cleanness of life; commanding us to abstain from Drunkenness, which bringeth us forward unto Whoredom: and when we have once embraced these, they lead us captive, unto the breach of God's Sabbath: to be disobedient unto our Parents, Magistrates, and Pastors: to steal: to murder: to swear, and forswear: yea, to become Idolaters, and blasphemers of God's Name, etc. as shall be shown hereafter, God willing, by sufficient Testimonies, as well out of God's word, as also from the Write of holy and learned Authors: together with manifest Examples; of the which some have happened even in our days. But first of all, let us come along the Borders of the Bible, and take a view how the Plague of Drunkenness hath miserable infected some even of GOD'S dearest Saints, from the beginning.  
Then to begin with Noah▪ who first after the Flood planted a Vineyard, was first drunken, and cursed his son Cham, because he mocked him, when he saw him lie sleeping uncovered. Genes. 9.21.  
What excuse can our Drunkards now adays, draw from Noah? he knew not the quality of the Grape, but was beguiled with the juice thereof; and that after his wearisome business no doubt: and yet for his fault he escapeth not, but is punished with the derision of his own son, his son is accursed, and the whole generation of the Canaanites also accursed of God for his sake: behold, Noah's indigent drunkenness is the original hereof: And shall we then be blameless, who wilfully, wittingly, & of set purpose, drink ourselves drunken? giving it the name of merriness, Good-fellowship, etc. No, surely, except we forsake and detest our vild Drunkenness, not only shall our flesh and blood (and all godly Men) hold us in derision; but God Himself will laugh us to scorn, the Earth shall be accursed for our sakes, and at the Great Day of the Lord we shall descend downward, & receive a portion in the Lake which is already prepared with fire and brimstone, for the Devil, who shall be accompanied with the impenitent Drunkards, Harlots, Sabbath-breakers Swearers, etc. Therefore, in the Name of God, let us join hands with the holy Ghost (leaving off all Uncleanness) and sanctify the Lords Sabbath here; so shall we possess those glorious Mansions hereafter which He hath prepared for us from the beginning of the world.  
Lot's two Daughters beguiled their Father: they made him drunken: and there-upon he committed most abominable Incest, & begot his own daughters with child: and, though he knew not of it, yet was he punished in that his untimely seed: (the seed of Drunkenness we may call it) for the eldest daughter bore the father of the Moabites, and the younger the father of the Ammonites; who as they were begotten in drunken incestuous whoredom, so were they, and their posterity, vylde and wicked. Genes. 19 Vers. 32.33.34.35. etc.  
The Lord Himself maketh Drunkenness a mark, whereby the unholy are known from the holy, and the unclean from the clean. Leviticus, Chap. 10. Vers. 9.10.  
And what happened unto Nabal, I pray you, after his drunkenness? The Scripture saith, that he was very drunken: and he never rose again: for within ten days after, the Lord smote that drunken gluttonous churl that he died. 1. Sam. 38.  
When David had committed adultery with Vriahs' wife, he sent for her husband from the Camp, and made him drunken: thinking that drunkenness would provoke him to Lust, to go down to his house, & lie with his wife, etc. But because drunkenness prevailed not to cover adultery, murder proceeded: yea, murder after murder: so that the sword never departed from David's house. 2. Sam. Verse 10.  
It is to be marked, that the wise king Solomon often joineth Whoredom, with Drunkenness; strong drink, with strange women, etc. as unseparable companions: and sayeth, that those are the ways which destroy even kings, and causeth them to forget God's decree, & to change the judgement of the children of affliction. Prov. 23. Vers. 27.28.29.30.31.32.33. And Chap. 31. Vers. 3.4.5.  
And jesus Syrach, in his book called Ecclesiasticus, raileth out most bitterly against the vices of Drunkenness, Gluttony, Lechery, etc. saying, that they bring men to poverty, make them impudent, to forget God, & all goo● manners, plenisheth men full of ●glie diseases in this life: and in the end bringeth both body and soul into Hell fire. Syrach 19.3. and 23.6. and 31.12.  
The Prophet Isaiah thundering out the threatenings of the Lord against His people, upbraideth them especially with Drunkenness, and maketh it the very root of all Mischief, even amongst men of every vocation: for he spareth neither King nor Bishop, Prophet nor Puritan, Priest nor Laicke, Master nor Servant: but saith, they all go astray through strong Drink, and are even swallowed up with Drunkenness. If any should be offended hereat, I trust he will blame the Prophet for his downe-setting, and excuse me for my repetition: for it is not mine intention to cavil with any, nor to move them to wrath: but rather to make myself, and others, abhor Drunkenness. Lo, read the places: Isaiah, Chap. 5. vers. 11.12.22.23. And Chap. 22. vers. 13.14. And Chap. 28. vers. 7.8. And Chap. 56. vers. 10.11.12.  
Now take but a slender view what the prophet Ezekiel says of Drunkennes, Gluttony, Pride, and Idleness, together with Whoredom, those five sisters; in the 16. chapped. of his Prophecy: and so let us go on, and see what Daniel saith of Drunkenness, and the rest of the holy Prophets.  
It is then manifest by Daniel, that God, even our own God, is a merciful Lord, slow to anger, and ready to forgive: yea, in His wrath He thinketh on mercy. But if His mercies, loving kindness, and wonderful great benefits, which He bestoweth upon us, from time to time, prevail not with us; then we must understand that He is righteous, and is forced (thorough our ingratitude) to enter into judgement with us. As we see by the example of many here & there thorough the whole Bible: and in this place by Belshazzar, king of Babylon, who succeeded to the kingdom when Nebuchadnezar was driven from Babel, & from the fellowship of men, and was fain to eat grass with beasts, and abide heat, cold, and wet, till his hair grew like eagle's feathers, and his nails like the claws of Fowls? this misery came unto him, no doubt, thorough Wantonness, Drunkendesse, Gluttony, and Whoredom: for those are the Chains wherewith Satan bindeth the world, and draweth us from the true service of our God, and maketh us abjectes, and slaves unto sin, & at last to become like himself, even damned for ever. Thus much concerning Nebuchadnezar.  
Now let us go on, unto Belshazzar, of whom we spoke before: and let us behold what kind of Riot, Gluttony, and Drunkenness he used, & what was the success thereof. The Scripture saith, he made a Feast unto no less than a thousand Princes: and that he drunk much wine in their company: yea, till he became drunken. And then forsooth no Vessels could serve him to drink in, but those of Gold and Silver, which his Grandfather Nebuchadnezar had taken out of the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem: those, I say, he caused bring before him, filled them with strong Drink, and he, his princes, wives, concubines, and harlots drank, and were beastly drunken: then thought they no more on the God of Heaven: but rather in contempt of Him, with wide throats they praised the gods which were made with men's hands, of Gold, Silver, Brass, Iron, Wood, and of Stone. But what followed upon this Drunkenness? As I take it, the drink was not yet digested when the king was slain, his house divided, and a miserable end happened on the whole drunken rout, I warrant you. Daniel, Chap. 4. vers. 30. And Chap. 5. vers. 1.2.3.4.30.31.  
Hosea prophesieth, that there shall be like people, like priest: they shall eat, but not be satisfied: they shall commit Adultery, but not increase: Whoredom & wine taketh away their heart: the spirit of Fornication causeth them to err: they still go a whoring: therefore their daughters shall be Harlots, and their spouses' Whores: & their Drunkenness stinketh. But I hope there are no such priests in this Age: if there be, I dare say they are amongst the Papists, but not amongst us. But I pray you read the 4.5. and 6. Chapters of Hosea, for in them is so much said of Priests, that I think a jesuit will 〈◊〉 enough ado to expound them.  
The Prophet joel biddeth the Drunkards to awake, and in stead of their drunken pastime and laughter, to howl, and lament: for, saith he, ye have made sale of God's people: and the price which ye get, ye bestow it on Harlots, and on Wine, that ye may drink, and be drunken: but woe be unto you, for the drink shall be pulled from your mouth, & a sudden destruction shall come upon you. joel, Chap. 1. Vers. 5. And Chap. 3. vers. 3.4.  
Micah, in his 2. Chapt. threatneth the wanton Drunkards, and