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
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
which he fell into through infirmity But this is not the case of drunkards they do not use means to avoid drunkenness they may keep at home and not go to taverns and alehouses and when they are there they may forbear drinking and seeing they do not use means to shun this sin as avoid going to Taverns and avoid such company as draws them to this sin their sin of drunkenness is not an infirmity but a presumptuous sin 2. Then a man sins presumptuously when he knoweth this or the other thing to be a sin and to be expresly against the command of God and yet will go on to commit that sin When God commanded the Israelites that they should not go up against the Amorites and yet they would go contrary to the command of God they are charged with rebellion and presumptuous sinning against God Deut. 1.42 43. And the Lord said unto me say unto them go not up neither fight So I spake unto you and ye would not hear but rebelled against the Commandment of the Lord and went presumptuously up into the Hill The case is the same with drunkards they are rebels against God and presumptuous sinners The Lord saith unto them Be not drunk with wine Eph. 5.18 Take heed unto your selves least at any time your hearts be overcharged with drunkenness Luk. 21.34 But they will not hear but rebell against the command of God and go on presumptuously and will drink wine and strong drink till they are drunk they are so far from taking heed least any time their hearts be overcharged with drunkenness that they are oft times overcharged with this sin When God commanded the Israelites to cast away the Idols of Egypt and they would not hearken to him this is called rebelling against God Ezek 20.7 8. Then said I cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes and defile not your selves with the Idols of Egypt I am the Lord your God But they rebelled against me and would not hearken unto me they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes neither did they forsake the Idols of Egypt The case is the same here God commands every one to leave off the sin of drunkenness but when men will not hearken to the Lord but will be drunk still this is rebellion against God 3. When men plot and contrive how to carry on their sins they do not sin by surprize but with deliberation this is presumptuous sinning against God As it is in killing a man when a man plotteth and designes his death this is a presumptuous sin Exod. 21.14 If a man come presumptuously on his neighbour to slay him with guile So it is with other sins when they are plotted and contrived sins they are presumptuous sins VVhen David plotted and contrived the death of Vriah his killing Vriah was not a sin of infirmity but a presumptuous sin and a despiseing the Commandment of God 2 Sam 11.14 15. David wrote a Letter to Joab saying set ye Vriah in the forefront of the hottest battel and retire ye from him that he may be smitten and dye Compared with 2 Sam. 12.9 Wherefore hast thou despised the Commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight thou hast killed Vriah the Hittite with the Sword This is the case of many drunkards they sin with deliberation they have their stated and set bouts for drinking such a day at such a tavern or such a private house and at another time at another place Others forecast their business and the receiving their money that they may be provided to meet their Companions at the Alehouse 4. VVhen a man yields willing obedience to the lusts of his own heart his sins are not sins of infirmity but reigning sins Rom. 6.12 Let not sin therefore Reign in your mortal body that ye should obey it in the lusts of it And he himself is the servant of sin ver 16. Know ye not that to whom ye yeild your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness Now this is the case of many drunkards if a sensual lust arise in their hearts and encline them to go to the Alehouse or if one of their companions call them to go with them they yield present and willing obedience they leave their callings and families and all their business to gratifie their sensual lusts which shews that drunkenness is a reigning sin in them and that they are the servants of sin § The plea of such as say they can't leave their drunken courses because they find much pleasure and delight in them Plea 24. I am convinced that drunkenness is a vile sin but I find so much pleasure and delight in it that I can't leave it the Songs and Musick and merry company that I have at Taverns and the delight I have in drinking wine and strong drink are the chiefest joy I have in this World and therefore I can't be perswaded to leave them A. 1. There is more true and real pleasure in Temperance and Godliness than there is in Gluttony and Drunkenness or Musick or Songs or merry company For 1. Intemperance disorders the body and clouds and disturbs the mind and brings pains and aches and sicknesses Hos 7.5 In the day of our King the Princes have made him sick with bottles of wine Whereas temperance is ordinarily attended with a healthfull constitution of body and freedom and serenity of mind and temperate persons eat and drink with greater delight than gluttons and drunkards though they have no better fare than bread and water 2. The pleasures that drunkards have in their cups their songs their musick their merry company is not comparable to those pleasures that temperate men find in an Holy Life For the drunkards pleasures are meer vanity and vexation of Spirit Eccl. 2.2.3 8.17 I said of laughter it is mad and of mirth what doth it I sought in my heart to give my self unto wine I gat me men-singers and women-singers and the delights of the sons of men as Musical Instrumens and that of all sorts All is vanity and vexation of Spirit They leave the heart sad and end in heaviness Prov. 14.13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heaviness But the pleasure and peace and delight which temperate men find in the wayes of God is exceeding great solid and abiding pleasure Psal 119.165 Great peace have they which love thy Law and nothing shall offend them Psal 21.6 Thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance Psal 138.5 Yea they shall sing in the wayes of the Lord. VVe see here there is peace great peace gladness exceeding gladness to be found in the wayes of God yea such as will make the heart sing for joy Yea all the wayes of God bring pleasure and peace Prov. 3.17 Her wayes are wayes of pleasantness and all her paths are peace The pleasure of
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
us 4. The World and the Flesh and the Devil will be as tempting hereafter as they are now and our hearts as ready and more ready to yield than they are now § The plea of such as say they would leave off their drunkenness but they cannot Helps against this sin of drunkenness If any say I am abundantly convinced that Drunkenness is an abominable sin and I would leave it but I cannot I find it hath got such power over me as that I can't withstand it What shall I do that I may be able to leave this sin A. It is no easie matter for a man that is accustomed to this sin to leave it it is of such an enticing bewitching nature and therefore having set out the greatness of this sin and answered the Pleas that are made use of to excuse this sin I shall now propose some helps against this sin § Prayer is a special help against Drunkenness and all other sins 1. Pray to God to give you his Holy Spirit to sanctify your hearts and to turn you from this and from all your other sins When the Apostle had cautioned the Ephesians against Drunkenness as a means and help against this sin he exhorts them to be filled with the Spirit Eph. 5.18 Be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess but be filled with the Spirit Now the way to get the Spirit of God is to pray for it Luk. 11.13 Your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him By Prayer to God we may obtain help against all our sins such as are strongest and of longest continuance Psal 119 2 3. Blessed are they that seek him with the whole heart they do no iniquity Such sins as we are most inclined to that have dwelt in us a long time and are become natural to us may be overcome by the grace of God Jam. 4.5 6. The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy but he giveth more grace That is God's grace is sufficient for the subduing our strongest Corruptions and if we do seek to him with humble hearts he will give us more strength of grace than there is strength of sin in us whereby we shall overcome those sins that have dwelt longest in us and to which our Hearts and Spirits are most strongly enclined But here some may say by way of discouragement Obj. 1. It is true Prayer will do great things with God but it is said Joh. 9.31 We know that God heareth not sinners and therefore to what purpose should I that am a sinner pray to God to give me his grace to leave and forsake my sins seeing God will not hear me A. 1. When it is said God heareth not sinners it is to be understood of impenitent sinners of such as love and delight in their sins and hate to be reformed and turn a deaf Ear to the word of God Prov. 28.9 He that turneth away his Ear from hearing the Law even his Prayer shall be an abomination 2. As for such sinners as are desirous to leave and forsake their sins there is hope for them if they pray to God for his grace that he will hear them The VVoman of Samaria that discoursed with Christ at Jacob's VVell was a great sinner she lived with a man that was not her Husband and so was an Adultress Joh. 4.16 17 18. She was a Samaritan ver 4. and the Samaritans were Idolaters and did did not know what they worshipped ver 22. Ye worship ye know not what See also 2 King 17.24 28 29 41. The Samaritans were a people of ill fame among the Jews Joh. 8.48 Say we not well thou art a Samaritan and hast a Devil This VVoman of Samaria had carried her self unkindly to Christ yet when he asked for a draught of water though she knew the VVell was deep and that he had nothing to draw with ver 11. She did not grant him his request but instead of giving him water she gave him a check ver 9. How is it that thou being a Jew asketh drink of me which am a Woman of Samaria for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans Yet our Lord Jesus Christ incourageth this VVoman to pray though a Samaritan though one that lived with a man as her Husband that was not her Husband though she had carryed her self unkindly to Christ he incourageth her to pray and tells her if she had asked he would have given her living water Joh. 4.10 Jesus said unto her if thou knowest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee give me to drink thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water Oppressours and Unrighteous persons are great sinners yet they are exhorted to seek the Lord and have a promise that if they seek God they shall live Amos 5.6 7. Seek ye the Lord and ye shall live ye that turn judgment to Wormwood and leave off righteousness in the Earth Obj. 2. But I have such inclinations to drinking and have been so long addicted to this sin and am so enslaved to it that I think it is in vain to pray for help against it for I fear there is no hope that I should ever be made able to leave off this sin A. 1. There is nothing too hard for God Jer. 32.17 He that formed the Heavens and the Earth out of nothing that brought light out of darkness there is nothing too hard for him He can enlighten those that are under the greatest ignorance and blindness he can make those that have carnal and vile hearts to become Heavenly and Spiritual He can make the chief of sinners to become the greatest Saints There is a possibility yea a probability that God may give repentance to such as are the greatest Slaves to Sin and Satan that Satan leads them Captive at his pleasure and doth with them even what he will and oppose the means of their recovery yet such as these may be recovered out of the Devil's snare 2 Tim. 2.25 26. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil who are taken captive by him at his will 2. We have examples of God's Mercy and Grace in recovering other sinners that have been as much enslaved to their sins as you are and their hearts have been as much glued to their sins as yours are and have continued as long in their evil courses as you have done The Apostle tells us of some that were Servants to their sins and served divers Lusts and Pleasures that were saved by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.3 5. The Israelites were exceedingly given and addicted to the sin of Idolatry Their hearts went after their Idols and were glued to them Ezek. 20.16 Their heart went after their Idols Hos 4.17 Ephraim is joyned to Idols Yet when they
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
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