A WARNING TO THE Sloathful, Idle, Careless, and Secure Ones, &c.
WHerein can a friend more unfold his love, than in preventing dangers before their birth, or in reducing one to safety which is tra [...]velling in the way to ruine? T [...] be plain, argues honesty.
Croesus counselled Cyrus, that if he mean to hold the Lydians in slavery, that he should teach them to sing, and play, and drink, and dance, and daily; for (saith he) that will do i [...] without your endeavour.
The Devil with pleasure pipes men into security, then steals away their souls, and leave [...] them to the wrath of God. Vice is of such [...] [Page]toady complexion that it cannot chuse but reach the soul to hate. 'Tis true, men learn to do evil, by doing that is next it (nothing.)
Idleness is the most corrupting flye that can blow in any humane mind: Tell me if there be any life more irksome than idless; it is the sink which receiveth all the filthy channel of vice, and with that poisonous air it poisoneth and infecteth the soul. Man being idle hath his mind apt to all uncleanness, and when then wind is void of exercise, the man is void of honesty; prosperity engendreth sloath, it turneth the edge of wit.
Aristotle saith, That which is most noble by nature, is made most vile by negligence; idleness is the only nurse, and nourisher of sensual appetites.
Hierom adviseth us, ever to be doing something that the Devil find us not idle; for it is his cushion wherewith he lulls the soul asleep in sin. Saith O [...]ige [...], It teacheth much wickedness. Cicero saith, They that do nothing learn to do ill. Idleness is the more that sorest and soonest infecteth the mind with many mischiefs. It' [...] against nature (saith Cicero) yea the sloathful man sleepeth in his own want: it is hard for him that will not labour to excel in any Art: Idleness is the enemy of Vertue, and the very train of all wickednese.
Galen saith, Sloath loseth time, dulleth th [...] understanding, nourisheth humours, choaketh the brain, and displeaseth God.
Seneca saith, It's the mother of poverty, it's the ready way to Atheism.
Homer saith, Idleness maketh of men, women: of women, beasts: and of beasts, monsters.
Pythagoras gave his Disciples this precept, Take good heed that thou sit not upon a bushel, meaning that Idleness ought especially to be eschewed. Lust is quenched through labour; and kindled through idleness.
The idle heart is moved with no Prayers. The rich man, if he wax idle, will quickly be poor. It's the step-mother of Wisdom and Science. Men are born to good works, whereof our souls may serve for an invincible proof, seeing it is never still, but in continual motion and action: it decays the health of the body. The Bées can abide no drones among them, but as soon as they begin to be idle, they kill them, saith Plutarch. The wise mans idleness in his continual labour, Carthage was overcome; Rome by idleness came to ruine, (saith Augustine.)
Solomon saith, Prov. 12.11. he that followeth the idle is destitute of understanding. The Egytians to vanish idleness, made a Law that every one monthly should give account [Page]how he spent his time, and had their names registered in a Book for the same purpose. Idleness doth cause in man dishonest thoughts, and opens the gate unto all vice: but the good exercises of vertue do shut the may of the temptation that the Devil cannot get in. Solomon saith, Go to the Pismire, O sluggard, and behold her ways, and be wise; for she having no guide, governour, nor ruler, prepareth her meat in the Summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest, Prov. 6.6, 7, 8, 9, &c. If the word of God cannot instruct thee, yet learn of the little Pismire to labour for thy self, and not to burden others. How long wilt thou sleep. O sluggard, when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep, Prov. 24.33, 34. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little [...]olding of thy hands to sleep. Therefore thy poverty cometh as one that travelleth by the way: (That is, suddenly, and when thou lookest not for it) and thy necessity like an armed man: It shall come in such sort, that thou shalt not be able to resist it. Salomon expresseth lively the nature of the sluggards, who though thy sleep never so [...]ong, yet have never enough but séek occassions thereunto Idleness, one of the sing of Sodom, it is said, that abundance of Idleness was in her, and in her daughters. Ezek. 16.49.
David through idleness committed Adultery, is we may see, 2 Sam. 11.2.
Syrach saith, That Idleness bringeth much evil, Ecclus. 33.26. St Paul commanded, that he that would not work should not eat, for saith he, We hear that there are some that work not at all, but are busie bodies; therefore them that are such, we command and exhort you by our Lord Jesus Christ, that they work with quietness, &c. 2 Thess. 3.10, 11. for saith he, being idle, they go about from house to house; yea, they are not only idle, but also pratlers, and busie-bodies, speaking things that are not comely, 1 Tim. 5.13. Go to the Crane thou babler, read her story, and let her inform thee, who flying out of Sicily, puts little stones in [...]ver mouth, lest by her gagling she might betray her self a [...] a prey to the Eagles of the Mountain Taurus; which with this policy she slyes over in safety. Silence is every where safe-guarded, while an unruly tongue may procure ruine, and prove as a sword to cut the thread of life in two. Where there is a flood in the tongue, there the heart is empty; in many words there is errour often committed, for truth doth consist in few words. Better it is to make a small scarre by speaking little, than a deep wound by much babling. Silence is a gift without peril, and a treasure without enemies, saith Phocion.
Our Saviour saith, That for every idle word that man shall speak they shall give an account [Page]at the day of Judgement; for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned, Mat. 12 36, 37. Therefore it doth highly concern every one to be every careful what they speak.
About all things flye from idleness, for it's the mother of vice, and the step-mother of all vertue; it is nothing indeed but a very death, and the Sepulchre of a man that is yet living. God would that man (which was indued with so many good gifts of perfection) should not live idlely. Thou that livest here so compassed about with so many enemies, how much cause hast thou to avoid idleness, and to flye away from it? God places Adam in Paradise, to the end that he should labour and work there, Gen. 2.15. and yet he for all his labour, sustained great loss and harm, and thikest thou to gain, by living at thy own will and pleasure? Job saith, Job 5.7. That man is born to trouble, as the sparks flye upwards: and therefore God hath given thee two hands to work withal, as he hath given the Birds two wings to flye withal. He that goes about to shoot at any Bird, will not shoot at him as he flyeth, but will tarry and expect until he stand still: so the devil will not seek to shoot at thee, or hurt thee when thou art well occupied in any good work, but waiteth the time until that be may find thee idle, that he may then [Page]strike thee with his temptations, and take from thee the lift of thy soul: therefore thou must alwayes be occupied, that he Divil may never find thee idle. The Wessel that is occupied, and full already, can contain no more in it, and the mind that is fully occupied about good things cannot admit of evil thoughts into it; but if the Devil findeth it unocuppied, he will put evil cogitations into it: The water which continueth running, bringeth forth good fish, but the standing waters, or marishes, and lakes, do bring forth Frogs and Serpents, and that Fish that is in them, is unsavory and dangerous to eat of; and what canst thou bring forth if thou be idle, but soul and dishoness thoughts: drive away from thee all idleness, for if thou flyest not away from thy pleasure, thou canst not chuse but he taken prisoner by a number of vices, 1 Sam. 19. When David was occupied with the continual persecution of Saul, he falls not into sin, as he did afterwards when he was idle at home in his own Palace, 2 Sam. 11. And when Solomon was occupied about his building, he did not offend God; but when his work was at an end, and that he gave himself unto idleness; he committed very great offences, 1 Kings 11. The Tribe of Dan searching out an inheritance to dwell in, they sent five men out of their Coast, and they came to Laish, and they [Page]saw the people which were therein, which dwelt cereless, and when they returned back unto their Brethren, the first motive that they used to encourage them for to go, was this, said they, If you will go you shall come unto a careless people: so they went up and smote the people with the edge of the Sword, and burnt the city, Judges 18. You that are given unto idleness, sloathfulness, and careleness, behold and consider the end of these people, even the men of Laish, it cause their destruction; therefore be ye diligent: the men that went to view the Country of Laish, they said to their Brethren do you sit still, be not sloathful (as it they should have said) will you lose this good occasion through your sloathfulness, v. 10. Then they used another motive to draw them from Idleness, saying, The Country is a place that doth lack nothing that is good in the world. Here you see that the Tribe of Dan through their diligence obtained this fruitful and plentiful Country which did lack nothing in the world: And those idle people of Laish through their carelesness did not only lose their City and their Country but it also caused the destruction of themselves too: therefore flye from idleness and carelesness, for fear the like judgement befal you.
And when their City (through their carelesness) was all of slame, they cryed, Troja suit here was a Troy, or we had a Troy! hast thou some thoughts of acting some bonourable enterprire, and doth idleness, sloathfulness, or carelesness put as it were a blot in the way, saying it is too difficult or impossible for thee; I pray thee be not deluded by this flattering Syrian, for Nihil est ram difficile, sed ex labore facicile vincatur, that is, there is nothing so hard but by labour is easily overcome, The Heathen Poet could say:
Love overcometh all things, and diligence doth the like.
Idleness is the nourisher of all carnal vice; if thou wilt flee from idleness thou shalt soon make all sin and vice to famish in thee, for thereby thou takest away all the sustenance that maintaineth it. Solomon saith, Prov. 10.16. [Page]The labour of the righteous tendeth to life. Th [...] way to Heaven is full of travel and continual occupations of holiness and vertuous exercises: If thou didst but remember seriously all the time which thou dost lose, that thou must render a st [...]ct account, or reckoning to the Almighty God, thou wouldst not lose one jot thereof. The Spirit of God doth shew it self where it is, for it will suffer no idleness to rest or harvour where it is, or where it remaineth. When thou art idle, thou bost lose the best thing which thou hast, which is Time.
Gather thy Manna in the eve of the Sabbath, that thou mayst rest when the Sabbath day cometh, Exod. 16. that is, take pains, and labour whilst thou art in this life, that thou mayst rest and take thine case when that great feast of eternal Bliss cometh. The Land that lyeth idle, and is not tilled, bringeth forth nothing but bryers, th [...]rns, & unprofitable woeds, and if thou dost not flye from idleness, thou canst not chuse but thy heart will be full of evil [Page]thoughts. S. Psul saith, Gal. 5.15. Take heed therefore that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise; occupy therefore the land of thy heart, in good and holy exercises, to the intent that thou mayest ever be doing of good works, and bring forth the fruits thereof. Christ teacheth by a similitude, that he always casteth man to labour: A certain house-holder went for to hire labourers into his vineyard, Mat. 20. He went about the sixth hour, and about the eleventh hour, and always found some standing idle, and he began to reprove them, seying, Why stand ye here all the day idle? and he said, Go into my vincyard. This similitude doth plainly demonstrate unto us, that God would not have us be idle at no time of the day. Solomon saith; Prov. 10.4. A sloathful hand maketh poor, but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. Chap. 13. 4. The sluggard lusteth; but his soul hath nought, but the soul of the diligent shall have plency. Chap. 18.9. He also that is soathful in his work is even the Brother of him that is a waster. Chap. 19.15. Sloathfulness causeth to fall a sleep. Chap. 20.13. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty, open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread: Fly from stoath lest thou fall a sleep, and love not sleep lest thou come to poverty: but open thine eyes to be obligent and thou shalt be satisfied with all things necessary [Page]for thee. verse 4. The sloathful will not plow, because of Winter, therefore shall he beg in the Summer but have nothing, Chap. 21.25, 26. The desire of the sloathful slayeth him, for his hands refuse to labour: he thinketh to live by withing and destring all things, but will take no pains to get it; for saith the wife man, He coveteth evermore greedily, Chap. 22.13. The sloathful man saith a Lyon is without. I shall be slain in the street. Solomon derideth them that invent vain excuses because they would not do their duty, Prov. 26.13, 14, 15. As the door turneth upon the hinges, so doth the sloathful man upon his bed. Chap. 19.24. The sloathful hideth his hand in his bosome, and it grieveth him to put it again to his mouth. Chap. 15.19. The way of the sloathful man is an hedge of thorns, be ever findeth some let or stay, and will not go forwards. By sloathfulness the roof of the house goeth to decay, and by the idleness of the hands the house droppeth through, Eccles. 10.18. I passed by the field of the sloathful, and by the vineyard of the man destitute of understanding, and loe it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down; then I beheld and considered it well, I looked upon it, and received instruction Prov. 24.30, 31, 32. Herein appeareth one chief point of Solomons wisdom: that is to consider, [Page]and look upon the errours of other men, and thereby learn to eschew them; for to see the great loss and detriment that cometh of idleness and sloathfulness, and considering of it to become diligent, and laborious, is surely a great sign of a wise and prudent man; he is happy that by other mens faults doth learn to beware.
That servant which had one Talent delivered unto him, Mat. 25.26, 28, 30. he through sloathfulness hid it, and did not occupy it: his Master said unto him; Thou evil servant, and sloathful, for so he called him, and he said, Take the Talent from him, (moreover he said) Cast therefore that unprofitable servant into utter darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth: there is nothing but meer darkness out of the Kingdom of Heaven. Here we see that sloathfulness doth not only lose all things in the world (as the men of Laish did) but also eternal happiness hereafter, for said the Master, Cast that unprofitable servant into utter darkness. Now sith it is so, who is it that will or dare give themselves unto idleness, or sloathfulness, seeing by it, we do not only lose all things that are good here, but also hereafter.
Syrach speaking of the sluggard, saith, Eccluf. 22.1, 2. A sloathful man is like a filthy stone, which every man mocketh at for his shame. A [Page]sloathful man is to be compared to the dung of oxen, and every man that taketh it up will shake it out of his hand. Like as the idle stone gathereth moss and filth, so doth the sloathful both sickness of body, and corruption of mind.
Thus in brief you have heard what idleness is, and the fruits of it, for first it reacheth men to do evil, and it is the sink which receiveth all the filty channel of vice, and with that poisoneth and infecteth the soul, it's an enemy to hertue, and the very train to all wickedness, it loseth time, it dulls the understanding, it nourisheth humours, It displeaseth God, it's the mother of poverty, it's the step-mother of wisdom, and the ready way to Atheism, and it kindles lust. Carthage was overcome, and Rome came to ruine through it. It causeth evil and dishonest thoughts, it opens the gate to all wickedness, it's one of the sitis of Sodom, and by it David committed Adultery, it bringeth much evil and it causeth them be medling where it doth not concern them, and so are called prattlers, and buste-bodies, speaking things that are not comely: we must give account for every idle word: through idleness we are in danger to lose all t [...]ings in this world: Solomon through idleness committed great offences, yea, it caused the people of Laish to lose their City and their Country and the destruction of themselves too. [Page]It caused the City of Troy to be all on a flame; therefore flye from idleness, and thou shalt soon make all sin to famish in thee; for it is the sustenance that maintains it. That land that lyeth idle, bringeth forth nothing but bryers, thorns, and thistles: by idleness the roof of the house droppeth through. And besides all this, thou art in danger thereby to be cast into utter darkness. The Prophet Jeremiah saith, Jer. 48.10, 11. Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently; and in the next verse he saith, Moab hath been at rest from his youth, and he hath setled on his lees: Zeph. 1.12. But the Lord will search Jerusalem with lights, and visit the men that are frozen in their dregs, and say in their heart, The Lord will neither do good nor evil: Thus you see what a dangerous condition the idle, sloathful, careless, and secure ones are in. First they are careless of Grace, and the means of it, as the Word, Repentance, Faith, prayer, &c. Secondly, they are fearless of Gods Judgements. Thirdly, they are seelingless of the beavy burthen of their sins; so that the spirit of slumber is a binding up of their faculties & depriving them of the exercise of grace: To them grace is no care, judgment is no fear, sin is no sorrow, their ignorance doth grow, and they are negligent in matters of salbatton, they are careless in Gods service, like [Page]unto that careless servant, that began to eat and drink, and to be drunken, Matthew 24. They delay repentance; security soundeth it is not yet time, they ever dream of felicity, boasting of their own bearts desire: With the Dolphin they swim in delights, when destruction is nearest, till at last securitles maid wofully cryed the hour is past.
Joleness and careless is the fore-runner, either of gross sins, great crossed, or most terrible judgements, it emptteth the heart of Grace, and it sweepeth and garnisheth it for Satan: God will hide his face and trouble shall follow. The rich man that had much goods laid up for many years, said to his soul, Luke 12. 20, 16. Live at case; And God said unto him, O fool, this night will I fetch away thy sould from thee. I Thef. 5.3. When they shall say peace and safety, then shall sudden destruction come upon them, as the travel upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape, it shall be felt before it be seen like a Thief in the night. Woe to them that are at case in Sion, Amos 6.1. Gideon smote the careless boast: secuity was the overthrow of Laish, Judg. 8.11. and 18.7, 10, 27.
The good man of the house awaketh to save his goods from the Thief, the Husbandman for his Harvest, the Merchant for his Wares, the Souldier for his spoil: shall me lose and [Page]eternal crown with sleeping? He that hath the key of David hath opened the may: the way is opened but yet narrow. Awake and strive to enter in: Matthew 25. When the Juilvee is past, the foolish cry open, open; some awake a little and begin a little to enter in; but finding the way stract; first with Lots wife they look back, 2 Pet 2.5. then with Demas they turn back, and with the dog they run back to their vomit. When thou thinkest upon that crown, think therewithal upon this word Few, few enter in, few are chosen; in the great deluge, ver. 8. few souls were saved; in the overthrow of Sodom, but Lot was saved. Amongst the sirty three thousand five hundred and fifty of the people of Israel, only Joshua and Caleb entred into the Land: Therefore uncessantly importune that holy one of Israel like the urgent widow]. be not fole, or sloathful, but diligent and bigilant. Leave him not till with Jacob thou get a blessing.
A word or two of the Definition of Drunkenness.
The drink to the betrayer of the mind, and doth disapparel the Sould, yea the thoughts of the heart (which God hath secluded from the very devils) by drunkenness do suffer a seach: the Devil could never find a cunninger bait, to angle both for the acts and meanings of men, than drunkenness is. You shall scarcely find a man that is much addicted to drink that is not ruined. What a monster is man in drunkenness, he hath a swimming eye, a face both roast and sod, and a tongue clammed to the roof and gums a drumming ear, a feavered body, a bolling stomach, a mouth nasty with offensive sumes till it sicken the brain, a passed head, and legs tottering up and down their mictuned burthen; be hath no memory at all, for the abundance of drink hath drowned up that noble recorder; and while Bacchus is his chief God, Apollo never keeps him company, friends and soes, familiars and strangers, are then of equal estéem.
Drunkenness is the funeral of all intelligible [Page]men; A drunken mind, and a drunken stomach are both alike, neither can retain what they receive: I will loath to admit of familiar to infectious as this. The wise man advise to us to the contrary, saying, Prov. 23.20.21. Keep not company with drunkards, nor gluttons; for the drunkard and the glutton shall be poot. And St. Paul saith, 1 Cor. 5.11. If any man that is called a Brother be a forcinator, or covetous, or an idolater, or railer, or a drunkard, or an [...]xtortiore, with such a one eat nor. St. Paul asks a question and answers it himself, saying, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Know ye that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor Idolators, nor adulterers, nor wantons, nor buggerers, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor railers, nor excortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God. Gal. 5 19, 20, 21. The works of the flash are manisest, which are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, wantonness idolatry, witchcrast, hatred, debate, emulation, wrath, contention sedition, heresies, envies, murthers, drunkenness, gluttony, and such like, whereof I tell you as I have told you before, that they which do such things, shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. The Apostle in these two places reckons more than twenty damnable sins, and the drunkard, the glutton, and the railer, do as it were [Page]bring up the rear of this wicked and ungodly Kegiment. I beséech you cast your eyes back, if seriosty consider, whether thou art at league with any of these soul-destraying sotdiers, for if thou be, thy state is dangerous: Therefore séeing that we hand so many strange enemtes to encounter withal, we have great cause to take St. Pauls counsel, Ephes. 6.11. &c. for to be strong in the Lord, and to put on the whole armour of God: That we amy be abse for to wrattle, and to overcome those potent enemies. Whatsoever friend I make choice of, I hope for to have them endowed with these two vertues (that is) mildness and temperance: An excellent Caveat. Luke 21.54. Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfeiting and drunkenness, &c. Drunkenness of the Hebrews is called wine-viving; then S. Pauls counselde not to be despised; Ephes. 5.15, 16, 17, 18. Take heed therefore that ye walk circumspectly not as fools, but as wise redeeming the time, for the dayes are evil: wherefore be ye not unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is, and be not drunken with wine, wherein do excess. Paul doth not forhid the use of wine but the abuse of it: for to Timothy he said thus, 1 Tim 5.23. Drink no longer water. but use a little wine for thy stomachs sake, and thine of ten infirmities. Solomon saith, Prov. 31.6, 7, [Page]Give ye strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto them that have grief of heart. Let him drink that he may forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. Psal. 104, 15. Wine maketh glad the heart of man. Strong drink is the good creature of God, pure to the pure; Which serveth, I Naturally for the bodies nourishing and strength, and to be used with sobriety. 2. Physically for the corroboration of the body, and refreshing of the mind. Wine (saith Austin) moderately drunken is medicinable, but drunken more than need requireth, it consumeth, it's poison.
Drunkenness is not only when wine hath banished wit, which may soon overtake a weak brain, but also when one doth sit long at drink. albeit their brain were strong enought to hear it, which is called, Prov. 23.30. Once that tarrieth long at wine, that goeth and seeketh mixtwine. Such kinds of drinking, are as well condemned, as staggering ebriety; such like drunkenness is called a boiling, chasing, or waring too bot with wine. Some delight to be drunk alone, some provoke others to do the same, some drink by measure, out of measure: the drunkard saith, do me reason, while as both his ormand, and the others grant is altogether reasonless. All these sorts are affected with this malady and with this bilect vice diseased: custom maketh this [Page]disease contagious to mang; use altereth nature, and custom brings Ydle superfluity to urgent necessity: First. the drunkard drinks for thirst, then for delight, at last for wantonness, and then without measure, by an unsattate holuptuousness, When I name wine, it is to be taken (Synecdochically) for all for is of strong drink: one drunkard is the cause of another, taping, Isa. 50.12. Come I will bring wine, and we will sill out selves with strong drink, and to morrow shall be as this day &c much more abundant, as the challenged drunkard both allenge, Prov. 23.20. that company causeth him, who forced him with, either drink or get thoe gone, 1 Cor. 5.11. wiilst, they are expcessy forbidden to keep company with drunkards and gluttons, Ephes. 5.11. and that thou shouldest babe no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. But a graceless heart, turning the grace of Bod into wanton, ness, and having the mind feeble and meak, suffereth sensuality to reign ober reason, and grace, St. Jude saith, Jude 12. These are spots in your seasts of charity, when they feast with you without all fear, &c. v. 12. these are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own Lusts, whose mouths speak proud things, &c. 2 Per. 2.10, 12, 13. These are makers of sects, [...]eship, having not the spirit (of regeneration) they shall receive the wages of unrighteousness. [Page]1 Thes. 5.6, 7, 8. Therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober: here sleep is taken for contempt of salvation: when men continue in fins, and will not awake to godliness: for they that sleep, sleep in the night, and they that be drunken, are drunken in the night; but let us which are of the day sober, putting on the breast-plate of saith, and love, and the hope of salvation for an helmet. Eph. 6.17. The wise man saith, Eccles. 10.17. Blessed art thou, O Land , when thy King or Governours, eat in time for strengh and not for drunkenness. They that drink for drinks sake are too usuall at drinkings (who as Demosthenes said, to King Philip) Spunges, who want but a wide womb to their wanton will. Some think that drink is given of God not only for necessity, but also for delectation; thinking thereby they may exceed as they please; they consider not that strong drink was given to men, to thear the beart, and not to oppress it, and to praise God for it, and not too offend him with it of by it. Some think that drunkeneess is physical, wherein they foolishly erre, esteeming the poison of the soul to be good phystek for the body: when the medicine is so filthy, the healing of curing is thought to be as filthy,
A drunkard is like a L [...]ch that still sucketh and cannot be satisfied. When necessity is satisfied, [Page]insolency salts his appetite, he backs his drunkenness with Tobacco, that by all the four elements, earth, wanter, aire, and fire, he map be intoxicated. Drunkenness as it harkeneth the wit, and petherteth the imagination: so beyond all the affections it stirreth up choler, by a conveniency of the sulphurous heat that is both in drink and in the bilious humour concurring to make the greater flame, to kindle up the heart for the smaltest injury. Cambys [...]s, the King of Persia in his drunkenness was incensed at the gentle reproof of his minion Praxaspes, and kilted his son. Alexander at the wine killed in his foolish fury his most lobing Clitus, for the which whin be was sober again, be attempted to kill himself. Anger is a madness short and voluntary, and an insatiable evit.
Philoxenus wished a Cranes crag, and Melanth [...]us a Swans neck of three cubits long, that they might by the longer space enjoy the pleasure of their drink: his life is vita Ranarum, a Frogs life, saith Erasmus. Frogs love to live in moorish places, be in his pots, like aflye (suctuvivit) be liveth by sucking. Wine is the mirrour of the mind; be is like Bonosus, who was born not in like, but to drink, faith Aurelianus. Be drinks for delight. for company, for brabery, [Page]for contention, and for inflamed charity, to absent friends, his belly is his God, Phil. 3.19. and is unfit for the service of that high God, I. Thes. 5.17. He abuseth his creatures, shameth himself, and is enabled to sin: when he should mourn, be is merry, saping to morrow we shall dye, and he drinks wine in bowls when he should be sorry for the affliction of Joseph, Amos 6.6. like the Epicure, which saith, let us eat, drink, sure, The Lord God of hosts callo unto weeping and mourning, and behold joy, and gladness, flaying oxen and killing, sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine, Isa. 22.12, 13. instead of repentance, they contemned the admonition of their teachers, saying, Let us eat and drink for our Prophets say, we shall dye to morrow. But consider immediately after what if Prophet saith, Ch. 24.7, 9. The wine saileth, the wine hath no might, all that were of merry heart do mourn. They shall not drink wine with mirth, strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it. The Loro pronounceth woe upon woe to drunkards, Chap. 5.11, 22. Woe unto them that rise up early to follow drunkenness, and to them that continue until night, till the wine do inflame them. Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and to them that are strong to pour in strong drink. Four several times doth the Prophet [Page]pronounce woes to drunkards in one chapter. The wife man saith, Prov. 23.29, 30.32. To whom in woe, to whom is sorrow, to whom is strife, to whom is murmuring, to whom are wounds without cause, and to whom is redness of [...]y [...]even to them that tarry long at the wine &c. In the end thereof it will bite a serpent, and sting like an adder.
Now seeing that there is such a strong chain that is linked together with so many woes, which reacheth as far as betwixt the drunkard and destruction (except repentance break this chain) it will assuredly draw down vengance upon thy body, or soul, or both: Now therefore seeing it is so, Christs Caveat is not to be rejected, Luke 21.34. Take heed to your selves, lest at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and l [...]st that day come on you at unaweres.
Bing Belsh [...]zzar made a great feast to a thousand of his Princes, and they drank wine in the golden vessels, which his father had brought from the Temple in J [...]ru [...] [...]m, D [...]n. 5. At the same hour appeated the singers of a mans hand which wrote, &c. Then the Kings countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him: to the joynts of his loins were loosed, and his knées smote one against another; and the same night was B [...]lshazzar the King slain: here we [Page]see how near drunkenness and destruction was lir [...]ked: the same hour his thoughts troubled him, and the same night he was slain. The vine brings forth three Grapes, the first of pleasure, the second of drunkenness, the third of sorrow. It is folly to rebuke a drunken man: example we have of Abig [...]il, a woman of singular wisdom, 1 Sam. 25.36, &c. For she came to Nabal her husband, and behold he made a feast in his house, like the feast of King and N [...]bals heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken; wherefore she told him neither less nor more, until the morning arose; then in the morning when the wine was gone out of Nabal, his wife told him (that David had bowed to destroy both him and all his house for denying of his servants that small request which they desired: and the text saith) when she had told him those words, his heart died within him, and he was like a stone, & about ten days after the Lord smote N [...]bal that he died. From hence we may gather how close drunkenness and destruction are linked together▪ Wine hath as much force as fire, for as soon as it overtaketh one, it dispatcheth him, it discloseth the secrets of his soul, and troubleth the whole mind. Wine is the blood of the earth, and the shame of such as abuse it. Mark the end of Drunkards, and abhor their wickedness, Isa. 28.1. Woe to the Crown of pride, the [Page]drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine. ver. 7, 8. They have erred because of wine, and are out of the way by strong drink,; the Priests and the Prophets have erred by strong drink they are swallowed up with wine, they have gone astray through strong drink, they fail in vision, they stumble in judgment: for all their tables are full of filthy vomiting, no place is clean. From hence we may gather this thréefold observation: First there is pronounced woe to the Drunkards, their glorious beginning shall have a fading or steril conclusion. Secondly, the drunkards they err, they are out of the way, They fail in vision, they stumble in judgment. Syrach, saith, Eccles. 19.1, 2. Wine and women lead wise men out of the way, and put men of understanding to reproof. A labouring man that is given to drunkenness, shall never be rich, saith Syrach. Lots Daughters made their Father drink Wine, and then lay with him, Gen. 19.33. But he perceived not neither when they lay down, neither when they rose up. Wine had so obscured his judgement, and so darkened his understanding, and so be fell into that sin of incest with his own Daughters. Lastly, the loathsomness of drunkenness, All their tables are full of sil [...]y vomitings, no place is clean; [Page]what can be more filthy? Ambrose saith, the first evil of drunkenness, is the danger of chastity. Nothing maketh drunkenness to be more abhored than the filthy and beastly behaviour of those men, whose stomachs are overcharged with excess. The Lace demonians would often shew their Children such as were drunk, to the end they should learn to loath that vice: it is a monster with many heads, as filthy ta [...]k fornication, wrath, murther, swearing, cursing and such like. The Spartans caused their children to behold their slaves when they were drunken; to move them to the detest [...]ation of that vice. Wine inflameth the liver, rotteth the lungs, dulleth the memory, and breedeth all diseases: Therefore flee from drunkennes, for it is the Authour of a thousand evils, it maketh wise men fools, and it bringeth diseases to the body, and destruction to the soul: it is that vice with stirreth up lust, anger, grief, and extremity of love: it distempers the wit, weakeneth the feet, and overcometh the vital spirits, saith Aristotle. It burns up beauty, and basteneth age, it's a he witching Devil, a pleasant poison, & a sweet sin, saith Augustine. Drunkenness maketh of a man a Beast, a strong man weak and of a wise man a fool, saith Origen. Where drunkenness is mistris, there secresie beareth no mastery. Steal is the glass of beauty, end [Page]wine is the glass of the mind, it is a root prover to every disease, saith the heathen man Plato. It hath drowned more than the Sea hath drowned: Drunkenness makes a man more bruitish than Balaams Ass, be could walk and talk; but many times a drunkard can do neither. An [...] charsis saith, the first draught that a man drinks is for thirst, the second for nourishment, the third for pleasure, and the fourth for madness. O what a voluntary madness do drunkards run into when four draughts will not satisfie their unsatiable desires! no, notten times four. Surely, surely, they are more frantick than those in Bedlam. Drunkenness darkens the wit, it perverts the Imagination, and it stirs up choler. Plato bade drunken and angry men to behold themselves in a glass, and if they will do so, here is one wherein they may behold themselves most clearly. Drunkenness is nothing else but a voluntary madness. What is more vile and loathsome than is the drunkard, whose mouth is the lodge of poisonous savoure-whose body through excess doth tremble and shake; whose promises are large, whose tongue bewrayeth secrets, whose mind is spon changed, whose countenance is transformed; for commonly when the head is full of wine the tongue is set at liberty; neither is be content with many sorts of wine, but he drowneth himself or [Page]his senses in variety of liquor, making himself the monste of excess, it's the nursery to all contention, it kindles the coals of wrath, and is the root of all mischief, and the ready road to ruine. Gen. 9. Drunkenness did discover the privy parts of Noah, and caused Lot to commit incest, 2 Sam. 13.28. Drunkenness slew Amnon, King Davids Son, and murdered Holosernes, chief Captain of the Army, for it is said that he drank more wine that day, than he had in any day ever since he was born, Judith 12.20. and 13.2. be was filled with wine, and Judith slew him in his drunkenness. The Leopard cannot so soon be taken by any thing as by wine, for being drunk be falleth into the topis. Be not drunken with wine, for wine turneth a mans understanding away from the truth, and kindleth in him the fire of lust, leading his eyes into errour: it's a servant to lust, and it turneth the mind to filthy thoughts, and sin is wrought without shame: a drunken man is ashamed of nothing: therefore he that drinketh wine had need of discretion, that be do not over-drink himself, for drunkenness causeth him to talk filthily, and to do wickedly, & not to be ashamed, but to boast of his lewdness, thinking it to be very good. Wine is a cause of War and sedition, but being soberly drunken, it's profitable for the life of man, Eccles. 31.27, 28, 29, 30. What is [Page]his life that is overcome with wine: wine was made from the beginning to make men glad, not for drunkenness. Wine drunken with excess maketh bitterness of mind, with brawlings and scoloings. Drunkenness increaseth the rage of a fool, till he offend, it diminisheth strength and maketh wounds. St. James saith, James 3.16. Where envying and strife is, there is sedition, and all evil works. Thus you see that all manner of evil that is under the Sun, is caused, or cometh by drunkenness. Of all vices drunkenness is the worst, and of all sinners, the drunkard is the most hainous, it being a compendium, an epitome of all other offences, and the sinner by it is made fit for any, for all enormities. Man, when he is at y best is good for little, but when he is drunk, he is good for nothing: he is then made such light stuff, that the Devil may carry him whither he lisleth at a every blast, which we may plainly see, if we do but consider how every breath he draws in drives him from one side of the street to another.
The Lacedemonians to make this vice odious to their children. Would show them their servants when they were drunk: Though I commend not their act, yet I cannot dislike their and. Though to make their Servants drunk, were a fault in the act, yet by it to make their children shun that Swinish vice, was vertue in [Page]the end: but we are otherwise taught; not to do evil that good may come there of. Since then God hath created me with a reasonable soul, that I might follow, observe, and embrace vertue and goodness, I will never so much degenerate from the end of my creation, as to make my body which was created a vessel of purity, to be a sink of iniquity, and turn a vessel of vertuous things into a tun to hold drink.
The drunkard can neither rule himself nor others, he is a disturber of peace, a devourer of good creatures, a corrupter of manners, his wit, foot and hand, goeth palste like, his belly buryeth his drink, and his drink burieth his wit, his least enemy may overtake him, he is like a drunken Trojan, he disgraceth his profession, and disableth his calling; be stumbleth in judgement, nothing is left of a man but a shape, he is proud, furious, passionate, vain, foolish, quarrellous, offensive, a railer, a revealer of secrets; he will scoff, and scold, he will play the tyrant, or the fool, the Lyon or the ape: he hath an inflamed face, and reeling eyes, stinking breath, staggering legs, and stammering tongue: It goeth like the sails of a wind-will. Drunkenness makes shameless, but truly soberness makes them be a shamed of their beastly behaviour. The drunkard is hardly cured, be finds his disease so pleasant, and suffers his malady to become [Page]come habitual: he regards not the work of the Lord, neither considers the works of his hands, he contemneth all correction. Prov. 23.35. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, but I was not sick they have beaten me, but I knew it not; when I [...] wake therefore will I seek it still. Drunkenness is the mother of all vices, saith Augustine. It is a flaming fiend, a sweet poison, a pleasant sin, who doth it, doth not st [...], but is altegether si [...] Ovid saith, I will never esteem a drunken man chast; for saith Hierom, It bringth forth vener by, it doth beget the mind rolt, Gen. 19.32. Examples hereof are the Sodomites, and as David thought to have done with Uria [...], Sam. 11.13. Drunkenness is the neurishment of lust. St. Austine saith, he is to be punished for that he serveth the [...] evil willingly. By Pictacus law he that doth evil in drunkenness, should be twice punished. By Solons law a drunken Pr. should dye. The Indians allowed a woman to kill a drunken King, and for ber reward, to have his successour to her bushand. The' drut kard, by Moses law was lo be stoned to death, Deut. 21.20 The Drunkard defaceth himself, it besotteth the wit, as young Cyrus gave his answer to his Grand father Astyage', why be resused to drink wine; because, said he, I to [...] kit to be poison; for I have seen it spoil bath men of wi [...] and sense: as Origen said of Lot, Drunkenness deceived [Page]him whom whole Sodom could not deceive. And Augustine said, Wine is a wild wrestler. A ex [...] ander the victor of all was overcome with wine. It turneth strength to weakneso, and health to sickness. Drunkenness (saith Seneca) doth recompence the merry madness of one hour with the wearisomness of long time. Gal. 5.21. Oftimes drunkaros grow soon old; and besides all this, he depriveth himself of regeneration, and of Christ, Rom. 6.16. The spirit is quenched, the flesh and body of sin is strengthued, and the soul is made like a City broken down, and without malls, Eph. 5.18. He incurreth shame, the examples whereof in Lot, Noah, and Nabal; 1 Pet. 2.11. and poverty, and famine, Prov. 21. 17. and 25.18. Wine in youth, turneth to water in age. The Prophet Jocl saith, Joel. 1.5. Awake ye [...] drunkards, and weep, and howl all ye drinkers of Wine, because of the new wine, for it shall be pulled away from your mouth. The Prophet Habakkuk pronounces woe to drunk. ards, Hab. 2.151, 6. Thou art filled with shame, and shameful spewing shall be for thy glory. The Drunkard is exposed to all danger, and hath no skill to prevent any, nor feel them, Prov. 23.34, 35. For he is as o [...]e that sleepeth in the midst of the Sea, and as he that sleepeth on the to of the mast. It bringeth on sisdden death, it so weath the seeds of deadly and veritable sicknesses; [Page]more perish by surfeit than the sword. Ehiah [...]. of Israel, as he was in Terzah drinking till be was drunken, 1 Kings 19.9, 10. his servant Zimiri Captain of his chariots, came and smote him, and killed him, &c. Thus you see what dangerous effects drunkenness doth produce: Belshazzar was stain in his drunkenness Amnon King Davids Son was stain in his drunkenness. Holofernes was murdered in his drunkenness, and Elijah was killed in his drunkenness. Cambyses in his drunkenness killed his own Son, and Alexander in his drunkenness killed his most loving friend Ch [...]us; and besides all this, as Esau sold bis birth-right for a mess of pottage; so the Drunkard his grace and glories right, for a belly full of drink, for the which he is excluded out of Heaven, Gal. 5.21. so that, when that shall be so fearfully accomplished, he may miserably say thus, O God, for how short a pleasure have I given over so great a felicity! when with the rich glutton in his stery torments, he shall not be piried with one drop of water to quench his endless and unquenchable thirst. What will the drunkards say, when that hand-writing shall appear against them, which appeared against Belsh [...]zzar in his drunkenness, Dan. 5. and shy Mene, Mene, Tekel upharsin; God hath numbred thy Kingdom, and finished it, and thou art weighed in the balance [Page]and found too light, &c. What wilt thou say if God should call thee to an account for thy [...]e wardship, Luke 16. (even in the midst of thy drunkenness) and say, thou shalt he no longer steward, because thou hast wasted thy Masters goods, yet for all this, it is hard to cure a man that is given to drunkenness; it is difficult to speak to the belly, which hath no ears, it is folly to rebuke a drunken man, 1 Sam. 25.36. Lycurgus to cure drunkenness, caused all the vines to be cut down. Diogenes when he was urged to drink beyond measure, did cast the drink on the ground saying, If I do drink all this, not then the liquor, but my self would be destroyed: therefore it is good to eschew the company of drunkards; one diseased sheep infe [...]s the whole flock. The consideration of the filthy manners of drunkards is a great preservative to an honest heart. This was the remedy that Anacharsis used, having ever before his eye the most filthy and unseemly manners of the intemperate. Call also frequently to mind when thou art sober, those filthy things that thou hast used, said, or done, when thou wast drunken. Plato willed did disciples when they were drunk to behold themselves in a mirrour, that they might the more detest their own manners. If thou couldst fall into spiritual thriety, wherein there is a wonderful thirst for the fountain of life, and [Page]wouldest replenish thy heart with the rivers of the water of life, and couldst say with David, Psal. 42.1, 2. Like as the hart p [...]nt [...]h afte [...] the water brooks, so long [...]th my soul after thee, O God; my sould is a-thirst for God, yea [...] even for the living God, when shall I come to appear before the presence of God. In that case thou wouldst easily bridle thy self from that hodily, and more than beastly drunkenness. This spiritual ebriety, albeit it he scorned by the prophane, as may he seen in the example of Hanna the mother of, Samuel, I Sam & in the Apostles Acts 2.4, 13. when they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, some mocked, and some said. they are full of new wine; yet let us sand [...]ste our spiritual thirst, Eph. 5.18. And be filled with the spirit. Joyn herewithal prayer, hearing of the word, meditation of Gods love, of Christs drath and union with us, and how that our bodies are the temples of the holy spirit, and that God beholdeth us as a jud [...]e whose wrath is [...]rong, remembring always the last day of our life, and the world, and look to thy particular calling, that by no means thou disgrace it by brunkenness, nor hinder it, but rather dignifie it by temperance. Lo this purpose it is said, Prov. 31.4, 5. It is not for Kings, O Lemuel, it is not for Kings to drink wine, nor for Princes strong drink, lest he drink and forget the [Page]decree, and change the judgement of the Children of affliction. Consider also thy Christian calling, that thou art a child of the light, that thou shouldst walk In the light, and not a child of darkness, that thy intention may be to walk always honesly, Rom. 13.13. as in the day, and not in drunkenness, Ti [...]. 2.12. For the grace of God, that bringeth solvation unto all men, hath appeared, and teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live righteously, godly, and temperately in this present world.
Civil laws well set down, but better executed, would he great helps against this malady to correct it. At least, the Persim law authorised by king Ahashuetus, Es [...]h. 1.8. was excreeding good to restrain some degrees of this implety which was, that none should compel another to dringk; for so the King had appointed; that they should do according to every mans pleasures that drink is most pleasant, that suf [...] r [...]th a mans self. Plato's law was, not to drink to another. As drunkenness groweth by cu stome, so it doth fade by abstinence. As did the Rechabi [...]s in their constant abstinence from wine, at the commandment of one Jonad [...]. Jer. 35.5, 6, 19. Jeremiah set before them po [...]s full of wine, and cups, and said unto them, drink wine. But they said, we will drink no wine, [Page]for Jonadab said, You shall drink no wine, neither you nor your Sons for ever, &c. We obey his voice, we drink [...]o wine all our dayes, neither we, our wives, our sons nor our daughters, so the Rechabites kept this command. Therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, Jonadad the son of Rechab, shall not want a man, to stand before me for ever, his posterity shall continue, and be in my favour for ever, because thou hast obeyed thy fathers command. Surely this is one sufficient motive for to induce every one unto [...]ob [...]tery. W [...]en the drink is in the cup it is in thy power; when it is in the body thou art in the power of it; when thou drinkest thou u [...]est the wine as thou pleasest, but after thou bast drunken, it will handle thée as it pleaseth; it is an easte entry, pea, a most [...]ppery step to drunkenness. Consider also that God and nature hath given thée thé narrowest womb, and the straitest throat above all living creatures, that thou mayst learn thereby to be most sober, a Thes. 5.5.6. be instructed in the grace of God, Tit. 2.11, 12. watch for Christs second coming, Luk. 21.24. Drink as thou wert to drink no more. Be careful to fill thy heart with grace, Eph. 5.18. Heb. 13.9. Put on the Lard Jesus, Rom. 13.14. Gol. 5.24. Be strong in the inner man, Eph. 3.16. Let nat thy table be a snare to thee, Psal. 69.23. Replenish thy heart with [Page]the spirit, before thou fill it with drink, with spiritual gladness, and a thankful heart begin thy drinking, Eph. 5.18, 19. J [...]el 2.26. and all thy actions respect Gods glory. 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. And then thou shall call upon the name of the Lord, and he will heart the, and he will be with thee in trouble; and be will deliver thee, Psal. 91.15.
A perswasion to Temperance, and some motives for to induce us thereunto; shewing the dangerous effects that come of drunkenness, &c.
Dost in a morning savour drink that's strong? Then do not drink thy mornings draught too long: