A Warning-piece to all drunkards and health-drinkers faithfully collected from the works of English and foreign learned authors of good esteem, Mr. Samuel Ward and Mr. Samuel Clark, and others ...

A Warning-piece to all drunkards and health-drinkers faithfully collected from the works of English and foreign learned authors of good esteem, Mr. Samuel Ward and Mr. Samuel Clark, and others ...

Table of contents

Title page

THE PREFACE.

A COLLECTION Of Some part of A SERMON Long since Preached by Mr. SAMUEL WARD of IPSWICH, Entituled, A Wo to Drunkards: He lived in the dayes of Famous King JAMES, and was like Righteous Lot, whose Soul was vexed with the wicked Conversation of the Sodomites: He published divers other good Sermons. His Text was in

Here followeth above one Hundred and twenty various, sad, and fearful Examples of Gods Judgments on notorious Drunkards and Health-Drinkers in England and Foreign Countreys, with the places they Lived in; twelve of the chief are Graved on Copper Plates, to deterr all others from the like Provoking Sins, least the like Judgments do befall them.

Scripture Examples of Drunkenness.

Scriptural Examples.

More Scriptural Examples of Drunkenness, and how that great Sin hath been punished.

Other Examples Forreign and Domestick.

More Forreign Examples of Drunkenness and Drunkards.

More Examples worthy of serious Consideration.

I shall here give you a short Relation how Nathaniel Butler, who murthered his Friend John Knight in Milk-street, London, August 6. Ann. 1657. behaved himself.

Here followeth a True Relation of the Wicked Life, and Shameful-happy Death of Thomas Savage; Imprisoned, Justly condemned, and Twice Executed at Ratcliff, for his Bloody Fact in Killing his Fellow-servant, on Wednesday, Octob. 28. 1668.

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Ten several Arguments to prove that Drunkenness is a great, a Dangerous and a Woful Sin.

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HIS MAJESTIES PROCLAMATION AGAINST Vicious, Debauch'd, and Prophane Persons, and against drinking his Health.

See the Dialogue between Tory and Timothy in the Weekly Pacquet of Aug. 5. 1681. This passage:

Such as will not refrain from Intemperate drinking, and be reclamed by Scripture, Arguments, and Examples, let the regard of their Bodily Health move them: From these weighty reasons of Doctor Maynwaring's, shewing how it impairs their Health many wayes. Preservaton of Health in the choice of Drinks, and Regular Drinking.

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A Warning-piece TO ALL DRUNKARDS AND Health-Drinkers: Faithfully Collected From the Works of English and Foreign Learned Authors of good Esteem, Mr. Samuel Ward and Mr. Samuel Clark, and others. WITH Above one Hundred and twenty sad and dreadful Examples of Gods severe Judgements upon notorious Drunkards: Twelve of the Chiefest are Graved in Copper-Plates, to Deterr others from the like provoking sins, and Healths with a Huzza. TO WHICH IS ADDED His Majesties Proclamation against Vicious, Debauched, Prophane Persons, and Drinkers of his Health. ALSO Some Cautions of a Learned Doctor of Physick, declaring how Intemperate Drinking destroyes our bodily Health and Strength.

Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum.

London, Printed for the Author, and are to be sold by Langley Curtis at the Sign of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey near Fleet-bridge, 1682.

THE PREFACE.

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IT was once the distressed Case of those Mariners in Jonah, that by no means could save themselves from Shipwrack, they rowed and they prayed, and they did what men could doe, and yet the Sea wrought, and the angry waves beat upon them, till that sleepy Jonah, for whose sake it was this Evil came upon them, was thrown over-board into the Sea. It were worth the while to sit down and think in this perilous season of delusion and division, whereby men are all in a Tempest, the great God influencing the storms in his just Indignation; and though there are those that rowe hard and pray hard, no abatement of the danger, but the Heavens are darker and darker over our heads: I say it were worth the while to enquire into the Provocation, what the Cause is of these swellings of Jordan, and Innundations of such Seas that we never saw worse, nor more dangerous to destroy us all: like that Tempest upon the Adriatick Sea, of which the Apostle gave his Opinion, That this Voyage would be with hurt and much damage, not only of the Lading and Ship, but also of their Lives, Act. 27. It is readily confest of all hands amongst those that pretend to the least degree of Wisdom, That sin in general is the Cause of all this. They must assemble themselves amongst those that sit in the Seat of Scorners, and declare themselves to have [Page] taken the highest degree in Atheism and defiance of a God, that will not yield us this point: They must arest the Reins of Providential Government out of Gods hands, and put them into the hands of blind Chance and Fortune, and then the World is like to be well governed; and those of this Belief may chance to get to Heaven, if blind Fortune do but know the way. But now the question will rise, For whose sins? and for what sins? For the first of these, it must necessarily be granted, that the sins of great men have more of the spirit of Provocation in them, than the sins of men of low degree: and the sins of the Priests are more full of bloody Circumstances than the sins of the Laity, and the Epidemicalness of sin cryes for Extirpation with a louder voice, than the sins of some few diseased persons that through Incogitancy have made themselves out of frame. And further, the more Mercies and Deliverances men sin against, and the greater Gospellight, and the more sacred Vows and Resolutions they sin against, the more is their sin like to bring down such kind of Judgments as shall not be prayed away: And these Reflections will justifie God in the Equality of his proceedings, if we all perish from off this good Land. But if you ask me for what particular sin, or way of sinning it is that the Lord is angry with us; I would as soon lay the blame upon the Drunkenness of the Nation, as upon any one branch of that Prophaneness that is gone abroad. And the reasons are these.

1. The bewitching, besotting nature of Drunkenness: It doth not turn men into Beasts, as some think, for a Beast scorns it: I do n't know that ever I saw a Beast drunk (unless it were a Swine) in my life. But it turns them into Fools and Sots, dehominates them, turns them out of their own Essences for the time, and so disfigures them, that God saith, Non est haec Imago mea, This is not my Image; and so cares not what Judgments he lets fall upon their heads: And this Insatuation is more eminently seen in the Poorer sort, that earn their Money hardest, and pay most [Page] for their Drink: For when others pay their Money, these pay their Time also, which is more than their Money, besides the loss of Trade and other possible advantages: That others drink Sack cheaper than▪ they pay for their Beer and Ale, all things considered; and their poor Wives and Children by this Means are in want of Bread for their Mouths▪ And will not God be avenged upon such a sin as This? Their Money burns in their Pockets, but it will burn worse in their Conscieces, if ever God shew them Mercy.

2. Drunkenness is the general Rendezvouze of all sin, the common Parent of the greatest Provocations. Even the worst of men when they are drunk, do that which if they were sober they would blush to be found guilty of. Men naturally quiet, good humor'd, moderate in sinning, as one may say, when they are themselves; are by Drunkenness metamorphos'd into such Extravagancies, you would not think them to be the same men: Thus having their natural tempers well soaked in strong Liquors, they are framable into any shape. Satan calls for: Would he have a Swearer? give him a Provocation, and there he is: An Adulterer? bring him a Temptation, and there he is: A Persecutor, he swears by all that's Sacred, he will root all the Professors out of the Countrey. Satan can mould him into any shape, and raise a Devil out of a Samuel by this Artifice. And how can the Sea but boyl, when all the foul Spirits are blowing up a flame underneath? Nations must needs reel, when the Inhabitants can't stand upon their feet; and God must needs strike, when he hath an advantage given him to cut off all sorts of sins at one blow.

3. And as to Health-drinking, it is an Engine invented by the Devil, to carry on the Sin of Drunkenness with the greater ease and Infallibility, by which men must either be suspected of their Loyalty to their Sovereign, or Respect to their Friends (neither of which any sober man can be defective in) if they refuse it, though upon conscientious Principles: and so it becomes a great snare to those that would [Page] be temperte: Every man at all times hath not consideration enough to give him a convincing Evidence, that Loyalty and Respect to others, is not proper to be shewn in so absurd a Method; and so this poysoned Health goeth down (right or wrong) the Throats of those that do n't think what they do. Here the sin lies chiefly, though not only, upon the Imposer; as our Saviour said, Wo to the World because of Offences, but wo be to him by whom the Offence comes: Wo to the Imposers of Healths, which commonly happens to be some ordinary Fellow in the Company, that hath nothing but that single Ceremony to commend his Love or Loyalty to the World, who also having a tumor of Pride in him, hath no way to overtop and command his Superiours, but upon the advantage of the Laws of Drunkenness.

Moreover, it is a Custom of Sinning only proper for those that are upon the design of Mortgaging their Senses: for there is no sence in it or reason for it? How can any man drink anothers Health? Or by what new kind of Transubstantiation can his Health be converted into a glass of Liquor? or if so! what's the man the better, to have his health drank into my Body, and then piss'd out again against the walls? And why not Eat his Health, rather than Drink it? and so bring up a new fashion of Eating of Healths, to subserve the Intemperances of the sin of Gluttony.

Sometimes it is expressed by drinking a health to the Confusion of, &c. and here's Nonsence upon the neck of Nonsence, which is perfect Foolery, as patch upon patch is plain Beggery: A health to the Confusion—If they mean a Confusion to the health, as I think they do, why is it exprest quite contrary to what they mean? unless it be to give us to understand, that men that will begin a health are enter'd upon speaking of Nonsence, and may be lookt on as half drunk already.

But laying all this aside, they say all these are Modes and Ceremonies in drinking; and their meaning is no more, but only to pray for the Health and Prosperity of such and such▪ [Page] Which is the reason they are at it in a posture of Prayer, standing up, standing bare, sometimes kneeling upon their knees, as Supplicants do to God Almighty: But will any rational man think these men at Prayers? Are these praying postures? Did God ever command, or his People ever apply to the Throne in this manner of Address? Have men lived to this age, and cannot yet distinguish between drinking intemperately and praying fervently? as if to Pray were to Drink, and to Drink were to Pray! Worse than Pagan Idolatry, to offer at the Throne of the Great God, with a glass of Wine in our hand! It may be praying to Bacchus, but not to God. Heaven must needs be shut against these Prayings: And to what purpose is any mans health prayed for, by such kind of Prayers, so circumstanced, as we are very sure that God will throw them back as dung in the faces of those that thus disorderly put them up? What hast thou to do to take his Name in thy Mouth, when thou hatest to be reformed? To see the Postures of Health-drinkers, singing, and roaring, hollowing and carousing, and Huzzaing after a new fashion, sometimes quarrelling, and challenging, and duelling; can any man that hath not his Wits in his Pocket, think these men at Prayers?

Now because we find by Experience; and from the Nature of the thing, that these prodigious kind of Offenders we now speak of, are under no likelihood to be perswaded out of their cursed way by Arguments drawn from the Love of Christ, or Hope of Glory, which are things they do n't trouble their heads about; or fear of Hell, (let them alone till that day;) The Author of these Collections hath very well and to good purpose gather'd up together out of several Authors, several Instances of the Judgments of God taking these Sinners in the very fact, and tacking them up as dreadful Instances and Examples of his great Abomination of, and declared Vengeance against this sort of Sinners more specially; that reading these Histories we may prevent being made a History our selves: And though they are but Collections, I do n't know why a good dish may not be twice set upon the [Page] Table. There are several late Instances of Gods Vengeance upon Drunkards, thundred down upon the heads of many of them in our Age; the publication of which is forborn, out of a tender respect to their Relations yet surviving: The next Generation will be able to set forth remarkable Stroaks from Heaven upon some, (and no mean ones neither.) But least I transgress the bounds of a Preface, no more, kind Reader, but my love to thy Soul remembred, with my earnest Prayer to God for the Health of Sion, and all that love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.

Farewell.

A COLLECTION Of Some part of A SERMON Long since Preached by Mr. SAMUEL WARD of IPSWICH, Entituled, A Wo to Drunkards: He lived in the dayes of Famous King JAMES, and was like Righteous Lot, whose Soul was vexed with the wicked Conversation of the Sodomites: He published divers other good Sermons. His Text was in

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PROV. XXIII. Vers. 29, 32.‘To whom is Woe? to whom is Sorrow? to whom is Strife, &c? In the end it will bite like a Serpent, and sting like a Cockatrice’

He begins thus:

SEer, art thou also blind? Watchman, art thou also drunk, or asleep? Or hath a Spirit of slumber put out thine Eyes? Up to thy Watch-Tower, what descriest thou? Ah Lord! what end or number is there of the Vanities which mine Eyes are weary of beholding? But what seest thou? I see men walking like the tops of trees shaken with the wind, like Masts of Ships reeling on the tempestuous Seas: Drunkenness I mean, that hatefull Night-bird; which was wont to wait for the Twilight, to seek Nooks and Corners, to avoid the howling and wonderment of Boyes and Girles; Now as if it were some Eaglet, to dare the Sun-light, to fly abroad at high Noon in every Street, in open Markets and Fairs, without fear or shame, without controul or punishment, to the disgrace of the Nation, the out-facing of Magistracy and [Page] Ministry, the utter undoing (without timely prevention) of Health and Wealth, Piety and Vertue, Town and Countrey, Church and Common-wealth. And doest thou like a dumb Dog hold thy peace at these things? dost thou with Solomon's Sluggard fold thine hands in thy Bosom, and give thy self to ease and drowsiness, while the envious man causeth the noisomest and basest of Weeds to over-run the choicest Eden of God? Up and Arise, lift up thy Voice, spare not, and cry aloud? What shall I cry? Cry, Woe and Woe again unto the Crown of Pride, the Drunkards of Ephraim. Take up a Parable, and tell them how it stingeth like the Cockatrice; declare unto them the deadly poyson of this odious Sin. Shew them also the Soveraign Antidote and Cure of it, in the Cup that was drunk off by Him that was able to overcome it: Cause them to behold the brazen Serpent, and be healed. And what though some of these deaf Adders will not be charmed nor cured; yea though few or none of this swinish Herd of habitual Drunkards, accustomed to wallow in their mire; yea, deeply and irrecoverably plunged by legions of Devils into the dead Sea of their filthiness? what if not one of them will be washed and made clean, but turn again to their Vomit, and trample the Pearls of all Admonition under feet; yea, turn again and rend their Reprovers with scoffs and scorns, making Jests and Songs on their Ale-bench? Yet may some young ones be deterred, and some Novices reclaimed, some Parents and Magistrates awakened to prevent and suppress the spreading of this Gangrene: And God have his work in such as belong to his Grace. And what is impossible to the work of his Grace?

Go to then now ye Drunkards, listen, not what I or any ordinary Hedge-Priest (as you style us) but that most wise and experienced Royal Preacher hath to say unto you. And because you are a dull and thick eared Generation, he first deals with you by way of Question, a figure of force and impression: To whom is woe, &c? You use to [Page] say, Woe be to Hypocrites; It's true, wo be to such and all other witting and willing Sinners; but there are no kind of Offenders on whom Woe doth so palpably, inevitably attend, as to you Drunkards. You promise your selves Mirth, Pleasure, and Jollity in your Cups; but for one drop of your mad Mirth, be sure of Gallons and Tons of Woe, Gall, Wormwood, and bitterness here and hereafter. Other Sinners shall taste of the Cup, but you shall drink off the dregs of God's Wrath and Displeasure. To whom is Strife? You talk of good fellowship and friendship, but Wine is a rager and tumultuous, a mocker, a make-bate, and sets you a quarrelling, and medling. When wit's out of the Head, and strength out of the Body, it thrusts even Cowards and Dastards, unfenced and unarmed, into needless Frayes and Combats: And then to whom are Wounds, broken Heads, blew Eyes, maimed Limbs? You have a drunken by-word, Drunkards take no harm; but how many are the mishaps and untimely misfortunes that betide such, which though they feel not in drink, they carry as marks and brands unto their Grave. You pretend you drink Healths, and for Health; but to whom are all kind of Diseases, Infirmities, Deformities, pearled Faces, Palsies, Dropsies, Head-aches, if not to Drunkards?

All Interpreters agree, that he means some most virulent Serpent, whose Poyson is pleasant and deadly. All the woes he hath mentioned before, were but as the sting of some Emmet, Wasp or Nettle, in comparison of this Cockatrice, which is even unto death; death speedy, death painful, and woful death, and that as naturally and inevitably as Opium procureth Sleep, as Hellebore Purgeth, or any Poyson killeth.

Three forked is the Sting, and threefold is the Death it procureth to all that are stung therewith. The first is, the Death of Grace; the second is, of the Body; the third is, of Soul and Body eternal. All sin is the Poyson wherewithall the old Serpent and red Dragon envenomes [Page] the Soul of Man, but no sin (except it be that which is unto Death) so mortal as this, which though not ever unpardonably, yet for the most part is also irrecoverably and inevitably unto death. Seest thou one bitten with any other Snake, there is hope and help; as the Father said of his Son, when he had information of his Gaming, of his Prodigality, yea, of his Whoring; but when he heard that he was Poysoned with Drunkenness, he gave him for dead, his case for desperate and forlorn.

The Adulterer and Usurer desire to enjoy their Sin alone, but the chiefest pastime of a Drunkard is to heat and overcome others with Wine, that he may discover their nakedness, and glory in their Foyl and folly. In a word, excess of Wine, and the spirit of Grace are opposites; the former expells the latter out of the Heart, as Smoak doth Bees out of the Hive; and makes the man a meer Slave and Prey to Satan and his snares; when, by this Poyson he hath put out his Eyes, and spoyled him of his strength, he useth him as the Philistines did Sampson, leads him in a string whither he pleaseth, like a very drudge, scorn and make-sport to himself and his Imps; makes him grind in the Mill of all kind of Sins and Vices. And that I take to be the reason why Drunkenness is not specially prohibited in any one of the Ten Commandments, because it is not the single breach of any one, but in effect the violation of all and every one: It is no one sin, but all sins, because it is the In let and Sluce to all other Sins. The Devil having moistened and steeped him in his Liquor, shapes him like soft Clay, into what mould he pleaseth; having shaken off his Rudder and Pilot, dashes his Soul upon what Rocks, Sands, and Syrts he listeth, and that with as much ease as a man may push down his Body with the least thrust of his Hand or Finger. He that in his right Wits and sober mood seems Religious, modest, chast, courteous, secret; in his drunken fits, swears, blasphemes, rages, strikes, talks filthily, [Page] blabs all secrets, commits folly, knows no difference of Persons or Sexes, becomes wholly at Satans command, as a dead Organ, to be enacted at his will and pleasure. Oh that God would be pleased to open the Eyes of some Drunkard, to see what a Dunghill and Carrion his Soul is become, and how loathsome effects follow upon thy spiritual death, and sting of this Cockatrice, which is the Fountain of the other two following, temporal and eternal death.

How terrible a Theater of God's Judgments against Drunkards, such as might make their Hearts to bleed and relent, if not their Ears to tingle; to hear of a taste of some few such noted and remarkable Examples of God's Justice, as have come within the compass of mine own notice, and certain knowledge; I think I should offend to conceal them from the World, whom they may happily keep from being the like to others themselves.

Here followeth above one Hundred and twenty various, sad, and fearful Examples of Gods Judgments on notorious Drunkards and Health-Drinkers in England and Foreign Countreys, with the places they Lived in; twelve of the chief are Graved on Copper Plates, to deterr all others from the like Provoking Sins, least the like Judgments do befall them.

1. AN Alewife in Kesgrave near to Ipswich, who would needs force three Serving-men (that had been drinking in her House, and were taking their leaves) to stay and drink the three Outs first; that is, Wit out of the Head, Money out of the Purse, Ale out of the Pot; as she was coming towards them with the Pot in her [Page] Hand, was suddenly taken speechless and sick, her Tongue swoln in her Mouth, never recovered Speech, the third day after died. This Sir Antheny Felton, the next Gentleman and Justice, with divers other Eye-witnesses of her Sickness, related to me; whereupon I went to the House with two or three Witnesses, and inquired the truth of it.

2. Two Servants of a Brewer in Ipswich, drinking for a Rump of a Turkey, strugling in their drink for it, fell into a scalding Cauldron backwards; whereof the one died presently, the other lingringly and painfully, since my coming to Ipswich.

3. Anno 1619. A Miller in Bromeswell coming home drunk from Woodbridge, (as he often did) would needs go and Swim in the Mill-pond; his Wife and Servants knowing he could not Swim, disswaded him; once by intreaty got him out of the Water, but in he would needs go again, and there was Drowned; I was at the House to inquire of this, and found it to be true.

4. In Barnwell near to Cambridge, one at the Sign of the Plough, a lusty young man, with two of his Neighbours and one Woman in their company, agreed to drink a Barrel of strong Beer, they drank up the Vessel; three of them died within twenty four hours, the fourth hardly escaped after great Sickness. This I have under a Justice of Peace his Hand near dwelling, besides the common fame.

5. A Butcher in Hastingfield hearing the Minister inveigh against Drunkenness, being at his Cups in the Ale-house, fell a jesting and scoffing at the Minister and his Sermons; and as he was drinking, the Drink, or something in the Cup quackled him, stuck so in his Throat, that he could get it neither up nor down, but strangled him presently.

6. At Tillingham in Dengy Hundred in Essex, three young men meeting to drink Strong-waters, fell by degrees to [Page] half pints: One fell dead in the Room, and the other prevented by Company coming in, escaped not without much sickness.

7. At Bungey in Norfolk, three coming out of an Ale-house in a very dark Evening, swore, they thought it was not darker in Hell it self: One of them fell off the Bridge into the water, and was drowned: the second fell off his Horse, the third sleeping on the Ground by the Rivers-side, was frozen to death: This have I often heard, but have no certain ground for the Truth of it.

8. A Bayliff of Hadly, upon the Lords-day, being drunk at Melford, would needs get upon his Mare, to ride through the Street, affirming (as the Report goes) That his Mare would carry him to the Devil; His Mare casts him off, and broke his Neck instantly. Reported by sundry sufficient Witnesses.

9. Company drinking in an Ale-house at Harwich in the Night, over against one Master Russels, and by him out of his Window once or twice willed to depart; at length he came down, and took one of them, and made as if he would carry him to Prison, who drawing his Knife, fled from him, and was three dayes after taken out of the Sea with the Knife in his hand. Related to me by Master Russel himself, Maior of the Town.

10. At Tenby in Pembrokeshire, a Drunkard being exceeding drunk, broke himself all to pieces off an high and steep Rock, in a most fearful manner; and yet the occasion and circumstances of his fall were so ridiculous, as I think not fit to relate, lest, in so serious a Judgment, I should move Laughter to the Reader.

11. A Glasier in Chancery-Lane in London, noted formerly for Profession, fell to a common course of drinking, whereof being oft by his Wife and many Christian friends admonished, yet presuming much of Gods mercy to himself, continued therein; till upon a time, having [Page] surcharged his Stomach with drink, he fell a vomiting, broke a Vein, lay two dayes in extream pain of Body, and distress of Mind, till in the end recovering a little comfort, he died: Both these Examples related to me by a Gentleman of worth upon his own knowledge.

12. Four sundry Instances of Drunkards wallowing and tumbling in their drink, slain by Carts; I forbear to mention, because such examples are so common and ordinary.

13. A Yeoman's Son in Northampton-shire, who being drunk at Wellingborough on a Market-day, would needs ride his Horse in a bravery over the plowed-lands, fell from his Horse, and brake his Neck: Reported to me by a Kinsman of his own.

14. A Knight notoriously given to Drunkenness, carrying sometime Payls of drink into the open Field, to make people drunk withall; being upon a time drinking with Company, a Woman comes in, delivering him a Ring with this Posie, Drink and die; saying to him, This is for you, which he took and wore, and within a week after came to his end by drinking: Reported by sundry, and justified by a Minister dwelling within a Mile of the place.

15. Two Examples have I known of Children that murthered their own Mothers in drink; and one notorious Drunkard that attempted to kill his Father; of which being hindred, he fired his Barn, and was afterward executed: one of these formerly in Print.

16. At a Tavern in Breadstreet in London, certain Gentlemen drinking Healths to their Lords, on whom they had dependance; one desperate Wretch steps to the Tables end, layes hold on a Pottle-pot full of Canary-sack, swears a deep Oath; What will none here drink a Health to my noble Lord and Master? and so setting the Pottle-pot to his mouth, drinks it off to the bottom; was not able to rise up, or to speak when he had done, but fell into a deep snoaring sleep, and being removed, [Page]

One Drunk Vomiting broke a Vein after 2 days great pain Dyed.

4. being Drunk were Slain by Carts.

One Drunk Rideing over plowed - lands fell and broke his neck.

a Child that murthered his Mother he being Drunk.

[Page] [Page] laid aside, and covered by one of the Servants of the House, attending the time of the drinking, was within the space of two hours irrecoverably dead: Witnessed at the time of the Printing hereof by the same Servant that stood by him in the Act, and helpt to remove him.

17. In Dengy Hundred near Mauldon, about the beginning of his Majesties Reign, there fell out an extraordinary Judgment upon five or six that plotted a solemn drinking at one of their Houses, laid in Beer for the once, drunk Healths in a strange manner, and died thereof within a few weeks, some sooner, and some later: witnessed to me by one that was with one of them on his deathbed, to demand a Debt, and often spoken of by Mr. Heydon, late Preacher of Mauldon, in the hearing of many: The particular circumstances were exceeding remarkable, but having not sufficient proof for the particulars, I will not report them.

18. One of Aylesham in Norfolk, a notorious Drunkard, was drowned in a shallow Brook of Water, with his Horse by him.

19. Whilest this was at the Press, a man eighty five years old, or thereabout, in Suffolk, overtaken with Wine, (though never in all his Life before, as he himself said a little before his fall, seeming to bewail his present condition, and others that knew him, so say of him) yet going down a pair of stairs (against the perswasion of a woman sitting by him in his Chamber) fell, and was so dangerously hurt, as he died soon after, not being able to speak from the time of his fall to his death.

The Names of the Parties thus punished, I forbear for the Kindreds sake yet living.

If conscionable Ministers of all places of the Land would give notice of such Judgments, as come within the compass of their certain knowledge, it might be a great means to suppress this Sin, which reigns every where to the scandal of our Nation, and high displeasure of Almighty God.

[Page]These may suffice for a taste of Gods Judgments: Easie were it to abound in sundry particular Casualties, and fearful Examples of this nature. Drunkard, that which hath befallen any one of these, may befall thee, if thou wilt dally with this Cockatrice; whatever leagues thou makest with Death, and dispensations thou givest thy self from the like. Some of these were Young, some were rich, some thought themselves as wise as thou; none of them ever looked for such ignominious ends, more than thou, whoever thou art: if thou hatest such ends, God give thee Grace to decline such courses.

If thou beest yet insensate with Wine, void of Wit and Fear, I know not what further to mind thee of, but of that third and worst Sting of all the rest, which will ever be gnawing, and never dying: which if thou wilt not fear here, sure thou art to feel there, when the Red Dragon hath gotten thee into his Den, and shall fill thy Soul with the gall of Scorpions, where thou shalt yell and howl for a drop of water to cool thy Tongue withall, and shalt be denied so small a refreshing, and have no other liquor to allay thy thirst but that which the lake of Brimstone shall afford thee: And that worthily, for that thou wouldest incurr the wrath of the Lamb for so base and sordid a sin as Drunkenness, of which thou mayest think as venially and slightly as thou wilt. But Paul that knew the danger of it, gives thee fair warning, and bids thee not deceive thy self, expresly and by name mentioning it among the mortal sins, excluding from the Kingdom of Heaven. And the Prophet Esay tells thee, That for it Hell hath enlarged it self, opened its mouth wide, and without measure; and therefore shall the multitude and their pomp, and the jollyest among them descend into it. Consider this, you that are strong to pour in drink, that love to drink sorrow and care away: And be you well assured, that there you shall drink enough for all, having for every drop of your [Page] former Bousings, Vials, yea, whole Seas of God's Wrath, never to be exhaust.

Now then I appeal from your selves in drink, to your selves in your sober fits. Reason a little the case, and tell me calmly, would you for your own, or any mans pleasure, to gratifie Friend or Companion, if you knew there had been a Toad in the Wine-pot (as twice I have known happened to the death of Drinkers?) or did you think that some Caesar Borgia, or Brasutus had tempered the Cup? or did you see but a Spider in the Glass, would you, or durst you carouse it off? And are you so simple to fear the Poyson that can kill the Body, and not that which killeth the Soul and Body ever; yea, for ever and ever, and if it were possible for more than for ever, for evermore? Oh thou vain Fellow, what tellest thou me of Friendship, or good Fellowship! wilt thou account him thy Friend, or good Fellow, that draws thee into his company, that he may poyson thee? and never thinks he hath given thee right entertainment, or shewed thee kindness enough, till he hath killed thy Soul with his kindness; and with Beer made thy Body a Carkass fit for the Biere, a laughing and Loathing-stock, not to Boys and Girls alone, but to Men and Angels? Why rather sayest thou not to such, What have I to do with you, ye Sons of Belial, ye poysonful Generation of Vipers, that hunt for the precious life of a man? Oh but there are few good Wits, or great Spirits now a days, but will Pot it a little for company, What hear I? Oh base and low-spirited times, if that were true! If we were fallen into such Lees of Time foretold of by Seneca, in which all were so drowned in the dregs of Vices, that it should be Vertue and Honour to bear most drink. But thanks be to God, who hath reserved many thousands of men▪ and without all comparison more witty and valorous than such Pot-wits, and Spirits of the Buttery, who never bared their knees to drink health, nor ever needed [Page] to whet their Wits with Wine; or arm their Courage with Pot-harness. And if it were so, yet if no such Wits or Spirits shall ever enter into Heaven without Repentance, let my Spirit never come and enter into their Paradise; ever abhor to partake of their bruitish pleasures, lest I partake of their endless woes. If young Cyrus could refuse to drink Wine, and tell Astyages, He thought it to be Poyson, for he saw it metamorphose men into Beasts and Carkases; what would he have said, if he had known that which we may know, that the Wine of Drunkards is the Wine of Sodom and Gomorrah; their Grapes, the Grapes of gall; their clusters, the clusters of Bitterness, the Juyce of Dragons, and the venome of Asps.

Scripture Examples of Drunkenness.

THe Sin of Drunkenness is a bewitching sin, Hos. 4. 11. It steals away the heart from God and all goodness: It is an old sin, it began presently after the Flood. It is a malignant sin, it drowns the Brain, wastes the Time, consumes the Estate. And fills the Body with as many diseases as hath an Horse; It is an Epidemical sin, that hath almost drowned the whole world with another deluge: In these modern times it began in Germany, whence grew that proverb,

Germani possunt cunctos tolerare Labores:

O Utinam possint tam bene ferre sitim!

The Germans can all Labours undergo,

Would they as well could bear their thirst also.

But since it hath infected all Europe: It is grown into Fashion, to Quaff Soul-sick healths till they make themselves like Swine, and worse than beasts: whence one gives us this excellent rule:

[Page]

Una Salus sanis, nullam potare Salutem:

Non est in pota vera Salute Salus.

Drinking no healths you drink your health they say:

And drinking healths you drink your health away.

Scriptural Examples.

‘The odiousness and danger of this sin may further appear to us by these following Scriptures and Examples. Drunkenness dangerous, Prov. 23. 29. &c.’ Who hath wo? who hath Sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? & 31. 4. It is not for Kings, O Lemuel, it is not for Kings to drink Wine: nor for Princes, strong drink: Deut. 21. 20. And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our Son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice: he is a glutton, and a drunkard; Prov. 20. 1. Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby, is not Wise. Hos. 4. 11. Whoredom, and wine, and new wine take away the Heart. Nah. 1. 10. For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry. 1 Cor. 11. 21. For in eating every one taketh before other, his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

Threatened, Isai. 5. 11, 22. Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink, that continue untill night till Wine inflame them. 22. Woe unto them that are mighty to drink Wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink. Amos 6. 6. That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for affliction of Joseph. Prov. 23. 21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall cloath a man with rags. Isa. 28. 1. 3▪ Wo to the Crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim: [Page] whose glorious beauty is as a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine. V. 3. The Crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim shall be troden under feet. Joel 1. 5. Awake ye drunkards, and weep and howl all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine, for it is cut off from your mouth. 1 Cor. 6. 10. Nor Thieves, nor Covetous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor Extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God.

Forbidden, 1 Cor. 5. 11. But now I have written unto you, not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such an one, no not to eat. Luke 22. 34. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the Cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. Eph. 5. 18. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess: but be ye filled with the Spirit: Hab. 2. 15. Wo unto him that giveth his neighbour drink: that puttest thy bottle to him▪ and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness. Mat. 24. 49. And shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken: Luke 12. 45. But and if that servant say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to beat the men-servants, and maidens, and to eat, and drink, and to be drunken, &c. Rom. 13. 13. Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

Staggering is a sign of a drunkard, Job. 12. 25. They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man. Psal. 107. 27. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man; and are at their wits end. Isa. 19. 14. The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to erre in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.

Lot, Gen. 19. 32. Come, let us make our Father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed [Page] of our Father. Noah, Gen. 9. 21. And he drank of the wine, and was drunken, and he was uncovered within his tent. Amalekites, 1 Sam. 30. 16. And when he had brought him down, behold they were spread abroad upon all the Earth, eating, and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. Amnon, 2 Sam. 13. 28. Now Absolom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnons heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon, then kill him, fear not, have not I commanded you? be couragious, and be valiant. Benhadad, 1 Kings 20. 12. And it came to pass when Benhadad heard this message, (as he was drinking, he, and the Kings in the Pavilions) that he said unto his servants, Set your selves in aray. And they set themselves in aray against the city. David made Uriah drunk, 2 Sam. 11 13. And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him, and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his Lord, but went not down to his house. Belshazzar, Dan. 5. 2. Belshazzar whilest he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the Golden and Silver vessels, which his Father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the Temple which was in Jerusalem, that the King and his Princes, his Wives and his Concubines might drink therein. Nabal, 1 Sam. 25. 36. And Abigal came to Nabal, and behold, he held a feast in his house like the feast of a King, and Nabals heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken, wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, untill the morning light.

More Scriptural Examples of Drunkenness, and how that great Sin hath been punished.

THe Amalekites being drunk were destroyed, 1 Sam. 30. 16, v. to the 21. And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating, and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they [Page] had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. And David smote them from the twilight, even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them save four hundred young men which rode upon Camels and fled. And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two Wives. And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither Sons nor Daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all. And David took all the flocks, and the herds, which they drave before those other cattel, and said, This is Davids spoil.

David Recovered all the spoil he had taken at Ziglag and his two Wives: Benhadad King of Assiria being drunk, with thirty two Kings more, is defeated; 1 Kings 20. 16. to the 22. v. And they went out at noon: but Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in the Pavilions, he, and the Kings, the thirty and two Kings that helped him. 17. And the young men of the Princes of the Provinces, went out first, and Benhadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out of Samaria. 18. And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive: or whether they be come out for war, take them alive. 19. So these young men of the Princes of the provinces, came out of the City, and the Army which followed them. 20. And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them: and Benhadad the King of Syria escaped on an horse, with the horsemen. 21. And the King of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.

Elah King of Israel, being drunk, he is slain by Zimri, 1 Kings 16. 8. to the 11. In the twentieth and sixth year of Asa King of Judah, began Elah the Son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah two years. And his servant Zimri (captain of half his Chariots) conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house [Page] of Arza Steward of his house in Tirzah. And Zimri went in, and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and seventh year of Asa King of Judah, and reigned in his stead. Belshazzar being drunk, was slain by God; he praised the Gods of Gold, &c. And in the same hour came out the Hand writing against him, Dan. 5. Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.

King Herod being drunk, caused John Baptist to be beheaded, Mat. 14. 6. to the 12. But when Herods birth-day was kept, the Daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath, to give her whatsoever she would ask. And she being before instructed of her Mother, said, Give me here John Baptists head in a charger. And the King was sorry: nevertheless for the Oaths sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her: And he sent and beheaded John in the prison: And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel, and she brought it to her Mother. Titus 2. 12. Teaching us that denying all ungodliness and wordly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present World. 1 Pet. 4. 3. 4. For the time past of our Life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of Wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries. Wherein they think it strange, that you run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you.

Other Examples Forreign and Domestick.

1. Whilest the Gaul's besieged the Roman Capitol, they sent out a great party to Sack the Countrey thereabouts, who being Loaden with spoil were returning towards Rome: And at night being full of Wine, they laid them down to sleep, not fearing any Enemy: At which time Camillus with his men came upon them, all his Souldiers giving a mighty shout, yet could the Gauls hardly be awakened, they were so deadly drunk, so that they were easily all of them slain either upon the place, or by the Horsemen in the pursuit: Plutarch.

[Page]2. The Tuscans besieging Sturium, (a City that was confederate with Rome) Camillus marched privately with his Army against them, and coming upon them found the Tuscans secure, Eating and Drinking themselves Drunken; by which means he slew most of them without resistance: And thereby freed the City from danger. Plutarch.

3. Many Dutch-men in Joppa drinking themselves drunk upon St. Martins-day (their Arch-Saint,) the Turks came in suddenly upon them, and cut every ones throat, to the number of 2000. And indeed they were quickly stabbed with the Sword, who were Cup-shot before. Fullers Holy War.

4. Edgar King of England perceiving that his people had learned of the Danes (many of which were in this land at that time) to drink excessively, whereupon ensued much Drunkenness, together with many other Vices: He ordained certain wooden Cups with pins, or nails set in them, commonly used, making also a law, That whosoever drank past that mark at one draught, should forfeit a summe of Money, one part to the Informer, and the other to the Judge or Chief Officer. Sp. Chron.

5. Eschines commending Philip King of Macedon for a Jovial man, that would drink freely; Demosthenes Answered, That this was a good quality in a Spunge, but not in a King. Plut. in vit. Demost.

6. Alexander the Great having taken Persepolis, wherein was a stately Pallace of the Kings of Persia, in a drunken fit, by the perswasion of Lais the Harlot, burned it down to the ground. Diod.

7. A Turk having in one of their great Feasts drunk wine too freely (which is a thing forbidden in their Law) being apprehended and carryed before the Gand Visier, and there found guilty, was adjudged to have boiling Lead poured into his Mouth and Ears, which was accordingly executed. Turk. Hist. p. 1332.

[Page]8. Phocas a drunken, bloody and Adulterous Tyrant, was worthily slaughtered by Heraclius, who cut off his hands and feet, and then his privy parts by Piecemeal.

9. Not long since a Souldier in Salisbury, in the midst of his health-drinking and Carousing in a Tavern, drank a health to the Devil, saying, That if the Devil would not come and pledge him, he would not believe that there was either God or Devil. Whereupon his Companions strucken with horror, hastened out of the room; and presently after hearing a hideous noise, and smelling a stinking favour, the Vintner ran up into the Chamber, and coming in he missed his Guest; and found the window broken, the Iron Bar in it bowed, and all bloody; but the man was never heard of afterwards.

10. A young Gentleman being drunk, as he rode homewards was thrown by his Horse, and had his brains dashed out by the Pomel of his Sword.

11. Anno Christi 1629. there was one T. W. a notorious Blasphemer and Drunkard, upon a small occasion being angry with his Wife, not daring to proffer violence to her, drew his Knife and stabbed himself.

12. The same year one J. B. of Ely a Gentlemans Coachman, being exceedingly given to Swearing and Drunkenness, drinking himself drunk on a Sabbath-day at Sermon-time, fell from his Coach-box, and was killed by his Horses.

13. Anno Christi, 1621. one R. B. of Ely, who used to travel on the Sabbath-dayes, seldom or never coming to Church; as he went to the Market at St. Ives being drunk, Gods Judgment overtook him; for going up the River in his Boat, he fell over into the water and was drowned.

14. Anno Christi 1618. one T. A. of Godmanchester, being a common Drunkard, was intreated by a Neighbour to unpitch a Load of Hay: And being at that [Page] time drunk, the Pitchfork slipt out of his hand, which he stooping to take up again, fell from the Cart with his head downward; and the Fork standing with the Tines upward, he fell directly upon them, which striking to his heart killed him immediately.

15. Anno Christi 1628. J. V. of Godmanchester, a known Drunkard and Scoffer at Religion, fell from the top of a Pear▪tree and brake his neck. All these are attested by sundry Godly Ministers.

16. Anno Christi 1551. In Bohemia five Drunkards were Quaffing, and blaspheming the Name of God: And the picture of the Devil being painted upon the wall, they drank healths to him, who the night after paid them their Wages; for they were found dead with their necks broken and quashed to pieces, as if a wheel had gone over them the blood running out of their mouths, nostrils, and ears in a Lamentable manner. Fincelius.

17. A Vintner that accustomed himself to swearing and drunkenness, as he was upon the Lords day standing in his door with a pot in his hand to invite guests, there came suddenly such a violent Whirlewind as carryed him up into the Air, after which he was never more seen.

18. Armitus and Cinanippus, two Syracusians, being drunk, committed Incest with their two Daughters. Plut. The like did Lot, Gen. 19. 33, &c.

19. Cleomenes King of Laceaemonia, drinking himself drunken fell distracted, never recovering his wits again.

20. Anacreon the Poet, a notable drunkard, was choaked with the Husk of a Grape.

21. Zeno the Emperour was such a drunkard, that he would often lye as one dead for many hours, so that he grew odious to all, and to his own Wife, who once sinding him in that case, caused him to be laid in a Tomb, with a great stone on the top of it, where he was miserably pined to death: Platina.

[Page]22. But a few years since in Gloucester-shire, an horrid Patricide was committed by another ungracious Son, being drunken, upon his Father, whom he desperately slew.

23. The like unnatural villany was committed by one Purchas, an Essex Monster, upon the Body of his Mother, whom he slew for the same cause.

24. John Maginus reports, that Fliolmus King of the Goths, was by his drunken Servants thrown headlong into a great Vessel of Ale, and therein drowned.

25. Plato, who elsewhere holds that men should be sober, and forbids drunkenness as an unseemly thing; yet in the Feasts celebrated to Bacchus, he lets loose the reins to intemperancy, and thinks it then no fault at all to be drunk.

26. In the Parish of Castleterra in the county of Cavan in Ireland, a Gentleman when he met with Jovial Comrades, used to drink healths, and to fling the Glasses against the Walls: he delighted also to contradict what Ministers delivered in their Sermons, and having heard one preach of the benefits and tryal of a justifying Faith, after Sermon he demanded of the Preacher, Whether he could remove mountains? If I could see you do that, then (said he) I would believe you had faith, otherwise not; for doth not the Gospel say, If a man have faith but as a grain of Mustard-seed, he shall say to Mountains, Be removed hence, and it shall be done? But at length this Gentleman was strucken with the Small-pox, which got into his throat in such manner, that he could not swallow, nor let down a little Beer to cool his excessive internal heat, wherewith being tormented he broke out into these expressions, to an honest man that stood by: ‘O Thomas, would I could now receive one of those glass-fulls of drink which formerly I have thrown against the walls in a frolick:’ And afterwards when he saw there was no remedy but die he must, he said again, [Page] ‘O! that now I had Faith like a grain of mustard-seed!’ And a little after he deceased, in the fifty seventh year of his age.

27. We read of a drunkard who in the midst of his Cups sold his Soul to the Devil for a Tankard of Wine: And the Devil forthwith had his bargain. Theat. Hist.

28. The like of a Woman, who at a Whitson-Ale fell a cursing God, having nothing but the Devil in her mouth; so long, till at last the Devil came, and hoisting her up into the Air, threw her down again in a place not for remote, where she was found dead.

29. Acosta and Benzo write of the West-Indians, that they are exceedingly given to Drunkenness, the people there for the most part delighting themselves beyond measure in intoxicating their brains in strong Liquors; in which mad and distempered fits they many times commit many salvage Outrages, and unruly pranks one against another, and account it a matter of praise so to do: I saw (saith Acosta) two men coming drunk out of a Tavern, for a very trifle kill one another with the same Sword.

30. Alexander the great, when he was drunk, would hack, and hew, kill, and slay he cared not whom, and oft-times his very Friends; as he did Clytus his dear friend, who had formerly saved his life, whom in a drunken mood he commanded presently to be slain: Neither would he hearken to Ptolomy and Perdiccas, two of his great Captains, who upon their knees would have begged one dayes respite for him: Though the same Alexander when he was sober, would have slain himself for having caused Clytus to be slain. Q. Curt.

31. Tenthio King of the Illyrians, in his drunkenness slew his own brother Pleuratus. Polybius.

32. Of Bonosus the Emperor it was said, that he was born, Non ut vivat, sed ut bibat: Not to live, but to drink: And when (being overcome by Probus) he hanged himself; it was said in scorn that a Tankard hanged there, not a Man.

[Page]33. What a Beast was Marcus Antonius, that he wrote a book in Commendation of his great strength to bear strong drink?

34. Philip King of Macedon in his drunkenness once passing an unrighteous sentence, the Woman concerned therein appealed from Philip now drunk, to Phiilp when he should be sober again.

35. The Carthagenians made a Law that no Magistrate of theirs should drink Wine.

36. The Persians permitted their Kings to be drunk but one day in a year.

37. Solon made a Law at Athens, that drunkenness in a Prince should be punished with death, Prov. 3. 1, 5.

38. Domitius the Father of Nero, slew Liberius an honest Roman because he refused to take off his Cups as he commanded him.

39. Amos 6. 6. That drink Wine in Bowls: Not in Cups, Pots, or Chalices, but in Vessels of price, and largest receipt, that they may be accounted, and called (as young Cicero was) Tricongii, such as can drink whole ones, and no small ones neither.

40. Diotimus of Athens, for his excessive drinking was termed [...], Tundish.

41. Aeneas Silvius tells us of one Henry Earl of Goricia, who having two Sons, drunkards both, was wont ofttimes in the night to call upon them, and ask whether they were a thirsty? And when they gave him no Answer, he would himself carry Wine unto them, pressing them to drink, and if by reason of sleepiness or late excess, they refused, he would return in a rage to his Wife, and call her Whore, saying they were Bastards, and not his Sons, who could sleep all night without being athirst.

42. Vortigern King of the Brittains, being well warmed with Wine, was ensnared by the Daughter of Hengist the Saxon, which proved the undoing of the Brittish Nation. Pol. Virg. Hist. Ang.

[Page]43. Venter Mero aestuante cito despumat in libidines: A Belly or stomach boiling with Wine, doth suddenly foam up into a scum of sinful lusts and foul Affections: Hierom.

44. Bonzo relates of the Indians of Peru, that when they have drunk away that little reason wherewith they are endowed, they use to fall to immodest embracings, without respect had to Mothers, Daughters, Brothers, Sisters, or any other Relations whatsoever.

45. Saint Jerom could not be perswaded that a Drunkard could be a chast man.

46. A certain young Man that had devoted himself to a pious and retired course of life, was much assaulted by the Devil, by sundry temptations, and pressed to make choice of one of these three sins: Once to be drunk, or to lye with his Neighbours Wife, or to kill his Neighbour; and the temptation so far prevailed, that at the last he chose the first; (viz.) Once to be drunk, as deeming it the least sin: But when the Devil had drawn him to that, at the same time both the other sins were committed by him.

47. Ad universa, vel crudelitatis, vel turpitudinis facinora perpetranda facilis invenitur via, cui nulla sobriae mentis ratio, sed ebrietas dominatur. A drunken man is easily drawn to commit any villany: Bern.

48. Pausanias makes mention of a Company of young men in Greece, who upon a time contrary to the command of their Captain Aristomenes, being drunk, offered Violence to the Chastity of certain young Virgins; and so violent they were therein, till the sword and death put an end to the same.

49. The cruel Tyrant Lucius being drunk, became like a mad Horse; and when he could not prevail to satisfie his lust upon the Daughter of Philodemus, he barbarously slew her Flying for shelter into her Fathers Arms. Plut.

[Page]50. What a Beast was Darius King of Persia, who commanded this Inscription to be set on his Tomb: I was able to hunt lustily, to drink Wine soundly, and to bear it bravely. Strabo.

51. Saint Augustine in his Confessions, tells us a story of his Mother, who by sipping a little Wine at first when she filled the Cup, came by degrees to be a Tippling Gossip, and at last to drink off her whole Cups. Sin that is modest at first, afterwards growes shameless.

52. In Lacedemon, Crete and Carthage, the name of a drunkard was so hateful and contemptible, that such as were found guilty of this sin were disabled to bear any publick Office, and thrust out of the Senate (if they were Magistrates) with shame and ignominy. Alex. ab Alex.

53. Levinus Lemnius writes of the Dutchmen, the High-Germans especially, and that part of the low Countries that borders upon them, that they never account that man worth whistling for, that will not strenuum se potatorem praebere; upon all occasions prove himself strong to drink strong drink.

54. Suetonius relates, that Novellius Torquatus was highly honoured amongst the Romans, for that he could drink three Gallons of Wine at a draught without taking his breath: for that he fairly drank off his Liquor and left no snuff behind; and after he had drunk so much, he neither stammered in his speech, nor unburthened his stomach by vomiting; for which he was preferred to be Proconsul of Syria. Pliny.

55. Also Firmus who assumed the title of Emperour in the absence of Aurelian, when he had drunk off two Buckets of Wine, went forthwith to a Banquet, and seemed as sober as if he had drunk none at all. Vopiscus in vita Firm.

56. Flaccus and Piso had Dignities bestowed upon them, the one being made a Proconsul, the other Governour of the City of Rome, for that they were strong to pour in strong drink: Suet.

[Page]57. One Hulderick a Bohemian, told Frederick the Emperour, That he trained up his Sons to drink great quantities of Wine without disturbance: Thou art wise, said the Emperour, the same thing did Mithidrates; but if it happen that I have a Son, if that Son shall not hate excess of Wine, I shall hate him. Aeneas Sil.

58. Anno Christi 764. London and York, Donwick and Doncaster, with many other places in this Land were consumed with Fire, (saith the Historian:) If any one ask the cause, we can render none more probable than this, That it was a Judgement of God upon them, for their Gluttony and Drunkenness. Antiq. Brit. p. 291.

59. Anno Christi 1567. Tir-Owen the Irish Rebel, was such a Drunkard, that when his Body was immoderately inflamed with drinking strong drink and Usque-bagh, he used many times to be set in the Earth up to the Chin to cool himself. Camb. Eliz.

60. Luxury is ordinarily the Companion of Idolatry, as Ex. 32. 6. 1 Cor. 10. 7. Rev. 18. 13, 14. O Monachi, vestri stomachi, &c. At Paris and Lovane, the best Wine is called Vinum Theologicum, the Divinity Wine: It's also called Vinum Cos: Coloris, Odoris, Saporis Optimi.

61. Drunkenness is a detestable Vice in any, but especially in men of Place and Power, Prov. 31. 4. Woe be to those drunken Vice-gods (as in the worst sence they may be best called:) Wo to the very Crown of their pride in drinking down many, Isa. 28. 1. As Marcus Antonius wrote, or rather spued out a Book concerning his own abilities to bear strong drink; Darius also boasted of the same faculty in his very Epitaph, as we saw before.

62. Drunkenness in a King is a capital sin, and makes the Land reel: Witness Belshazzar, carousing in the Bowls of the Sanctuary to the honour of Shar his drunken god.

63. Alexander the Great drunk himself to death, and [Page] killed forty one more by excessive drinking, to get the Crown of one hundred Eighty pounds weight, which he had provided for him that drank most. Plut.

64. Tiberius the Emperour, for his tipling was called Biberius.

65. Erasmus for the same cause called Eccius, Jeccius: for, as he lived a shameful Drunkard, so being nonplust at Ratisbon by Melancton, he drank more than was fit that night, at the Bishop of Mundina's Lodgings (who had store of the best Italian Wines;) and so fell into a Feaver, whereof he dyed: Jo. Man. L. Com.

66. Drunkenness is a flattering evil, a sweet poyson, a cunning Circe that besots the Soul, destroyes the Body, Dolores gignit in Capite, in Stomacho, in toto corpore acerrimos: Breeds grievous diseases in the head, in the stomach, and in the whole man: At last it bites like a Serpent, and stings like an Adder, Prov. 23. 32. The Drunkard saith as the Vine in Jothams parable, Non possum relinquere Vinum meum. Take away my Liquor, you take away my Life: but at last it proves like the Wine mentioned by Moses, Deut. 32. 33. The Poyson of Dragons, and the cruel Venom of Asps. Trap.

67. Austin Brings in the Drunkard saying, Malle se vitam quam Vinum eripi: And Ambrose tells us of one Theotinus, who being told by his Physicians, that much quaffing would make him blind; Vale lumen Amicum, said he; Farewell sweet Eyes, if ye will bear no Wine, ye are not Eyes for me: He had rather lose his sight than his sin; his Soul than his lust, 2 Pet. 2. 14. Psal. 11. 6.

‘Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink, that continue untill night till wine enflame them:’Isa. 5. 11.

More Forreign Examples of Drunkenness and Drunkards.

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1. John Manlius, in his Common-places, p. 244. Tells us of three abominable Drunkards, who drank so long till one of them fell down stark dead; and yet the other two nothing terrified with such a dreadful Example of divine Vengeance, went on to drink, and poured the dead mans part into him as he lay by them.

2. Darius boasted of the same faculty in his very Epitaph.

3. The Greeks, when they met at Feasts or Banquets, drink small draughts at first, which by degrees they increased till they came to the heighth of Intemperancy. Hence Graecari, and as merry as a Greek.

4. Minos King of Crete, ordered that his Subjects should not drink one to another, unto drunkenness.

5. Seneca calls drunkenness a voluntary madness; another calls it a Noon-day-Devil.

6. Cato that was a most severe censurer of other mens manners, had this objected against him; Quod nocturnis potationibus indulgeret: That by night he would drink soundly.

7. I was once with a Drunkard (saith mine Author, a Godly Minister) that lay a dying, and after I had prayed with him, in came one of his old Companions in Sin, and asked him, How he did; at which he was ready to gnash his teeth; and made to me this dreadful Reflection concerning him: ‘O that, that was the wicked Wretch that drew me away; if it had not been for him,’ I had not been in so lamentable a case upon my Deathbed.

8. Bonosus a Britain, and bred up in Spain, usurped the Empire of Rome in the Reign of Probus; of whom it is written▪ That he would drink so much Wine, as ten great drinkers could not drink so much: and therewithall, [Page] he had two wonderful properties: The one was that how much soever he drank, he was never drunk: The other was, that when it pleased him, he could piss it out as fast as he poured it in, without retaining any jot within his body. Being overcome by Probus, he hang'd himself. The Emperour Aurelian was wont to say of him, That Bonosus was not born to live, but to drink. Imperial Hist. page 211.

9. Tiberus Nero made Novellus Tricongius Pro-consul, for that he could drink three Pottles of Wine together with one breath.

10. He also preferred Lucius Piso to the Government of the City of Rome, because he could sit drinking with him continually for two whole dayes and nights together. Suetonius.

11. To prevent drunkenness, and the evil consequents of it, the Carthaginians forbad their Magistrates all use of Wine.

12. Solon punished Drunkenness in a Ruler with Death.

13. Anno Christi 1578. February 10. in the Countrey of S [...]aben, about Eight persons that were Citizens and Citizens Sons (whose names my Author setteth down) met together at a Tavern, whereof the Masters name was Anthony Huge, on a Sabbath morning, where they drank themselves drunk, and then began to blaspheme God, and to scoff at the Host; who advised them to leave drinking, and to go to Church to hear the Word preached; at which they not only continued to mock, but went on in their drinking; when suddenly the Devil came in among them in the habit of a Cavalier, who drinking to them, set their mouths in such a fire, that these Drunkards not only became amazed thereat, but also after a miserable manner were all strangled to death. Stephen Batemen, Professor of Divinity.

14. Anno Christi 1556. in the Town of St. Gallus, in [Page] Switzerland, there was one Peter Besler, who was born at Rotmund, but was now a Servant to a Citizen, whose habitation was near unto St. Gallus: This dissolute young man was much given to the beastly Sin of Drunkenness; and upon Trinity-Sunday, which was May the 21st, he together with some of his Companions went to the Town of Sangal, there to be merry: And when they had drunk freely, this young man began to rail at, and to quarrel with his Companions; and using many Blasphemies against God, he added this Execration also: ‘If I serve my Master any longer, I give my Body and Soul to the Devil.’ When he had staid there all night, in the morning awaking, he began to think what words he had uttered the night before; yet having no other means of subsistence, he resolved to return to his Masters Service; but going out of the City, when he was now not far from his Masters House, a man met him clad in black, and fearful to behold; who said unto him, ‘Go to (Good fellow,) I am now ready to take that which is my right, and which thou gavest me yesterday:’ Which when he had said, taking the fellow by the hand, (who was amazed with horror, and altogether astonished) he threw him to the ground, and so vanished. Not long after this, this miserable young man being found by some of the Neighbours, had his hands and feet drawn together; and being brought to a Lodging, he had the use of all his Limbs taken from him, and so continued till he dyed miserably. Ibid.

Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum.

It's good to be warned by other mens harms.

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Healths Drank one Drinks off a pottle pot of Sack and - dyes within two hours after.

One Drownd in a Shallow brook of water being Drunk, his horse standing by.

5. or 6. Drank Healths in a Strange manner and dyed one after another in few weeks.

An exceeding Drunkard in Pembrock shire being Drunk, broke himself all to pieces from an high Rock.

More Examples worthy of serious Consideration.

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THere is a very remarkable Story published by Mr. Robert Abbot Minister some years since of Cranebrook in Kent, concerning one William Rogers an Apothecary there, that was exceeding much given to Drinking, and Sabbath breaking: He was in his general course, as he relates of him, a Young man of a sweet and pleasing temper: It was reported, that the Devil never abused a better Nature; and he was observed never to Swear or Curse in all his Life, except once; but was often admonished and perswaded by Mr. Abbot to come to the Church on the Sabbath-dayes; at last he was prevailed with to come, though he had often promised, and failed: The Lords day before in the morning, when as he said he was ready to come to Church, he was taken sick, and betook himself to his Bed; it was but as a fit of an Ague, which being over, he was the next morning in his old course again; but about the middle of the week after, the messenger of Death came, and Mr. Abbot forthwith addressed himself to him in his Chamber, saying, Oh how often have you deceived God, your own Soul, and me! and what is now to be done? I fear you will dye, and then what will become of you? His sickness so prevailed, that it emptied him of any hopes of Life, and filled him with thoughts of his present Guilt, and future Judgment before the great God, who is a consuming fire: He apprehending his own misery, made it known to him and others; there was too great a fire within to be Smothered, it burned in his own Soul, and it Lightened from his Heart and Lips, into the Ears and Hearts of those Friends that were about him. One while he cryes out of his sins, saying, I have been a fearful Drunkard, pouring in one draught after another, till one draught could not keep down another; I now would be glad if I could take the least of Gods [Page] Creatures which I have abused: I have neglected my Patients, which have put their Lives in my hands, and how many Souls have I thus murthered! I have wilfully neglected Gods House, Service and Worship, and though I purposed to go, God strikes me thus before the day of my promise comes, because I am unworthy to come among Gods people again. Another while he falls to wishing, Oh, that I might burn a long time in that fire, (pointing to the fire before him) so I might not burn in Hell! Oh that God would grant me but one Year or a Month, that the world might see with what an Heart I have promised to God my amendment! Oh that God would try me a little! but I am unworthy. Another while he speaks to his Companions, praying all to be warned by him to forsake their wicked wayes, lest they go to Hell, as he must do. He forgot not his Servant that was young, calls him to him, and tells him, That he had been a wicked Master to him; But be warned by me, said he; you have a Friend that hath an Iron Furnace, which burns hot a long time, but if you give your self to my sins, you shall be burned in the Furnace of Hell, an hotter Furnace, millions of millions of Ages: Therefore look to your self, and be warned by my Example, who must be burned in Hell for ever; I must to the Furnace of Hell, millions of millions of Ages. The Minister offered to him the Comforts of the Gospel▪ Promises of the largest size, shewed him that God was delighted to save Souls, and not to destroy them: But he cryed, It was too late, I must be burned in Hell: He pressed him with tears not to cast away that Soul for which Christ died; and told him, Christ rejected none that did not reject him: He answered, He had cast off Christ, and therefore he must go to Hell. He often complained, that former Counsels and Prayers might have done him good, but now it was too late; he was no Swearer, Whoremonger, Thief, no scoffer at Religion, no Perjured wretch, nor wilful Lier; yet when Conscience [Page] was awakened, and sate as Judge on him, he confessed his being given to drunkenness, and neglect of mens bodies, and neglect of Prayer and other dutyes, hearing the Word, and keeping the Sabbath-day: which caused him to pass this heavy doom on himself, and at last in Idleness of thoughts and talk he ended his miserable Life: And whatsoever God hath done with his Soul, we are bound to hope the best; this sad example is a warning-piece from Heaven, to warn all young men to leave off their evil courses, lest a worse thing befall them. He desired others might be warned by his Example.

The Relation of him the said William Rogers was published by Mr. Abbot, called, The Young mans Warning piece.

I shall here give you a short Relation how Nathaniel Butler, who murthered his Friend John Knight in Milk-street, London, August 6. Ann. 1657. behaved himself.

NAthaniel Butler, declared that before this Murther committed, he was addicted to divers sins, as Drunkenness, &c. which he himself freely confessed. For instance:

1. He was a great Company-keeper, and given to Gameing very much; whereby he gain'd Money and several Watches of Young men, one whereof he restor'd to the Owner after his Conscience was awakened in prison.

2. He enticed some Servants to purloin from their Masters, and sell the Goods; then would he and they go together, and spend the money among themselves.

3. He lived in Fornication, frequenting the company and the Houses of Harlots; insomuch that (as he himself under his own hand informed me) he judged [Page] this very sin of Whoredom did draw him on to that of shedding blood. Concerning which fact I shall now speak, as also concerning his carriage in Prison, and at his Execution, being an eye and ear witness thereof.

4. This Nathaniel Butler, came from Alten in Hampshire, where he was born; and at the time of his apprehension, was an Apprentice with one Mr. Goodday, a Drawer of Cloth in Carter-lane, London; during which time he became acquainted with one John Knight, and Apprentice also in the same City. These two were much together, but especially when Mr. Worth (John Knight's Master) was gone to Bristol-Fair; then did these two young men lye together several nights at Mr. Worth's house, at the Rose in Milk-street; where in the Shop, on Wednesday morning being the sixth of August 1657. Nathaniel Butler seeing some Bags of Money, he was thereupon tempted to take away the Life of his Friend and Bed-fellow, that he might securely convey away the money which he had now seen in the Till of the Shop. After they had been abroad that day, at night they lay again together, the bloody design running still in the mind of Bulter: he intending about the dead of the night (for so he expressed himself to me) to destroy the Young man by cutting his Throat: Accordingly he took his Knife in his hand, but his Heart would not suffer him to do it; then he laid down the Knife again; yea, he took up and laid down his Knife several times (so he told me) before he acted his cruelty: But in the morning very early, he did indeed fall very violently and inhumanely on the Youth, who lay harmlesly asleep upon the bed. The first wound not being mortal, awakened him, whereupon he struggled and made a noise (not considerable enough) which was heard into another room of the same house. Then Butler chopt his fist into the mouth of the Young man, and so they two lay striving and tumbling very near half an hour, before the fatal blow was given; but at length, he did [Page] most barbarously murder the Young-man, giving him a very ghastly deadly wound cross the Throat: And then he went down, taking away out of the shop a summ of money in two bags, being about One hundred and ten pounds: And so with his double guilt of Robbery and Murder, leaving his bloody Shirt behind him, and a lock of his own hair in the hand of the dead Young-man, which Hair was pulled off in their striving together, one to commit, the other to prevent the fact; after he had so done, he went to his Masters house in Carter-lane, where he privately laid the Money in a new Trunk that he bought with part of the Money. This Murderer abode for certain dayes, that is from▪ Thursday to Saturday, at his Masters house unsuspected, following his business at home, as formerly.

5. Many thoughts and jealousies were working in men, who should be the Murderer: And in a few dayes, one in Milk-street (the street where the Murder was done) knowing that Butler used sometimes to be with the Young man who was now murder'd, went to Butlers Masters house in Carter-lane, and spake with him, by whose words and carriage, he supposed he might be guilty, and so caused him to be apprehended: But yet for some small time, the said Butler denied the Fact; but at length confessed, That he, and he only did it. After his apprehension, he was brought before the Lord Mayor of London, to whom he declared the murder, and the circumstances of it, crying out for a little Time for his Soul, and much lamenting his Sin. That night he was committed to Newgate, and there lay exceedingly startled about the state of his Soul, saying often, What will become of my poor Soul! What shall I do to be saved! beginning now to see the sinfulness of sin. Whom I may compare to Manasses in three respects. 1. As to matter of Fact; for Manasses shed much innocent blood, 2 Kings 21. 16. so did he shed (too much) innocent blood. 2. He something resembled [Page] Manasses in his Imprisonment, mentioned 2 Chr. 33. 11. As Manasses was taken and bound with Fetters, so was he clapt in the hole or Dungeon of Newgate, with heavy Irons about his legs. 3. Manasses and he were one and the same in this sense, that when they were in affliction, they besought the Lord God, and humbled themselves greatly before the God of their Fathers. For this great Offendor could often say, He could never be humbled enough.

Upon the 13 of August, when he was arraigned at the Sessions in the Old-Baily, he pleaded Guilty to the Indictments, with very much shame, confusion of face and sorrow of heart: And on Friday the 15 of August, he demeaned himself very humbly before the Bench, heartily submitting to the Sentence of death that then passed upon him, saying, He had destroyed the Image of the Eternal GOD; alluding (as I verily believe) to those words in Gen. 6. 9.—For in the Image of God, &c. After his Sentence, he was conveyed back to prison; penitently acknowledging, that he had neglected the good Word of God, and therefore was the longer kept off (through ignorance of the Gospel) from closing with Christ Jesus. But after a few dayes discourse with several Ministers and others, who opened the Scriptures to him, he began to understand (through the Grace of God) the Word of Grace. And though he had many good Books brought to him by divers visiting Friends, yet he chiefly looked into the holy Scriptures themselves, and found very much advantage, light and peace, by these following passages out of the Old Testament, viz.

2 Sam. 12. 9. Where Nathan spake sharply to David, for despising the Commandment of the Lord, to do evil in the sight of the Lord, in killing Uriah the Hittite with the Sword, vers. 13. David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord; and Nathan said to David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin. From hence he understood [Page] the readiness of God to forgive confessing, repenting sinners, though they are guilty of innocent blood.

Job 33. 27, 28, He (the Lord) looketh upon men (Oh that men would look after the Lord!) and if ANT say, I have sinned and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; he (that is the Lord) will deliver his Soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.

Isa. 45. 18, 19.—I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain?

Isa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, and he will ABUNDANTLY pardon; The word abundantly he used to pronounce with an emphasis; for he saw (his eyes being now anointed with spiritual Eye salve) that he had multiplied sins exceedingly, and that he stood in absolute need of the Lords abundant multiplied pardons: whereof he had good hope through this good word of Isaiah.

Ezek. 18. 23. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should return from his wayes and live?

30.—Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions; So iniquity shall not be your ruine.

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 you die, O house of Israel?

32. For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth, wherefore turn your selves, and live ye.

Ezek. 33. 11. Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord, (here the poor Prisoner would note to his comfort, that a repenting sinner had not onely the Word and Promise of God for forgiveness, but the Oath of God, to give such a sinner the greater assurance of pardon,) I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his wayes and live: Turn ye, turn ye, (see the importunity of God with poor sinners for the good of their [Page] souls) from your evil wayes; For why will ye die, O house of Israel?

Micah 7. 18. was a place pleasant to his Soul. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy, Vers. 19. He will turn again, (as one doth when his anger is gone) he will have compassion upon us, he will subdue our iniquities, and thou wilt cast ALL their sins into the depth of the Sea.

Now I shall give you a short List of some New-Testament Texts, whereby the Lord conveyed Counsel and Consolation to this doubting, staggering, poor Wretch.

Mat. 18. 11.—For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

Joh. 3. 14, 15, 16. And as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have eternal life; for God SO loved the WORLD, that whosoever (this word [whosoever] he spake with joy) believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life: Now (saith Nathaniel Butler) I am one to whom this word speaketh; and therefore God gave the Lord Jesus Christ for my Soul; I believe in him, and therefore I trust to live eternally through him, according to the gracious terms of the Gospel.

John 6. 37.—And him that cometh to me I will in no wise (here he would repeat and reiterate these words in NO WISE CAST OUT, in NO WISE, in NO WISE) cast out.

1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

1 Tim. 2. 5, 6. For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

[Page]In hearing, reading, and conferring upon these (and many more) Scriptures, he would often say to me and others, These are good Scriptures, brave Scriptures; are they not brave Scriptures? He would make very diligent and frequent search into his Soul, concerning the sincerity of his Sorrow, and would not easily believe that his Repentance was true, or that he had right to the precious Promises of the Gospel. But by much speaking to him by many good people, that he would apply Christ, and also by seeking unto God for a spirit of Faith for him, he did begin to act a faith of recumbency and adherence, being (as he often said) perswaded the Lord Jesus Christ was able to save to the uttermost, and willing to save such as come unto God by him; yet he could not come up to that full assurance of hope and confidence, as he desired; and we also desired heartily on his behalf. Yet for some certain dayes before his suffering death, it pleased the God of all Comfort, to give him Joy and Consolation, and sometimes strong consolation, insomuch that he would at times express very great inward gladness, which all that knew his former mournings, were glad to see, and glorified God for giving him the Joy of his Salvation; for he was so satisfied concerning the favour and mercy of God towards him in Jesus Christ, that he rather now desired Death then feared it; as seeing death through Jesus Christ without a Sting. He was executed in Cheapside against Milk-street end, and died penitently:

See more at large in the Books of Nathaniel Butler and William Rogers.

Here followeth a True Relation of the Wicked Life, and Shameful-happy Death of Thomas Savage; Imprisoned, Justly condemned, and Twice Executed at Ratcliff, for his Bloody Fact in Killing his Fellow-servant, on Wednesday, Octob. 28. 1668.

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THomas Savage, born in the Parish of Giles in the Fields, he was put out Apprentice to Mr. Collins, Vintner, at the Ship-Tavern in Ratcliff, where he lived about the space of one year and three quarters: in which time he manifested himself to all that knew him, to be a meer Monster in sin: in all that time he never once knew what it was to hear one whole Sermon; but used to go in at one door, and out at the other; and accounted them fools that could spare so much time from sin, as two or three hours on a Lords day, to spend in the Lords service. He spent the Sabbath commonly at the Ale-house, or rather at a base house, with that vile Strumpet Hannah Blay, which was the cause of his ruine; he was by a young man (now gone to Sea) first enticed to go drink there, and after that he went alone, and now and then used to bring her a Bottle or two of Wine, which satisfied not her wicked desires; but she told him, if he would frequent her house, he must bring money with him: he told her often, he could bring none but his Masters, and he never wronged his Master of twopence in his Life: still she enticed him to take it privately: He replyed, he could not do it, because the Maid was alwayes at home with him: Hang her Jade, saith this impudent Slut, knock her brains out, and I will receive the money; this she many times said; and that day that he committed the murther, he was with her in the morning, and she made him drunk with burnt Brandy, and he wanted one Groat to pay of his reckoning: she [Page] then again perswaded him to knock the Maid on the Head, and she would receive the Money: he going home between twelve and one of the clock; his Master standing at the Street-door, did not dare to go in that way, but climbed over a back door, and cometh into the Room where his Fellow-servants were at dinner: O saith the Maid to him, Sirrah, you have been now at this Bawdy-House, you will never leave till you are undone by them: He was much vexed at her; and while he was at Dinner, the Devil entred so strong into him, that nothing would satisfie him but he must kill her; and no other way, but with the Hammer; to which end, when his Master was gone with all the rest of his Family to Church, leaving only the Maid and this Boy at home; he goeth into the Bar, fetcheth the Hammer, and taketh the Bellows in his hand, and sitteth down by the fire, and there knocketh the bellows with the Hammer: the Maid saith to him; Sure the boy is mad, Sirrah, what do you make this noise for? He said nothing, but went from the Chair, and lay along in the Kitchin Window, and knocked with the Hammer there; and on a sudden threw the Hammer with such force at the maid, that hitting her on the head she fell down presently, screeching out: then he taketh up the Hammer three times, and did not dare to strike her any more, at last the Devil was so great with him, that he taketh the Hammer and striketh her many blows with all the force he could, and even rejoyced that he had got the victory over her: which done, he immediately taketh the Hammer, and with it strikes at the Cupboard-Door in his masters Chamber, which being but slit Deal presently flew open, and thence he taketh out a Bag of Money, and putting it upon his arm, under his Cloak, he went out at a back-door straightway to this base house again: when he came thither, the Slut would fain have seen what he had under his Cloak, and knowing what he had done, would very fain [Page] have had the Money; he gave her half a Crown, and away he went without any remorse for what he had done. Going over a Stile, he sat down to rest himself, and then began to think with himself; Lord what have I done! and he would have given ten thousand worlds he could have recalled the blow. After this, he was in so much horrour, that he went not one step but he thought every one he met came to take him. He got that Night to Greenwich, and lay there; telling the people of the house that he was to go down to Gravesend: that night he rose and walked about, and knew not what to do, Conscience so flew in his face: The Mistress of the house perceiving the Lad to have Money, and not sealed up, said, I wish this Lad came by this Money honestly. The next morning he going away towards Woolliedge, the Mistriss of the house could not be satisfied, but sent for him back, and told him, Sweet heart, I fear you came not by this Money honestly. Yes, indeed Mistris, saith he, I did; for I am carrying of it down to Gravesend to my Master, a Wine-Cooper. We live upon London-bridge, and if you please to send any one to my Mistris, I will leave my Money with you.

So there were some people going to London, and he writ a Note to send to his Mistris, and he left the Money with the woman of the House, and went his way, wandring toward Woolliedge, and there was in the Shipyard; about which time news came to Greenwich of the Murther that was committed at Ratcliff by a Youth, upon his Fellow-servant, and that a Bag of Money was taken away: the Mistris of the House forthwith concluded that sure it was the same Youth that was at her house, and that was the Money: whereupon she sent men out presently to seek him: who found him in an Ale-house, where he had called for one pot of Beer, and was laid down with his head on the Table and faln asleep: One of the men calling him by his name, Tom, saith he, Did [Page] you not live at Ratcliff? He said, Yes: And did you not murther your fellow-servant? He confessed it: And you took so much Money from your Master, he acknowledged all: then said they, You must go along with us: He said, Yes, with all my heart. So they went forthwith to Greenwich, to the house where he lay that night: where when he came, he met his Master with some Friends, and when his Master spake to him of it, he was not much affected at first, but after a little while burst out into many tears: thence he was conveyed to the Justice at Ratcliff, where he fully confessed the Fact again, and by him was committed close Prisoner in the Goal of Newgate, where Mr. H. B. (who after some acquaintance with him, had this preceeding Narrative from his own Mouth) came to see and speak with him: and he seemed but little sensible of what he had done. Are you (said he) the person that committed the murther upon the maid at Ratcliff? He said, Yes: O what think you of your condition? What do you think will become of your precious Soul? you have by this Sin not only brought your body to the Grave, but your Soul to Hell, without Gods Infinite mercy: Were you not troubled for the Fact when you did it? Not for the present, Sir, said he; but soon after I was, when I began to think with my self what I had done. The next time he asked him, whether he were sorry for the Fact? He said, wringing his hands, and striking his breast, with tears in his Eyes, Yes, Sir, for it cuts me to the Heart to think that I should take away the Life of a poor innocent Creature; and that is not all, but for any thing I know, I have sent her Soul to Hell: O how can I think to appear before Gods Bar, when she shall stand before me, and say, Lord, this wretch took away my Life, and gave me not the least space that I might turn to thee: he gave me no warning at all, Lord: O then what will become of me?

Soon after the imprisonment of this Thomas Savage, in Newgate; upon the desire of one of his Friends, Mr. [Page] R. F. and T. V. went to him in the Prison, and had liberty, with much readiness from the Keepers to discourse with him: They asked him, if he were the person that had murthered the Maid? He answered, that he was; they did then open to him the hainous nature of that sin, endeavouring to set it home upon his Conscience, telling him of the express Law of God, Thou shalt not Kill, and the express threatnings, That whosoever sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed. They spake to him of the Law of the Land, and the punishment of Death which would certainly be inflicted upon him; that he had but a few Weeks more to live, and then he would be Tryed, and Condemned, and Executed: but they told him, that the punishment of the temporal Death was but small in comparison with the punishment of Eternal Death in Hell, which he had deserved, and was exposed unto. They told him, that so soon as Death should make a separation between his Soul and body, that his Soul must immediately appear before the dreadful Tribunal of the Sin-revenging God, and there receive its final doom, and be irreversibly sentenced to depart from the presence of the Lord, into everlasting fire, if he were found under the guilt of this, or any other sin. They asked him if he knew what Hell was? telling him what a fearful thing it would be for him to fall into the hands of the living God; how intolerable the immediate expressions of Gods Wrath would be upon his Soul, what horrour and anguish he would there be filled withal, and how he would be bound up in Chains of darkness until the Judgment of the great day; and then told him of the glorious appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ to Judgment: that Soul and Body should be then joyned together, and condemned together, and punished together with such exquisite torments as never entred into the Heart of man to conceive; declaring the Extremity and the Eternity of the Torments of Hell, [Page] which were the just demerit of his sins. Then they asked him, whether he had any hopes of escaping this dreadful punishment of Hell? He answered, that he had: they enquired the grounds of his hopes? He told them, that he repented of his fault, and hoped God would have mercy on his Soul. They asked him, whether he thought his Repentance could procure for him a Pardon? He knew no other way. They told him that God was just, and his Justice must be satisfied: and there was no way for him to do it, but by undergoing the Eternal torments of Hell: and did he know no way of satisfying God's Justice besides? and pacifying his anger that was kindled against him? No, he knew not any: And yet did he hope to be saved? He answered, Yes. They enquired whether ever he had experience of a gracious change wrought in him. Herein he could give no account, and yet hoped to be saved. They told him his hopes were unsound, having no good foundation: and he would find himself disappointed: that it was not his Repentance, his Tears, and Prayers (though he ought to use them as means) that would save him, if he fixed the Anchor of his hope upon them. That if he hoped to be saved in the condition which for the present he was in, he would certainly be damned: that he must cast away all those groundless hopes he had conceived, and endeavour to despair in himself, that being pricked and pained at heart, through the apprehensions of the wrath of God ready to fall upon him, and seeing no possibility of flying and escaping, if he looked only to himself, he might cry out, What shall I do to be saved? and enquire after a Saviour. And then they spake to him of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the way of Salvation by him, which before he was sottishly ignorant of, as if he had been brought up in a Countrey of Infidels, and not of Christians. The words spoken to him by these two Ministers, seemed to take little impression upon him whilest they were present, yet after they were gone, the Lord did begin to [Page] work, and he did acknowledge to Mr. B. that two had been▪ with him (he knew not their names) whose words were like arrows shot into his heart, and he did wish he had those words in writing, especially one expression of T. V. That he would not be in his condition for ten thousand Worlds, did affect and so affright him, that he said it made his hair stand on end.

Mr. Vincent, Mr. Francklin, Mr. Doolittle, Mr. Janeway, discoursed with him, and he suffered very penitently and chearfully at Ratcliff near his Masters House.

We do not read of any more of all the drunkards and debauched persons, that were Converted, but those two, Nathaniel Butler and Thomas Savage, whom God gave true Repentance unto.

§

A Common Drunkard, is the fittest man to make a debauched. Health-drinker of, they are so near akin to one another, that there is little difference: you can hardly know one from another, and it is seldom seen, that a Health is begun for his Majesty, or his Highness the Duke of York, till the Feasters are well entred in there Glasses of Wine first.

This I can Witness, That one Evening this Winter, two or three Drunken Companions met another drunken man in the street, and did ask him if he would drink the Dukes Health: He answered presently, Yea, I'le drink any mans Health: Is not the King and Duke much beholden to such for their Love, that can shew it in no better way? We are commanded, and its our duty, to Fear God and to Honour the King; and he that truly doth so, will pray heartily to God to bless and preserve his Majesty from the danger of all Popish and Sham-Plots: and [Page] this way is better to shew their true Love to the King, than in a Sinful Custom of Healths, which provokes the King of Kings to send Judgments on the Kingdom. Read Dr. Stillingfleets Text, of his Fast-Sermon before the House of Commons, Novem. 13. 1 Sam. 12. 24, 25.

Some Audacious Abominable Health-drinkers were so Wicked as to drink a Health to the great Prince of Darkness, their Father the Devil; and it is credibly. Reported, he came boldly amongst them and carryed away some of them, as bold as he was. One being told, that unless he left off his Drunkenness and Whoring he would loose his sight: He answered thus, Tum valeat Lumen amicum,—Then Farewell Sweet Light.

One was put to his choice, which of these sins he would choose to commit, either to be drunk, or to kill his Father, or to lie with his Mother: he refused the two last, and was drunk, and then committed the other two.

At one great Feast in the City since his Majesties happy Restoration, I heard they were so mad, in their Frolick Cups of Wine and Healths, as to drink down small live Fishes, and make Fish-ponds in there Bellyes: it's a wonderful Mercy it proved not their last drinking. So to abuse themselves and Gods Creatures, by Drunkenness and Gluttony, it is the way to provoke God to send a Famine on the Land; for such wanton excessive doings.

Remember the Plague time. There died, in that one Year of the Plague, Anno, 1665. 68596. in London and Liberties. And let us not forget the Lamentable Fire time, the 2d Septem. 1666. As it was computed, there was consumed to Ashes, thirteen Thousand and two Hundred Houses, with a vast deal of Goods and Rich commodities, to the undoing of many Thousands, besides the Ghastly walls of eighty nine Parish Churches and stately Houses and Halls, with the Royal Exchange, which cost almost an Hundred thousand pounds the new building it again. You can expect but a brief touch of things in this Paper, but [Page] it may serve for a Memento, and a Caveat to take heed of sin, that is the Plague (or cause) of all Plagues and Judgments in the World; and it caused God to drown the old World, and to Rain down Fire and Brimstone on Sodom, five Cities together; and he is able to do the like again to any Nation that provoke him. We may fear this immoderate Rain and flood in the Countrey; and beyond the Seas a while since, how many have been drowned, persons and Estates by it! it speaks aloud to England.

God threatens to punish a people four seven times more, Lev. 26. 18, 21, 24, 28. v. except they repent. And we ought to Fear that great God, that is able easily to Kill both Body and Soul, and cast them into Hell-Fire. Drunkards are named amongst the greatest sinners that shall be shut out of Heaven.

Ten several Arguments to prove that Drunkenness is a great, a Dangerous and a Woful Sin.

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Arg. 1. That Drunkenness is expresly against the command of God.

(1.) Drunkenness is plainly and expresly forbidden in Gods Word, Eph. 5. 18. Be not drunk with wine. Luke 21. 34. Take heed to your selves, lest at any Time your Hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and Drunkenness. Rom. 13. 13. Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and Drunkenness. The Drunkard cannot plead Ignorance, that he did not know Drunkenness to be a sin; he cannot plead for himself as Peter did for the Jews that put Christ to Death, Act. 3. 17. I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your Rulers. 1 Cor. 2. 8. For had they known it, they would not have Crucified the Lord of Glory. Drunkards sin against light; both against the light of Nature, for Nature teacheth us that it is a shameful thing for a man to be drunk: and against the [Page] light of Gods Word, and that is a great aggravation of sin, to sin against the light of Gods Word: sins of ignorance are as it were no Sins, compared with sins against Knowledge. Joh. 15. 22. If I had not come and spoken to them they had not had Sin, but now they have no cloak for their Sin. Drunkards cast Gods Word behind their backs, and trample his Commandments under their feet: God saith, Be not drunk with Wine: take heed left your Hearts be overcharged with Drunkenness: But they say in effect, though not in words, We will not regard these Commandments of God; let God say and do what he will, we will take our fill of Wine and strong drink: Drunkards and other sinners that know Gods will, and will not do it, contemn and dispise God. Psal. 10. 13. Wherefore doth the Wicked contemn God? Drunkards are guilty of Rebellion against God, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords: for sinning against the Light of Gods Word, is accounted Rebellion; Job 24. 13. They are of those that rebell against the Light: and that is a hainous Sin, to be Stubborn and Rebellious against the God of Heaven. 1 Sam. 15. 23. Rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft, and Stubbornness is as iniquity and Idolatry.

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Arg. 2. It is a Beastly Sin.

Drunkennss is a beastly Sin, in depriving a man of his Reason, and makes him carry himself like a Beast: it is a vile thing for a man to degrade, and make himself like a Beast. Job 18. 3. Wherefore are we counted as Beasts, and reputed as vile in your Sight. Bildàd thought himself and his Friends wonderfully disparaged, when he thought they were counted as Beasts; but how do they vilifie and disparage themselves, who do in reality make themselves no better than bruit Beasts by their drunkenness: Yea this sin makes a man worse than a Beast; the Ass is a Silly Beast, yet the Ass will not drink to excess, they drink no more than will quench their thirst, Psal. 104. 11. The Wild Asses quench their thirst: And therefore, as [Page] Solomon sends the Sluggard to the Ant, Prov 6. 6. Go to the Ant thou sluggard, consider her wayes and be wise; so may I send the Drunkard to the wild Asses: Go to the wild Asses thou Drunkard, and consider their wayes and be wise; who having no guide, overseer or ruler, never drink any more than will quench their thirst, though they meet with the best and pleasantest Springs, and purest Fountains under Heaven; and wilt thou who hast had many Instructors, that have taught thee the odiousness of this sin of Drunkenness, be inticed by the pureness of the Wine, or the pleasantness of this drink, to drink to excess? Toads and Serpents which are hateful Creatures, will not drink more than is suitable and convenient to their natures: And shall Man who was made after the Image of God, make himself worse than a Toad or a Serdent by drinking to excess?

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Arg. 3. It is a mischievous Sin both to Body, Soul, and Estate.

Drunkenness is a most Mischievous Sin, and brings a world of mischief along with it, both to Soul and Body, Estate and good Name.

1. It doth great mischief to the Soul: For (1) It besots and Stupifies the Soul, and estranges a mans Heart from God, who is his chiefest good: Hos. 4. 11. Whoredom and Wine, and new Wine take away the Heart: We may take Heart here for the Understanding; as Rom. 2. 21. Their foolish Heart was darkened: And so it is true, that Wine takes away the Heart; that is, it stupisieth the mind, it blinds and darkens the understanding, and maketh men sottish; as Jeremiah complains of the Jews, who were much addicted to drunkenness. Jer. 4. 22. My People is Foolish, they have not known me, they are sottish Children, and have no understanding, they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no Knowledge: Or we may take Heart for the Affections; and so it is true, that Wine takes away the Heart, for Drunkenness takes off the Heart from God [Page] and all things that are good: Drunkards have no Love to God, no delight in God; no desire of enjoying God, no Fear of God, no Heart to that which is good. Drunkenness is a fleshly lust; and fleshly lusts war against, and tend to the ruine of our precious Souls. 1 Pet 2. 11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and Pilgrims abstain from fleshly Lusts, which War against the Soul.

2. It brings great mischief to the Body, by the painful Diseases that it breeds in the Body, and by the Wounds and Bruises men get by falls, when they have drunk so much they are not able to go, or to guide the Horses they ride on; and also by the wounds they get in quarrels and contentions with their Companions when they are in their Cups. Prov. 23. 29, 30. Who hath Woe? who hath Sorrow? who hath Contentions? who hath Bablings? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of Eyes? They that tarry long at the Wine: Not only the Eyes are made red, but the whole Body is inflamed and greatly distempered by excessive drinking. Isa. 5. 11. Woe to them that follow strong drink, that continue till night, till Wine enflame them. Our Bodies should be the Temples of the Holy Ghost; 1 Cor. 6. 19. What, know you not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you? And it is dangerous defiling the Temple of God with excess of Wine or strong Drink: 1 Cor. 3. 17. If any man defile the Temple of God, him shall God destroy.

3. It brings ruine on a mans Estate; Prov. 23. 21. The Drunkard and the Glutton shall come to poverty. Many persons by their drunken and sottish courses waste fair Estates, that were left them by their Parents: Others that have been brought up to Callings, spend all they gain by their Callings in excessive drinking, whereby it comes to pass that they make no provision for their Families, but their Wives and Children are brought into great wants and straits; such as these are as bad, yea worse than Infidels; 1 Tim. 5. 8. But if any provide not for his own, [Page] and especially for those of his own House, he hath denyed the Faith, and is worse than an Infidel.

4. It blasts a mans Reputation; it is a shame for a man to have the brand of a Drunkard set upon him: Even Children will hout and deride a drunken ma [...] when they see him reel and stagger as he goeth in the Street.

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Arg. 4. Drunkenness is the Cause of many other Sins.

The greatness of the Sin of Drunkenness will appear from hence, that it disposeth a man to many other great and crying sins: as for Instance,

1. Drunkenness disposeth men to commit Uncleanness; Prov. 23. 31, 33. Look not upon the Wine when it is red:—Thine Eyes shall behold strange Women. When men are overcome with Wine, they are easily drawn to commit the worst of uncleanness: Lot though a Righteous man, being overtaken with Drunkenness, commited Incest twice. Eph. 5. 18. Be not drunk with Wine, wherein is excess. As Beza observes, Omnis profusio eaque summâ cum turpitudine conjuncta; All excess of riot, even that which is joyned with the greatest filthiness: No filthiness comes amiss to a drunken man, who is shameless whilest he is overcome with strong drink. The Jews, who were much addicted to Drunkenness, were greatly addicted to Whoredom also. Hos. 4. 11, 18. Whoredom and Wine take away the Heart: Their drink is sowre, they have committed Whoredom continually. Their drink is sowre, some interpret of the sowre belches drunkards have after their Cups: And another effect of immoderate drinking Wine, besides the sowring of it in the Stomach, is, that it provokes men to Whoredom. Hierom hath a smart passage to this effect, Nunquam ego ebrium castum putabo; I shall never think a Drunkard can be a chaste man.

2. Drunkards are easily perswaded to be Idolaters; for they making▪ their Belly their God, Phil. 3. 19. will easily be perswaded to bow down their Bodies to an Idol, and [Page] comply with any Religion which will suit best with their Interest: Hos. 3. 1. The Children of Israel who look to other Gods, and Love Flagons of Wine. Dan. 5. 4. They drank Wine, and praised the Gods of Gold, and of Silver, and of Brass, of Iron, of Wood, and of Stone.

3. Drunkenness is accompanied with abundance of Vain Bablings, and Foolish and Idle talk, which men have together when they are in their Cups. Prov. 23. 29, 30. Who hath Bablings? They that tarry long at the Wine. And if any think there is no great hurt in those Bablings, and Foolish talking that Drunkards have when they sit together at Inns or Alehouses, let such consider,

(1.) That Vain Bablings hardens the Heart, and dispose a man to ungodly practices. 2 Tim. 2. 16. But shun profane and vain Bablings, for they will increase to more Ungodliness.

(2.) Though Foolish Talking and Jesting is made Light of, and accounted by many a matter of Mirth, yet it is a sin brings down Gods wrath. Eph. 5. 4, 6. Neither filthiness, nor Foolish talking, nor Jesting, which are not convenient: Let no man deceive you with Vain words; for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of Disobedience.

(3.) Men must give an Account for every Idle Word at the day of Judgment, and without Repentance they shall be condemned for their Idle Words, as well as their other sins: Mat. 12. 36, 37. But I say unto you, that every Idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgment: For by thy Words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

(4.) There are few Drunkards, but they will mock and scost and rail at the Ministers and Servants of Christ, and sing Songs of them, especially when they are in their Cups: Prov. 20. 1. Wine is a mocker; that is, it makes men Mockers. Mercer's note upon that Text is, Vini potor derisor Dei hominumque esse solet: A Drunkard is wont to [Page] be a Derider of God and Men. It hath been usual with Drunkards in former, as well as these dayes, to sing Songs of the People of God: Psal. 69. 12. I am the Song of Drunkards. Now this mocking the Ministers and People of God is a grievous Sin, it brings down wrath without Remedy; 2 Chron. 36. 16. They mocked the Messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his Prophets, untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his People, till there was no Remedy. Mockers bring upon themselves mighty and unavoidable Judgments. Isa. 28. 24. Now therefore be ye not Mockers, lest your bands be made stronger. Forty two little Children were torn in pieces by two she-Bears, for mocking a Prophet, and calling him Bald-head, 2 Kin. 2. 23, 24. And if God was so offended with little Children for this sin of Mocking a Prophet, that he sent two Bears which tore in pieces forty two Children, how offensive is it to the Lord, to hear those that are come to mans Estate, knowing and understanding men, mock and scoff at his Servants? Though no Judgment come upon them in this World for their Sin, yet without Repentance a worse thing will come unto them; they shall be rent and torn, that is, they shall be tormented in the other World for ever by the Devil, who is a roaring Lyon, a far more dreadful Enemy than the Bears that tore the little Children in pieces.

(5.) Drunkards are usually Swearers, and some of them will Swear dreadful Oaths, such as would make a man tremble to hear them: And Swearing, profane Swearing is an abominable Sin, and brings a man in danger of Hell Fire: Jam. 5. 1 [...]. But above all things, my Brethren, Swear not, neither by Heaven, neither by the Earth, neither by any other Oath; but let your Yea be Yea, and your Nay be Nay, lest you fall into Condemnation.

(6.) Drunkards are oftentimes Persecutors, and Smiters of their Fellow Servants: Mat. 24. 48, 49. If that Evil Servant shall say in his Heart, My Lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to smite his Fellow-Servants, and to eat and [Page] drink with the drunken. They are such which eat and drink with the drunken, that smite their Fellow-servants; and smiting and persecuting the Servants of Christ is a hainous Sin: he takes it as ill when his Servants are persecuted, as if he himself was persecuted: Act. 9. 4. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Saul did not persecute Christ in his own person, for he was in Heaven, sitting at his Fathers right hand: but he persecuted Christs Servants, and Christ was as much offended at the persecuting of his Members, as if he himself had been persecuted.

(7.) Drunkenness casts men into a deep Sleep, and maketh them dreadfully secure under those Judgments that hang over their Heads. Prov. 23. 34. Yea, thou shalt be as one that lyeth down in the midst of the Sea, or as he that lyeth on the top of the Mast. Solomon speaking of such that tarry long at the Wine, sets out their danger by one that lyeth on the Top of the Mast in the midst of the Sea, who is in danger every moment of falling into the Sea and to be drowned, yet fears nothing whilest he is asleep: Such is the case of Drunkards, they are in danger of falling into Hell every day, and yet they fear nothing, till God awakens their Consciences, and shews them their Sin and Misery. When the Prophet calls, Awake ye Drunkards, Joel 2. 5. it implies, they are in a deep Sleep, and that it is no easie matter to awake them.

(8.) Sometimes Drunkards commit Murder in their Drunkenness, and quarrel with and kill their best Friends. It is reported of Alexander, that when he was drunk he killed his beloved Friend Clytus: yea, there is no Sin so horrid, but a Drunken man may▪ fall into it, if he hath an occasion and Temptation to commit it.

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Arg. 5. Drunkenness is such an abominable Sin, that it brings down National Judgments: whole Nations are punished for this Sin of Drunkenness; the Earth is weary of bearing Drunkards, and often spueth out its inhabitants: [Page] we read of the Canaanites, that their Land spued them out for their defiling it; and the Israelites are warned not to defile their Land, lest they also be spued out; Lev. 18. 28. That the Land spue not you out also when ye defile it, as it spued out the Nations that were before you: And when the Israelites did defile their Land by Drunkenness and others Sins, they were a burthen to the Land; it was weary with bearing them, it spued them out, and they were carryed captive into a strange Land: Isa. 5. 11, 13. Woe to them that rise up early to follow strong drink, and continue until night, till Wine enslame them: Therefore my People are gone into captivity. The Lord threatned to send mighty Adversaries against Ephraim, for their Pride, and Drunkenness, which should come upon them as furiously as a tempest of Hail and a destroying Storm, and as a mighty flood of Water, that should overflow all places, and bear down all before it. Isa. 28. 1, 2. Woe to the Crown of Pride, the Drunkards of Ephraim: So that Drunkards are the Plague of a Nation, that bring down Gods Judgements on themselves, and the place where they live: And when an overflowing Scourge comes on a Nation, usually Drunkards have the speediest and deepest share in the Judgments of God. Amos 6. 1, 3, 6, 7. Wo to them that are at ease in Zion: That put far away the evil day: That drink in Bowls: Therefore now shall they go Captive with the first that go Captive. When the King of Assyria invaded the Land of Israel, the Drunkards were trod under feet like mire in the streets; Isa. 28. 2, 3. Behold the Lord hath a mighty and strong one: The Crown of Pride, the Drunkards of Ephraim shall be trod under feet.

6

Arg. 6. Drunkards oft-times dye in the Act of Sin.

Drunkenness appears to be a great Sin, because ofttimes it is punished with sudden Death; and sometimes Drunkards are cut off in the very Act of Sin; they are very frequently cut off suddenly and unexpectedly. Nah. 1. 10. While they are Drunken as Drunkards, they shall be [Page] devoured as stubble fully dry: Stubble that is fully dry, is devoured in a moment. Luk. 12. 45, 46. If that Servant shall begin to eat and to drink, and to be drunken, the Lord of that Servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with unbelievers: We see here the Woful Condition of Drunkards, both in their Death and after their Death; their Death is oftentimes sudden and unexpected, they have not a day, not an hours warning, Rev. 21. 8. Elah a King in Israel was cut off in the very Act of Sin, while he was drinking himself drunk in his Stewards house, 1 Kings 16. 9, 10. As Christ said to deterr us from looking back, Remember Lots Wife; so may I say, to deterre you from Drunkenness, Remember Elah, who was kill'd whil'st he was drinking himself drunk: And if God did not spare a King in Israel, take heed lest he do not spare you. Besides Elah's Example, Amnon one of Davids Sons, was killed whil'st his Heart was merry with Wine, 2 Sam. 13. 28. When Belshazzar had been drinking Wine with a thousand of his Lords in the day time, he was slain in the Night, Dan. 5. 1, 30. Besides these Examples, we have known and heard of several others that have dyed dead drunk, and never came to Life again; others that have fallen off their Horses in their Drunkenness, and broke their Necks; others that have faln into the Water and been drowned, and others cut off by other means.

7

Arg. 7. It unfits a man for the Service of God.

Drunkenness makes a man unfit for any good work, unfit for the service of God and men, unfit for Death and Judgment: it makes a man unfit for Prayer, and all other Religious duties. 1 Pet. 4. 7. The end of all things is at hand, be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer: No men are fit for Prayer, but sober men. It is probable Nadab and Abihu had distempered themselves with Wine or strong drink, when they presumed to offer up strange [Page] Fire, and Fire went out from the Lord and devoured them: for immediately after the Relation of their Sin and Punishment, there is a strict charge given to Aaron and his Sons, that they should not drink Wine or strong drink, when they went into the Tabernacle of the Congregation, on pain of Death, Lev. 10. 8, 9, 10, 11. It also unfits a man for the service of his Generation, especially for a place of publick Trust; many Armies have been ruined, Towns and Kingdoms lost by the Drunkenness of Commanders. A small Army of the Israelites, not exceeding seven thousand, setting upon the Syrians, when Benhadad their King was drinking himself drunk with his Confederates, put the Syrians to flight, and slew them with a great Slaughter; although besides his own great Army he had thirty two Kings that came to his assistance; 1 Kings 16. 17, 20. And as this sin renders us unfit for the service of God and men, so also it makes us unfit for the day of Death and Judgment: Luk. 21. 34. And take heed to your selves, lest at any time your Hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and Drunkenness.

8

Arg. 8. It will Exclude a man out of Heaven.

Drunkenness is such an odious Sin, that the Lord hath told us expresly, that he will not admit any Drunkards into the Kingdom of Heaven. 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. Know ye not, that the unrighteous shall not enter into the Kingdom of God: Be not deceived, neither Fornicators, nor Drunkards shall inherit the Kingdom of God. Gal. 5. 19, 20, 21. Now the Works of the Flesh are manifest, which are these, Adultery, Fornications, Uncleanness and Lasciviousness, Revellings and such like: of which I tell you before, as I have told you in times past, that they which do such things, shall not Inherit the Kingdom of God. It was a Foolish Act in Esau, and argued him to be a profane man, to sell his Birth-right for a Morsel of Meat. Heb. 12. 16. Lest there be any Fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one Morsel of Meat sold his Birth-right. Drunkards are guilty of worse profaneness than Esau, for [Page] they part with a better Blessing than a Birth-right, namely, the Kingdom of Heaven, for a pot of Drink or cup of Wine, which do them no good, but much hurt.

9

Arg. 9. It is a damnable Sin.

Drunkenness is a damnable Sin; a Sin for which men shall be condemned to the Torments of Hell for ever. The Drunkard shall be cut asunder, and have his portion with unbelievers, Luk. 12. 45, 46. There is scarce any Sin fills Hell like Drunkenness; following Wine and strong drink send great multitudes to Hell: the drunken Gentleman and drunken Prince, notwithstanding all their bravery shall descend into Hell, as well as the drunken Begger. They that inflame themselves with Wine and strong drink, shall be tormented in flames of fire for ever; and then they that drunk Wine in boles, and filled themselves with strong drink, shall not with all their entreaties get so much as one drop of Water to cool their Tongues.

10

Arg. 10. It is a Bewitching Sin, very hardly left by those that are addicted to it.

Drunkenness is an enticing, bewitching Sin, which is very hardly left by those that are addicted to it: Neither the Word nor Rod of God prevaileth with men to leave this Sin, but they go on sinning against Light, sinning against the Counsels, Reproofs and Tears of Friends, against the checks of their own Consciences; though the Lord afflict them in their Bodies, Estates, Good Names, yet still they persevere in this sin: though when upon sick beds they are under terrors of Conscience, and feel as it were some flashes of Hellfire, and make great Vows and solemn Protestations, that if God will spare their Lives, and raise them up again, they will leave off their Drunkenness; yet when they are restored to Health▪ they return to their old course again: Prov. 23. 35. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick: they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again: Solomon speaks here of Drunkards, who are not disheartened by all the [Page] difficulties, and troubles▪ and blowes that they meet with in following after strong drink; but resolve to seek it yet again, and to persist in their dissolute courses. Drunkards are wont to encourage themselves, and one another, to persist in their drunken courses under all discouragements. Isa. 56. 12. Come ye, say they, I will fetch Wine, and we will fill our selves with strong drink, and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant. Instead of desisting they grow more resolved in their way: and the reason why this sin is so hardly left, and so few recovered from it, may be partly from the strength this sinful habit gets in the Soul by the many repeated Acts of this Sin, and also from the Pleasingnesse of this Sin to corrupt Nature; for the more pleasing any sin is, the more hardly it is left: And chiefly from the Just and Righteous Judgment of God, who giveth up men who go on sinning against Light, unto their own Hearts Lusts, saying to them, He that is filthy, let him be filthy still. Drunkenness is called by some, Vitium maximae adhaerentiae; a Sin that sticks closer and faster to a man than any other Sin.

These ten Arguments against Drunkennss were taken out of the Sermons of Mr. Owen Stockton of Colchester, lately deceased, an able and worthy Divine, in a Larger discourse again that Sin, well I worth the Reading, sold by Mr. Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapside: Preached upon the occasion of a sad and dreadful Providence, which lately befell a young man, who for some years was very hopefull for Religion, a diligent attender upon God's Ordinances, and well esteemed of among the People of God; but afterwards being led away by temptation, he was sometime overtaken with the sin of Drunkenness, and it seemed good to the Holy and Righteous God to cut him off in the Act of sin, when he was (as is generally reported) so far overcome [Page] with strong drink, that he was not able to go, but was led, and laid upon a Bed, and dyed in a few Hours, without coming to himself again.

HIS MAJESTIES PROCLAMATION AGAINST Vicious, Debauch'd, and Prophane Persons, and against drinking his Health.

CHARLES, R.

SInce it hath pleased the Divine Providence in so wonderful a manner, and by wayes and means no less miraculous, than those by which he did, heretofore, preserve and restore his own chosen People, to restore Us, and Our good Subjects to each other, and to shew Us a very hopeful Prospect, if not to put us already into possession of that Peace, Happiness and Security, with which this our Kingdom hath been heretofore blessed; It will become Us all, in our several Stations, to acknowledge this transcendent goodness of Almighty God in so seasonable a conjuncture, with such a Circumspection, Integrity, and Reformation in Our Lives, that we may not drive away that Mercy which so near approacheth Us, by making Our selves (wholly) unworthy of it. And in Order hereunto, We think it high time to shew Our dislike of [Page] those (against whom We have been ever enough offended, though We could not, in this manner declare it,) who under pretence of Affection to Us and Our Service, assume to themselves the liberty of Reviling, Threatning and Reproaching others; and as much as in them lies, endeavour to stifle and divert their good Inclinations to Our Service, and so to prevent that Reconciliation and Union of Hearts and Affections, which can only, with Gods Blessing, make Us rejoyce in each other, and keep Our Enemies from rejoycing.

There are likewise another sort of Men, of whom we have heard much, and are sufficiently ashamed; who spend their time in Taverns, Tipling-houses and Debauches, giving no other Evidence of their Affection to Us, but in drinking Our Health, and Inveighing against all others, who are not of their own dissolute temper; and who, in truth, have more discredited Our Cause, by the Licence of their Manners and Lives, than they could ever advance it by their Affection or courage. We hope that this extraordinary way of delivering Us all, from all we feared, and almost bringing Us to all We can reasonably hope for, hath and will work upon the Hearts, even of these Men to that degree, that they will cordially renounce all that Licentiousness, Prophaneness, and Impiety, with which they have been corrupted, and endeavoured to corrupt others, and that they will hereafter, become examples of Sobriety and Uertue, and make it appear, that what is past, was rather the Uice of the Time, than of the Persons, and the fitter to be forgotten together.

And, because the fear of punishment, or apprehension of Our Displeasure, may have influence upon many, who will not be restrained by the Conscience of their Duty, We do declare, That We will not exercise [Page] just Severity against any Malefactors sooner, than against Men of dissolute, debauch'd, and profane Lives, with what parts soever they may be otherwise qualified and endowed; and We hope, that all Persons of Honour, or in Place and Authority, will so far assist Us, in discountenancing such Men, that their discretion and shame will perswade them to reform what their Conscience would not, and that the displeasure of good Men towards them, may supply what the Laws have not; and, it may be, cannot well provide against, there being by the Licence and Corruption of the Times, and the depraved Nature of Men, many Enormities, Scandals, and Impieties, in Practice and Manners, which Laws cannot well describe, and consequently not enough provide against, which may by the example and severity of Uertuous Men, be easily discountenanced, and by degrees suppressed.

However, for the more effectual reforming these Men, who are a discredit to the Nation, and unto any Cause they pretend to favour, and to wish well to; We require all Maiors, Sheriffs, and Justices of Peace, to be very vigilant and strict in the discovery and prosecution of all Dissolute and Prophane Persons, and such as Blaspheme the Name of God, by prophane Swearing and Cursing, or revile or disturb Ministers, and despise the Publick Worship of God; that being first bound to the good Behaviour, they may be further proceeded against, and exposed to shame, in such a manner, as the Laws of the Land, and the just and necessary Rules of Government shall direct or permit.

Dated the Twelfth Year of Our Reign.

See the Dialogue between Tory and Timothy in the Weekly Pacquet of Aug. 5. 1681. This passage:

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Tory.

There are a Thousand of my Companions that are not capable to express their Loyalty any way in the World, if they should be barr'd from Drinking of Healths, and Huzzaing, as if Bedlam were broken loose.

Tim.

Loyalty is the indispensable duty of every good Subject, and signifies no more than an obedience and Hearty serving of the King according to Law; and I am sure our Most Gracious Soveraign will not be serv'd any otherwise. Nor can I understand how a Common Drunkard, Swearer, Whoremonger, &c. ought to be accounted either Loyal, or a Son of the Church of England, since thereby he violates daily the Laws of God, Nature, and the Land, and for the same ought to stand Excommunicated by the Church.

Such as will not refrain from Intemperate drinking, and be reclamed by Scripture, Arguments, and Examples, let the regard of their Bodily Health move them: From these weighty reasons of Doctor Maynwaring's, shewing how it impairs their Health many wayes.
Preservaton of Health in the choice of Drinks, and Regular Drinking.

DRink for necessity, not for bad fellowship; especially soon after meat, which hinders due fermentation of the stomach, and washeth down before digestion be finished: but after the first concoction, if you have a hot Stomach, a dry or costive Body, you may drink more freely than others: or if thirst importunes you at any time, to satisfie▪ with a moderate draught is better than to forbear.

[Page]Accustom Youth and strong Stomachs to small drink; but stronger drink, and Wine, to the infirm and aged: it chears the Spirits, quickens the Appetite, and helps Digestion, moderately taken: but being used in excess, disturbs the course of Nature, and procures many Diseases: for corpulent gross and fat Bodies, thin, hungry, abstersive, penetrating Wines are best, as White-Wine, Rhenish, and such like.

For lean thin Bodies; black, red and yellow Wines, sweet, full bodied and fragrant, are more fit and agreeable; as Malaga, Muscadel, Tent, Alicant and such like.

For Drink, whether it be wholsomer warmed than cold, is▪ much controverted; some stifly contending for the one, and some for the other: I shall rather chuse the middle way, with limitation and distinction, than impose it upon all as a rule to be observed under the penalty of forfeiting their health, the observations of the one or the other.

There are three sorts of persons, one cannot drink cold Beer, the other cannot drink warm, the third, either: You that cannot drink cold Beer, to you it is hurtful, cools the Stomach, and checks it much: therefore keep to warm drink as a wholsome custom: you that cannot drink warm Beer, that is, find no refreshment, nor thirst satisfied by it, you may drink it cold, nor is it injurious to you: you that are indifferent and can drink either, drink yours cold, or warmed, as the company does, since your Stomach makes no choice.

That warm drink is no bad custom, but agreeable to Nature in the generality; First, Because it comes the nearest to the natural temper of the Body, and similia similibus conservantur, every thing is preserved by its like, and destroyed by its contrary. Secondly, Though I do not hold it the principal Agent in digestion, yet it does excite, is auxiliary, and a necessary concomitant of a good digestion, ut signum & causa. Thirdly, Omne frigus per se, & pro viribus destruit; Cold in its own nature, and according to the graduation of its power, extinguisheth natural heat, and is destructive; but per accidens, and as it is in gradu remisso, [Page] it may contemperate, allay, and refresh, where heat abounds, and is exalted.

Therefore as there is variety of Palates, and Stomachs liking and agreeing best with such kind of Meats and Drinks, which to others are utterly disgustful, disagreeing and injurious, though good in themselves: so is it in Drink warmed or cold; what one finds a benefit in, the other receives a prejudice; at least does not find that satisfaction and refreshment, under such a qualification; because of the various natures, particular appetitions, and idiosyncratical properties of several bodies, one thing will not agree with all: Therefore he that cannot drink warm, let him take it cold, and it is well to him; but he that drinks it warm, does better. And this is to be understood in Winter, when the extremity of cold hath congelated and fixed the Spirits of the Liquor in a torpid inactivity; which by a gentlePrimum crater ad sitim pertinere, secundum ad hilaritatem, tertium ad voluptatem, quartum ad insaniam dixit. Apulius. warmth are unfettered, volatile and brisk; whereby the drink is more agreeable and grateful to the Stomachs fermenting heat, being so prepared, than to be made so by it.

There are three sorts of Drinkers: one drinks to satisfie Nature, and to support his body; without which he cannot well subsist, and requires it as necessary to his Being. Another drinks a degree beyond this man, and takes a larger dose, with this intention, to exhilerate and chear his mind, to banish cares and trouble, and help him to sleep the better; and these two are lawful Drinkers. A third drinks neither for the good of the body, or the mind, but to stupifie and drown both; by exceeding the former bounds, and running into excess, frustrating those ends for which drink was appointed by Nature; converting this support of Life and Health, making it a procurer of sickness and untimely death.

Many such there are, who drink not to satisfie Nature, but force it down many times contrary to natural inclination; and when there is a reluctancy against it: as Drunkards that pour in Liquor, not for love of the drink, or that Nature requires it by thirst, but onely to maintain [Page] the mad frolick, and keep the Company from breaking up. Some to excuse this intemperance, hold it as good Physick to be drunk once a month, and plead for that liberty as a wholesom custom, and quote the authority of a famous Physician for it. Whether this Opinion be allowable, and to be admitted in the due Regiment for preservation of Health, is fit to be examined.

It is a Canon established upon good reason; That every Omne nimium naturae est inimicum. thing exceeding its just bounds, and golden mediocrity, is hurtful to Nature. The best of things are not excepted in this general rule; but are restrained and limited here to a due proportion. The supports of Life may prove the procurers of Death, if not qualified and made wholsom by this corrective.

Meat and drink is no longer sustenance, but a load and overcharge, if they exceed the quantum due to each particular person; and then they are not, what they are properly in themselves, and by the appointment of Nature, the preservatives of Life and Health; but the causes of sickness, and consequently of Death.

Drink was not appointed man, to discompose and disorder him in all his faculties, but to supply, nourish, and strengthen them. Drink exceeding its measure, is no longer a refreshment, to irrigate and water the thirsty body, but makes an inundation to drown and suffocate the vital powers. It puts a man out of the state of Health, and represents him in such a degenerate condition both in respect of body and mind, that we may look upon the man, as going out of the World, because he is already gone out of himself, and strangely metamorphosed from what he was.

I never knew sickness or a Disease, to be good preventing Physick; and to be drunk, is no other than an unsound state, and the whole body out of frame by this great change. What difference is there between sickness and drunkenness? Truly I cannot distinguish them otherwise than as genus and species: Drunkenness being a raging Disease, denominated and distinguished from other sicknesses, by its procatarctick or procuring cause, Drink.

[Page]That Drunkenness is a Disease or Sickness, will appear in that it hath all the requisites to constitute a Disease, and is far distant from a state of Health: for as Health is the free and regular discharge of all the functions of the Body and Mind; and sickness, when the functions are not performed, or weakly and depravedly: then Ebriety may properly be said to be a Disease or sickness, because it hath the symptoms and diagnostick signs of an acute and great Disease: for, during the time of drunkenness, and some time after, few of the faculties perform rightly, but very depravedly and preternaturally: if we examine the intellectual faculties, we shall find the reason gone, the memory lost or much abated, and the will strangely perverted: if we look into the sensitive faculties, they are disordered, and their functions impedited or performed very deficiently: the eyes do not see well, nor the ears hear well, nor the palate rellish, &c. The speech faulters and is imperfect; the stomach perhaps vomits or nauseates; his legs fail: Indeed if we look through the whole man, we shall see all the faculties depraved, and their functions either not executed, or very disorderly, and with much deficiency.

Now according to these symptoms in other sicknesses, we judge a man not likely to live long; and that it is very hard he should recover; the danger is so great from the many threatning symptoms that attend this sickness, and prognosticate a bad event: here is nothing appears salutary; but from head to foot, the Disease is prevalent in every part; which being collated, the syndrom is lethal, and Judgment to be given so.

Surely then Drunkenness is a very great Disease for the time; but because it is not usually mortal, nor lasts long; therefore it is slighted, and look't upon as a trivial matter that will cure it self. But now the question may be asked, Why is not Drunkenness usually mortal; since the same signs in other Diseases are accounted mortal, and the event proves [Page] it so? To which I answer; All the hopes we have that a man drunk should live, is; First, From common experience that it is not deadly: Secondly, From the nature of the Primitive or procuring Cause, strong Drink or Wine; which although it rage, and strangely discompose the man for a time, yet it lasts not long, nor is mortal. The inebriating spirits of the liquor, flowing in so fast, and joyning with the spirits of mans body, make so high a tide, that overflows all the banks and bounds of order: For, the spirits of mans body, those agents in each faculty, act smoothly, regularly and constantly, with a moderate supply; but being overcharged, and forced out of their natural course, and exercise of their duty, by the large addition of furious spirits; spurs the functions into strange disorders, as if nature were conflicting with death and dissolution: but yet it proves not mortal.

And this, first, because these adventitious spirits are amicable and friendly to our bodies in their own nature, and therefore not so deadly injurious, as that which is not so familiar or noxious.

Secondly, Because they are very volatile, light and active; Nature therefore does much sooner recover her self, transpires and sends forth the overplus received; than if the Morbisick matter were more ponderous and fixed; the gravamen from thence would be much worse and longer in removing: as an over-charge of Meat, Bread, Fruit, or such like substances not spirituous; but dull and heavy (comparative) is of more difficult digestion, and layes a greater and more dangerous load upon the faculties, having not such volatile brisk spirits to assist Nature, nor of so liquid a fine substance, of quicker and easier digestion: So that the symptoms from thence are much more dangerous, than those peracute distempers arising from Liquors. So likewise those bad symptoms in other Diseases are more to be feared and accounted mortal (than the like arising from drunkenness) because those perhaps depend upon malignant causes; or such as by time are radicated in the body; or from the defection of some principal part: [Page] but the storm and discomposure arising from drunkenness, as it is suddenly raised, so commonly it soon falls, depending upon benign causes, and a spirituous matter, that layes not so great an oppression; but inebriates the spirits, that they act very disorderly and unwontedly; or by the soporiferous vertue, stupifies them for a time, until they recover their agility again.

But all this while, I do not see, that to be drunk once a month should prove good Physick: all I think that can be said in this behalf, is; that by overcharging the Stomach, vomiting is procured; and so carries off something that was lodged there, which might breed Diseases.

This is a bad excuse for good Fellows, and a poor plea for drunkenness: for the gaining of one supposed benefit (which might be obtained otherwise) you introduce twenty inconveniences by it. I do not like the preventing of one Disease that may be, by procuring of one at the present certainly, and many hereafter most probably: and if the Disease feared, or may be, could be prevented no otherwise, but by this drunken means; then that might tolerate and allow it: but there are other wayes better and safer to cleanse the body either upwards or downwards, than by overcharging with strong drink, and making the man to unman himself; the evil consequents of which are many, the benefit hoped for, but pretended; or if any, but very small and inconsiderable.

And although, as I said before, the drunken fit is not mortal, and the danger perhaps not great for the present; yet those drunken bouts being repeated; the relicts do accumulate, debilitate Nature, and lay the foundation of many chronick Diseases. Nor can it be expected otherwise; but you may justly conclude from the manifest irregular actions which appear to us externally, that the functions within also, and their motions are strangely disordered: for, the outward madness and unwonted actions, proceed from the internal impulses, and disordered motions of the faculties: which general disturbance and discomposure (being frequent) must needs subvert [Page] the oeconomy and government of humane Nature; and consequently ruine the Fabrick of mans body.

The ill effects, and more eminent products of Ebriety, are; first, A changing of the natural tone of the Stomach, and alienating the digestive faculty; That instead of a good transmutation of food, a degenerate Chyle is produced. Common experience tells, that after a drunken debauch, the stomach loseth its appetite, and acuteness of digestion; as belching, thirst, disrelish, nauseating, do certainly testifie: yet to support nature, and continue the custom of eating, some food is received; but we cannot expect from such a Stomach that a good digestion should follow: and it is some dayes before the Stomach recover its eucrasy, and perform its office well: and if these miscarriages happen but seldom, the injury is the less, and sooner recompenced; but by the frequent repetition of these ruinous practices, the Stomach is overthrown and alienated from its integrity.

Secondly, An unwholsom corpulency and cachectick plenitude of body does follow: or a degenerate macilency, and a decayed consumptive A Cacotrophy, or Atrophy. constitution. Great Drinkers that continue it long, few of them escape, but fall into one of these conditions and habit of body: for, if the Stomach discharge not its office a right, the subsequent digestions will also be defective. So great a consent and dependance is there upon the Stomach; that other parts cannot perform their duty, if this leading principal Part be perverted and debauched: nor can it be expected otherwise; for, from this Laboratory and prime office of digestion, all the parts must receive their supply; which being not suitable, but depraved, are drawn into debanchery also, and a degenerate state; & the whole Body fed with vitious alimentary succus.

Now that different products or habits of body should arise from the same kind of debauchery, happens upon this score. As there are different properties and conditions of bodies; so the result from the same procuring causes shall be much different and various: one puffs up, fills, and grows hydropical; another pines away, and falls Consumptive, from excess in drinking; and this proceeds from the different disposition of parts: for, in some persons, although the stomach be vitiated, yet the [Page] strength of the subsequent digestions is so great, from the integrity and vigor of those parts destinated to such offices; that they act strenuously, though their object matter be transmitted to them imperfect and degenerate: und therefore do keep the body plump and full, although the juyces be foul, and of a depraved nature. Others è contra, whose parts are not so firm and vigorous; that will not act upon any score, but with their proper object; does not endeavour a transmutation of such aliene matter, but receiving it with a nice reluctance, transmits it to be evacuated and sent forth by the next convenient ducture, or emunctory: and from hence the body is frustrated of nu [...]ition, and falls away: So that the pouring in of much liquor (although it be good in sua natura) does not beget much aliment, but washeth through the body, and is not assimilated.

But here some may object and think; That washing of the body through with good Liquor, should cleanse the body, and make it fit for nourishment, and be like good Physick for a foul body. But the effect proves the contrary; and it is but reason it should be so: for, suppose the Liquor (whether Wine, or other) be pure and good; yet when the spirit is drawn off from it, the remainder is but dead, flat, thick, and a muddy flegm. As we find in the distillation of Wine, or other Liquors; so it is in mans body: the spirit is drawn off first, and all the parts of mans body are ready Receivers, and do imbibe that limpid congenerous enlivener, freely and readily: but the remainder, of greatest proportion; that heavy, dull, phlegmy part, and of a narcotick quality; lies long fluctuating upon the digestions, and passeth but slowly; turns sowre, and vitiates the Crases of the parts: So that this great inundation, and supposed washing of the body, does but drown the Faculties, stupifie or choak the Spirits, and defile all the Parts; not purifie and cleanse. And although the more subtile and thinner portion, passeth away in some persons pretty freely by Urine; yet the grosser and worse part stayes behind, and clogs in the percolation.

A third injury, and common, manifest prejudice from intemperate drinking, is; An imbecillity of the Nerves; which is procured from the disorderly motions of the Animal Spirits; being impulsed and agitated preternaturally by the inebriating spirits of strong Liquors: which vibration being frequent, begets a habit, and causeth a trepidation of Members.

Transcribed verbatim out of Dr. Maynwaring's Treatise Of long Life.

FINIS.

§

Are to be Sold near the Exchange and in Popes-head-Alley.

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A Warning-piece to all drunkards and health-drinkers faithfully collected from the works of English and foreign learned authors of good esteem, Mr. Samuel Ward and Mr. Samuel Clark, and others ...

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1682

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— A Warning-piece to all drunkards and health-drinkers faithfully collected from the works of English and foreign learned authors of good esteem, Mr. Samuel Ward and Mr. Samuel Clark, and others ..., Ward, Samuel, 1572-1643., Clarke, Samuel, 1599-1682..

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Printed for the author :. and are to be sold by Langley Curtis ...,. London :: 1682.. (Reproduction of original in Huntington Library.)

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Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.

Editorial practices

EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.

EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).

The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.

Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.