with VVine and that in as fearful and shameful manner as ever we were Noah was so drunk that he lay uncovered within his Tent and one of his Sons saw his Nakedness Lot was so overcome with some that he knew not what he did but committed Incest with both his Daughters and why may not we be good men and go to Heaven as well as Lot and Noah though we be now and then overcome with Drink A. 1. Though Noah was once overtaken with Drunkenness and Lot was surprized twice yet they were no Drunkards A Drunkard is one that is addicted and given to the sin of drunkenness one that is frequently overcome with VVine and strong drink A good man may be overtaken with a fault and may fall into sin but they are wicked men that lie and continue in their sins A Sheep may fall into the Mire but they are Swine that love to wallow in the mire 2. Noah and Lot repented of their drunkenness and so obtained Mercy but impenitent Sinners such as instead of repenting go on still in their trespasses instead of Mercy shall receive vengeance from God Psal 68.21 But God shall wound the head of his Enemies and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses 3. The falls of the Saints the sins of Lot and Noah and other Servants of God are recorded into Scripture not to justifie or encourage any man in his sins but as warnings to all that think they stand to take heed lest they fall 1 Cor. 10.12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall The Apostle had spoke in the foregoing verses of the murmurings and several other sins of the Israelites and of God's judgments against them for their sins and tells us that these things are recorded that such as think they stand should take heed lest they fall And therefore they that make this use of the fall of the Saints to encourage themselves in their sinful practices wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction 4. Lot's sin was punished in his posterity for the Children which he begat of his Daughters in his drunkenness namely Moab and Ammon brought forth a cursed Generation of Men that proved great Enemies to the Church of God For Moab who was Lot's eldest Daughters Son was the Father of the Moabites And Ben-ammi that was the Son of the younger Daughter was the Father of the Ammonites Gen. 9.37 38. And the Lord had such an indignation against the Moabites and Ammonites that he made a special Law against them above other Nations to exclude them from coming into the Congregation of the Lord. Deut. 23.3 An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord even to their tenth Generation they shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord for ever § The Plea of such as say Drunkenness is their infirmitie Plea 23. There is no man perfect in this VVorld but all men have their infirmities and failings one in one kind and another in another kind and this is my infirmitie that I love a Cup of good drink too well and when I am amongst my Companions I can't for my heart forbear drinking over much and I hope that seeing this is mine infirmity God will be gracious unto me and not shut me out of Heaven for a sin of infirmity A. 1. It is true all men have their infirmities and failings whilst they are in this World Eccl. 7.20 For there is not a just man upon Earth that doth good and sinneth not The holiest men in the world have acknowledged themselves to be imperfect There was not a holier man on Earth than Job if perfection be taken for integrity and uprightness in that sence he was a perfect man Job 1.10 Yet Job was conscious to himself of his infirmities and durst not stand upon his own justification in the sight of God and say that he was perfect Job 9.20 If I justifie my self my own Mouth shall condemn me if I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse The Apostle Paul acknowledgeth himself imperfect Phil. 3.12 Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect But although the Servants of God have their infirmities they do not live in such beastly sins as Drunkenness What Moses saith of the degenerate Jews Deut. 32.5 may be applyed to Drunkards They have corrupted themselves their spot is not the spot of his Children they are a perverse and a crooked generation They flatter and delude themselves who live in such vicious courses as drunkenness and call their sins their infirmities 2. Such as are frequently overcome with wine and strong drink their drunkenness is not a sin of infirmity but a wilful and presumptuous sin as will appear in these respects 1. A man that sins through infirmitie is willing and desirous to be freed from his sins Matth. 26.40 41. What could ye not watch with me one hour The Spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak The sleepiness of the Disciples was their infirmity their Spirits were willing to have watched but their flesh was weak And such a man as sinneth through infirmity useth means to be freed of his sins Psal 77.10 And I said This iâ—â—â—y infirmitie but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high The Psalmist having through infirmity called in question the love and mercy of God calleth to mind his former experiences of God's gracious dealings with his soul he used means to get out of that sin
drunkenness and company-keeping If you have any regard to the honour of God if you have any love to Jesus Christ if you have any respect to the Blessed Spirit of God if you have any respect to your own welfare either in this or the World to come if you have any love to your Families or to the Nation in which you live break off this beastly this sottish this bewitching this abominable this damnable sin of drunkenness To press on this Exhortation the more effectually consider 1. If you will turn from this loathsome sin of drunkenness there will be exceeding great joy both in Heaven and Earth at your Conversion Your Parents and Godly Relations that have prayed for you and wept for your disorderly courses they will rejoyce at your Conversion Prov. 10.1 A wise Son maketh a glad Father The Ministers of God will rejoyce exceedingly at your Conversion for they have no greater joy in this World than to see the fruit of their labours in the Conversion Holy Conversation and Salvation of those to whom they preach Joh. 3d. Epist 3.4 I rejoyced greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee even as thou walkest in the truth I haveno greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth The Apostle Paul had such joy in the Conversion of the Thessalonians that he was not able to express his joy and his thankfulness to God for their Conversion 1 Thes 3.9 What thanks can we render to God again for you for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God And the Saints and Servants of God will joy to hear of your Conversion Act. 15.3 Declaring the Conversion of the Gentiles they caused great joy unto all the brethren Yea more if you repent of your sins and turn from drunkenness you will cause joy among all the Angels of Heaven Luk. 15.7 10. 2. If you neglect or refuse to break off this sin of drunkenness you will be grief to God and Men and bring grief and sorrow to your own Soul You will grieve God that made you and maintains you that God in whom you live and move and have your being Gen. 6.5 6. God saw that the wickedness of man was great on the Earth And it grieved him at his heart And by your hardness of heart and persisting still in your sins you will grieve Jesus Christ who shed his blood to save lost man Mark 3.5 Being grieved for the hardness of their hearts Your going on in this sin in a rebellious manner will grieve the Holy Spirit of God Isa 63.10 They rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit You will be a grief to your Parents Prov. 19.13 A foolish son is the calamity of his Father Prov. 17.25 A foolish son is a grief to his Father and bitterness to her that bare him You will be a great grief to God's Ministers and to all Godly People Psal 119.136 158. Rivers of tears run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law I bebeld the Transgressors and was grieved because they kept not thy Word And you will bring great sorrows to your own Soul Prov. 23.29 30. Who hath sorrow They that tarry long at the wine See also Prov. 5.11 12 13 14. And will you grieve God and grieve your Parents and grieve God's Ministers and all God's Servants and pierce your own Soul through with many sorrows rather than leave off this grievous sin of drunkenness What shall I say more to perswade you to leave off this vile sin of drunkenness If teares would prevail with you I would say with the Prophet Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a Fountain of tears that I might weep day and night before you till I had prevailed with you to leave this abominable this Soul destroying sin of drunkenness If the mercies of God would make any impression upon your hearts I would beseech you by all the mercies of God that ever you received or hope to receive either in this World or in the World to come to break off this beastly sin If God's promises would do any thing to lead you to Repentance I might tell you what great things God hath promised to do for you if you will leave of this and your other sins He will give you a free full and eternal pardon of all your Transgressions he will give you his Heavenly Kingdom where you shall have unspeakable glory fullness of joy and Rivers of pleasure for evermore he will withhold no good thing from you If you have any fear of God's judgments I might tell you of the VVorm that dyeth not of the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone of blackness of darkness of being sent from Christ's Judgment Seat with a curse into Everlasting Fire to have your abode with the Devil and his Angels all which things and more than the tongue of man can express will be your portion if you break not off this damnable sin of drunkenness If any words or arguments will prevail with you I could wish I had the tongue of Men and Angels to speak to you in the most perswasive manner to leave off this Soul destroying sin § The convinced sinner's case considered that is almost perswaded to leave off this sin It may be some will say my heart begins to relent methinks I am almost perswaded to leave off my drunkenness and to become a new man I am of the mind to bind my self with a vow and to make a solemn promise never to be drunk any more what counsel would you give to one in my condition A. 1. Do not only almost but altogether resolve to leave off this sin else you will be but almost saved If you be double minded sometimes of the mind to leave your sins and sometimes of the mind to keep them still you will be unstable in all your wayes Jam. 1.8 2. Do not only resolve and promise and vow to forsake this sin but perform your vows and promises As that man's Son dealt with his Father whom his Father bid go and work in his Vineyard he said I go Sir but he went not Matth. 21.30 So many men deal with God they make promises to God to leave their sins but they perform them not Now it is better not to make any vows or promises of Reformation than after we have made them not to perform them Eccl. 5.5 Better it is that thou shouldst not vow than that thou shouldst vow and not pay 3. Take heed of leaving this sin for a time and then returning to it again as the dog doth to his vomit and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire for the latter end of such persons is worse than the beginning 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. 4. Turn from all your other sins as well as drunkenness if you would find favour with God and obtain the remission of your sins It is not sufficient to cast away some of our sins but if
we would escape Eternal Death we must cast them all away and not allow our selves in any known sin Ezek. 18.31 Cast away from you all your Transgressions whereby ye have transgressed and make you a new heart and a new Spirit for why will ye dye O house of Israel § The lingring sinner's plea answered I am convinced I must leave off my drunken courses or else there is no Salvation for me and I am purposed to do so but I am desirous to have a few merry bouts more at drinking and then I will become a new man A. 1. Sinful lusts are insatiable it is not once or twice gratifying our sinful lusts that will give satisfaction to our corrupt natures but the oftner we fulfil the lusts and desires of the flesh the more strongly our hearts will be carried out after sin It is here as it is with the fire the laying on new fewel makes the fire rage and burn more furiously the adding of new acts of sin makes our lusts to rage and crave the more furiously for farther opportunities of sin Ezek. 16.28 29. As Idolaters and Adulterers are insatiable in their lusts so are drunkards and other sinners also The sluggard the longer he lyeth in his bed the lother he is to rise Prov. 6.9 10. So it is with the drunkard the longer he lyeth in his drunkenness the more unwilling he will be to leave it 2. The time past is sufficient and too much which you have already spent in sin 2 Pet. 4.3 and therefore you should not wast any more precious time in such sottish courses 3. Thy own heart and the Devil deceive thee in suggesting such thoughts as these I will have but a merry bout or two more in drinking and then I will leave this course For it is likely thou hast thought and resolved so many times heretofore and yet nothing is done When a Sermon hath come home to thy Conscience or when thou hast been near unto death or hast met with some startling providence hast thou not thought with thy self I will leave of my drunkenness and what set a time for thy Repentance and yet thou art fallen to it a fresh again Sin is of a deceitful hardning nature if it can but prevail with us to defer our Repentance it will harden our hearts Heb. 3.13 4. VVho can tell but the next merry bout which thou hast with thy companions thou may'st be taken out of the VVorld VVhile Job's children were eating and drinking wine in their Eldest Brother's house they were all slain by a great wind that blew down the house Job 1.18 19. VVhy may not sudden death come upon thee when thou art drinking wine and making merry as well as on Job's children They were the children of a Godly man their mirth was innocent mirth yet were they cut off while they were drinking wine And why may it not be so with thee also The Rich man that said to his Soul eat drink be merry had his soul taken from him that very night Luk. 12.19 20. § The presumptuous sinner's Plea answered who goes on in his sin presuming that at what time soever he repents God will be merciful to him and presuming that he may live long If any say God is a merciful and gracious God and at what time soever a sinner repents of his sins God will pardon him and therefore I will repent of my evil wayes but not yet I will enjoy my sinful delights a while longer and then I will repent and I doubt not but God will be merciful to me and that I shall go to Heaven as well as other men A. 1. It is an horrible abuse of God's mercy to take occasion from God's mercy to continue in sin Gods goodness should lead us to Repentance and therefore they that presume upon God's mercy to continue and go on in their sins are guilty of despising the riches of God's grace Rom. 2.4 2. It is true that God hath promised to forgive penitent sinners at what time soever they repent truly of their sins but he hath not promised to give Repentance to such as refuse to turn at his call and go on in their sins presuming that God will be gracious to them True Repentance is never too late but late Repentance is seldom true 3. Though you be young and strong and like to live many years yet it is dangerous to defer your Repentance on many accounts as 1. Life is uncertain some die in their full strength and the height of their prosperity when they are at greatest ease they go down in a moment into the grave Job 21.13 23. Such as promise themselves many years in this VVorld may not have one days continuance Luk. 12.19 20. And if sudden Death take you away before you have repented of your sin you are lost for ever 2. If your life should be continued God may take away the use of your understanding and give you up to distraction and persons under distraction are not apprehensive what need they have of Repentance 3. If you should enjoy Life and have the use of your understanding yet who can tell whither God will give you repentance for your sin it may be he will give you up to your hearts lusts instead of giving you repentance and because you refused to repent in the day that he offer'd you mercy possibly he may swear in his VVrath that you shall never enter into his rest as he did to the Jews Heb. 3.7 8 11. 4. If you should repent it may be it will be as Judas did repent he grew desperate and hanged himself he was so burdned and troubled in his Conscience for his sin that he could not bear his burden but went away and hung himself Matth. 27.3 5. Judas repented himself saying I have sinned and went and hanged himself 4. Let such as put off their repentance because they are young and strong and like to live many years or on any other account consider this that if they do not repent now it is most likely they will not repent nor leave off their sins as long as they live For 1. The longer you live in sin the less able you will be to repent for continuance in sin strengthens sin and weakens the Soul Jer. 13.23 Custom in sin doth give sin such rooting in the heart that it will be as hard a matter for such as have got a custom of sinning to leave their sins as it will be for a Blackamore to change his skin or the Leopard his Spots 2. The longer any man lives in his sins the less willing he will be to repent for his inclinations to sin will be strong and his aversness to holiness greater and his heart will be more hardned in sin Heb. 3.12 3. The longer a man continueth to provoke God the less hope there is of his assistance and giving us his grace and the more ground for fear that he should say his Spirit shall no more strive with
with thy hands Thou art as sure to go into Hell-fire as if thou wert there already Thou art as sure to be shut out of Heaven and cast into Hell as if thou heardest a voice from Heaven telling thee thou art a damned creature As the Apostle said to the Galathians Gal. 3.1 O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth Crucified among you In like manner may I speak to drunkards Oh foolish drunkards who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the Commandment of God who commands you to leave off your drunkenness when as it is evidently set forth in the Scriptures that no drunkards shall inherit the Kingdom of God Surely drunkards either do not read the Scriptures or if they do read them they do not believe what they read or if they believe the truth of the Scriptures they slip out of their minds and they do not lay them to heart for if they did really believe that their drunkenness would shut them out of Heaven and cast them into Hell they would break of this damnable sin And this may be one reason why Drunkards shall have their portion with Unbelievers Luk. 12.45 46. Because whatever they may profess outwardly they are inwardly and in heart Unbelievers § They that would avoid drunkenness must shun the occasions of this sin 5. They that would get rid of this sin of drunkenness must avoid and shun the occasions of this sin What is said of the wild ass Jer. 2.24 In her occasion who can turn her away may be applyed to the vile and sinful heart of man It is an hard matter to turn the heart away from sin when a man hath a fit convenient and enticing occasion for the commission of sin We must be careful that we do not put an occasion of falling in our Brothers way Rom. 14.13 Judge this rather that no man put a stumbling or an occasion to fall in his brothers way And if we must not put an occasion of falling in our Brothers way then surely we must remove all occasions of falling into sin out of our own way If any say what are the occasions of this sin of drunkenness which you would have us to avoid A. 1. Do not keep Company with drunkards be not amongst them when they have their drinking bouts for the being in their company when they are drinking together may prove a snare to you and occasions your being overtaken with the sin of drunkenness There is so much evil and danger in being among drunkards that sober men that have any regard to the Commandments of God and to their own wellfare should avoid as much as they can coming into their company Prov. 23.20 21. Be not amongst Winebibbers For the Drunkard shall come to poverty Here are two things observable 1. A Command from God not to come amongst VVine-bibbers 2. The reason of this command for a drunkard shall come to poverty As much as to say To be amongst VVinebibbers is the way to become drunkards and by becoming Drunkards Men are brought to poverty As keeping company with angry and furious men we shall learn their ways and become furious like unto them Prov. 22.24 25. Make no Friendship with an angry man and with a furious man thou shalt not go lest thou learn his ways and get a snare to thy Soul So by keeping Company with Drunkards we are in danger to learn their ways and to get a snare to our Souls 2. Avoid going to Ale-houses and Taverns if you would avoid drunkenness For by being in such Places you are under a temptation to sin by excess of wine and strong Drink Solomon adviseth those that would shun the sin of uncleanness not to come near the door of an Harlots house lest being near her door they should be drawn to go into her house and bring dishonour to them by committing that shameful sin of uncleanness Prov. 5.8 9. Remove thy way far from her and come not nigh the door of her house lest thou give thine honour unto others and thy years unto the cruel The like a dvice may I give to such as are inclined to the sin of drunkenness Keep from Taverns and Ale-houses come not near such Places lest you be tempted by Satan and your own hearts to go in and be overcome with VVine and strong drink 3. Avoid laying VVagers or playing at Cards or Dice or any such like Games for VVine or strong Drink for this is an occasion of much evil and very frequently draws persons to drink unto uncess 4. Avoid drinking healths which though it be a common practice amongst many persons yet it is condemned by many soled and judicious persons for a great evil See Voetius Tom. 3. p. 1217. who gives several reasons against this practice If any say I can refuse any health but the King 's and if the King's health be put upon me my loyalty shall be questioned It was a wise Speech of a Lord Chancellour oft noted by Mr. Harris I will pray for the Kings Health and drink for my own This can be no test of loyalty for prohibited by the Kings Proclamation § Temptations to this sin to be watched and resisted 6. If you would not be overcome with wine or strong drink watch and pray against and resist the temptations that you meet with to this Sin It is our blessed Saviour's counsel Watch and Pray that you enter not into temptation Matth. 26.41 And we had need watch and pray that we enter not into temptation because our corrupt natures are easily drawn to sin when we meet with temptations to sin And therefore we had need watch and strive and resist temptations and besides our own endeavours to pray for God's Grace to assist us I will instance in some times of temptation wherein we had need be very watchful that we fall not into this sin 1. When we are at Feasts or in the Houses or in the Company of great persons where there is great plenty of Wine and strong Drink that a man may take his fill of free cost and he is called upon to eat and drink abundantly if a man be not very watchful and careful of himself at such a time he is in danger to fall into excess Prov. 23.1 2. When thou sittest to eat with a Ruler consider diligently what is before thee and put a knife to thy throat if thou be a man given to thy appetite Rulers Tables are furnished with variety of the choicest meats and plenty of all sorts of wine Neh. 5.18 And therefore such as eat with Rulers should consider diligently what is before them that is they should consider and that diligently what snares and temptations are before them and what danger they are in to offend God by excess of eating and drinking when they have such variety and plenty before them of those things that may entice them to excess And besides
A WARNING TO DRUNKARDS Delivered in several SERMONS To a Congregation in COLCHESTER Upon The Occasion of a sad Providence towards a Young Man dying in the Act of Drunkenness By that Reverend Faithful and painful Servant and Minister of Jesus Christ Mr. Owen Stockton lately deceased LONDON Printed by J. R. for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and 3 Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside 1682. To the Worshipful Ralph Crâ—â—eild Esq and Nathaniel Lawrence Esq Aldermen of Colchester and Justices of the Peace for the County of Essex Gentlemen YOV may believe it is no pleasure to me to complain of the Immorality of a degenerate age and the vast conquests which prevailing vice like a potent Tyrant hath of late years made I say not over the Religion but the very reason of Humane Nature and the Dependencies thereof Which as it is not to be mentioned by good men without lamentation so cannot be dissembled or excused without participation Prophane swearing unclean whoredom and beastly Drunkenness with other too manifest are not only abounding but as the Prophet speaketh mighty sins amongst us strengthned as well by the quality as the number of the guilty It is a prodigious mode of estimation for men to value themselves or be valued by others according to the measure of their intemperate excess Etiam viri fortis accipit nomen qui tamen tanto nequior quanto sub poculo invictior They are the mighty who can drink most wine and the men of strength who can mingle strong Drink as if they envyed that Royal Heathen Name and were ambitious of the Honour of his Inscription upon his Tomb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have been able to drink abundantly and to bear it strongly In the pride of which strength some will have the confidence to glory even while a paralytick trembling no weak evidence of their great atchievements in their Bacchanalia hath disabled their hands to serve their mouth and monstrous swellings have mishaped their Bodies into such unweldie burdens that some are tempted to ask Homines hi an utres verius aestimandi Whither they be not rather Barrels than Bodies of men Fallen Nature even in Heathens have retained some principles of restraint from impudence and excess of vice The Spartanes thought it an effectual preservative of their Children from intemperate drinking to present to their view their drunken Vassals for as drunk as a Beggar hath been the Proverb that beholding their loathsome vomit and ridiculous behaviour they might the more abhorr such gratifying of inordinate appetite which debaseth the honour of a man into the shame of a beast And the very Turks after a fit of Drunkenness will lie day and night crying and praying to Mahomet for intercession But the very Remnants of Conscience and shame seem utterly extinct among some Christians of this generation Surely the days of the Apostles were modest when they that were drunk were drunk in the night but now St. Peter's argument is too weak to refel the accusation for these men may be drunk at the third hour of the day And some do so declare their sin as Sodom and hide it not Drinking and Singing Roaring and Revelling Reeling and Staggering in the open Sun as if they would confute St. Paul and demonstrate Rioting and Drunkenness to be no works of Darkness Yea such credit and power hath Debauchery obtained that it lifts up it self above controul and is impatient to be touched and ready to turn again and rent the wisest reprover And who so is resolved to possess his Vessel in sobriety and Honour doth tantum non forfit his reputation and is in danger to be written among the suspected by those whose God is Bacchus whose Temple the Tavern whose Altar the Table whose Priest the Vintner whose Offering Wine and strong Drink and whose Heaven is sensual Who have arrived to that degree of Atheism as to fortifie their Lusts against their Conscience with the vainest flattery and self deluding conceit that their great pretences of loyalty and zeal for King and Church shall sanctifie the grossest violations of the Laws of Morality both sacred and civil Nay vice will scarce acknowledge it self to violate but even claims a right and calls it self by the name of Vertue According to the Moralist's Character of the worst times Habebitur ebrietati honor et plurimum meri cepisse victus erit saith Seneca Offering excess of Wine is become an Instance of Noble and Generous Entertainment and a part of answerable civility to accept it Guests are scarce made welcome if not made Drunk Such an obliging bond is courting courtesie and complement such force in great examples such arguments applyed of Honour and Loyalty Such colour motion and sparkling in the glass to provoke that he must be a Nazarite or a Rechabite that hath the courage to withstand the power of so great temptation He that will be sober is uncivil and it is an high affront deserving no less than a stab to boggle at life and Soul-destroying Healths or to refuse to be drowned for Company Thus doth the pride of debauchery magnifie it self Hectoring virtue out of its due honour and arrogating an unjust Glory to its own shame What the issue of this great evil will be is the fear of the Good viz. least for the Vomit and filth whereof all Tables are full the Land also in just retribution spue out her Inhabitants That so many Judgments by which Heaven hath contended with a sinful Nation should not only prove it incorrigible but leave it declining into worse is no weak indication of a desperate disease He that hath denovnced Wo to the Drunkards is faithful to keep and Almighty to execute his word Whereof he hath in his righteous providence made many sad and woful Instances As in too many other places so particularly in your Colchester He hath not left himself without witness by a very quick and remarkable judgment upon a young Drunkard twice dead dying dead drunk The Report whereof at least came not short of your special notice May I have leave to speak it God sometimes blest your Town with the happy Ministry of his laborious and faithful Servant Mr. Owen Stockton whose due Character is elsewhere read whose Head Heart Tongue and Pen constantly travelled for the Salvation of precious yet perishing Souls At this warning and amazing stroke as formerly at the destroying Pestilence among you which exercised the labour of his Pen to a considerable Vo ume which yet never saw the light His Spirit like St. Paul's was stirred in him to improve the advantage of so severe a Providence by joyning to it the Word of God committed to his trust hoping that the Sword of the Spirit being therewith sharpned might be the more effectual and mighty through God against this fleshly Lust which warreth against the Soul and hath made more havock of the Sons of men than ever Saul did of the Saints of God In which honourable and