A WARNING TO DRUNKARDS, Delivered in several SERMONS To a Congregation in COLCHESTER.  
Upon The Occasion of a sad Providence towards a Young Man, dying in the Act of Drunkenness.  
By that Reverend, Faithful, and painful Servant and Minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Owen Stockton, lately deceased.  
LONDON, Printed by J. R. for Tho. Parkhurst, at the Bible and 3 Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside. 1682.   

To the Worshipful Ralph Cr●●eild, Esq; and Nathaniel Laurence, Esq; Aldermen of Colchester, and Justices of the Peace for the County of Essex.  
Gentlemen,  
YOU may believe it is no pleasure to me to complain of the Immorality of a degenerate age: and the vast conquests which prevailing vice like a potent Tyrant hath of late years made, I say, not over the Religion, but the very reason of Humane Nature, and the Dependencies thereof. Which as it is not to be mentioned by good men without lamentation, so cannot be dissembled or excused without participation. Profane swearing, unclean whoredom, and beastly Drunkenness, with other too manifest, are not only abounding, but as the Prophet speaketh mighty sins amongst us; strengthened as well by the quality, as the number of the guilty. It is a prodigious mode of estimation for men to value themselves, or be valued by others according to the measure of their intemperate excess. Etiam viri fortis accipit nomen, qui tamen tanto nequior, quanto sub poculo invictior. They are the mighty who can drink most wine, and the men of strength who can mingle strong Drink, as if they envied that Royal Heathen Name, and were ambitious of the Honour of his Inscription upon his Tomb, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. I have been able to drink abundantly, and to bear it strongly. In the pride of which strength some will have the confidence to glory, even while a paralytic trembling, (no weak evidence of their great achievements in their Bacchanalia) hath disabled their hands to serve their mouth, and monstrous swell have misshaped their Bodies into such unwieldy burdens that some are tempted to ask, Homines high an utres verius aestimandi? Wither they be not rather Barrels, than Bodies of men.  
Fallen Nature, even in Heathens have retained some principles of restraint from impudence and excess of vice. The Spartans thought it an effectual preservative of their Children from intemperate drinking to present to their view their drunken Vassals (for, as drunk as a Beggar hath been the Proverb) that beholding their loathsome vomit, and ridiculous behaviour they might the more abhor such gratifying of inordinate appetite, which debaseth the honour of a man into the shame of a beast. And the very Turks after a fit of Drunkenness, will lie day and night crying, and praying to Mahomet for intercession. But the very Remnants of Conscience and shame seem utterly extinct among some Christians of this generation. Surely the days of the Apostles were modest, when they that were drunk, were drunk in the night: but now St. Peter's argument is too weak to refel the accusation, for these men may be drunk at the third hour of the day. And some do so declare their sin as Sodom, and hid it not, Drinking and Singing, Roaring and Revelling, Reeling and Staggering in the open Sun, as if they would confute St. Paul, and demonstrate Rioting and Drunkenness to be no works of Darkness.  
Yea, such credit and power hath Debauchery obtained, that it lifts up itself above control, and is impatient to be touched, and ready to turn again, and rend the wisest reprover. And who so is resolved to possess his Vessel in sobriety, and Honour, doth tantum non forfeit his reputation, and is in danger to be written among the suspected by those whose God is Bacchus, whose Temple the Tavern, whose Altar the Table, whose Priest the Vintner, whose Offering Wine and strong Drink, and whose Heaven is sensual. Who have arrived to that degree of Atheism, as to fortify their Lusts against their Conscience with the vainest flattery, and self deluding conceit, that their great pretences of loyalty and zeal for King and Church shall sanctify the grossest violations of the Laws of Morality, both sacred and civil. Nay, vice will scarce acknowledge itself to violate, but even claims a right, and calls itself by the name of Virtue. According to the Moralist's Character of the worst times. Habebitur ebrietati honour, et plurimum meri cepisse victus erit, saith Seneca. Offering excess, of Wine is become an Instance of Noble and Generous Entertainment, and a part of answerable civility to accept it. Guests are scarce made welcome, if not made Drunk. Such an obliging bond is courting, courtesy and compliment, such force in great examples, such arguments applied of Honour and Loyalty, Such colour, motion, and sparkling in the glass to provoke, that he must be a Nazarite, or a Rechabite that hath the courage to withstand the power of so great temptation. He that will be sober, is uncivil, and it is an high affront, deserving no less than a stab, to boggle at life and Soul-destroying Healths, or to refuse to be drowned for Company. Thus doth the pride of debauchery magnify itself, Hectoring virtue out of its due honour, and arrogating an unjust Glory to its own shame.  
What the issue of this great evil will be, is the fear of the Good, viz. least for the Vomit and filth whereof all Tables are full, the Land also in just retribution spew out her Inhabitants. That so many Judgements by which Heaven hath contended with a sinful Nation should not only prove it incorrigible, but leave it declining into worse, is no weak indication of a desperate disease. He that hath denounced Woe to the Drunkards, is faithful to keep and Almighty to execute his word. Whereof he hath in his righteous providence made many sad and woeful Instances. As in too many other places so particularly in your Colchester. He hath not left himself without witness, by a very quick and remarkable judgement upon a young Drunkard, twice dead, dying dead drunk. The Report whereof at least came not short of your special notice. May I have leave to speak it. God sometimes blest your Town with the happy Ministry of his laborious and faithful Servant, Mr. Owen Stockton, whose due Character is elsewhere read, whose Head, Heart, Tongue, and Pen constantly traveled for the Salvation of precious, yet perishing Souls. At this warning and amazing stroke, as formerly at the destroying Pestilence among you, which exercised the labour of his Pen to a considerable Vo ume, which yet never saw the light, His Spirit like St. Paul's was stirred in him, to improve the advantage of so severe a Providence, by joining to it the Word of God committed to his trust, hoping that the Sword of the Spirit being therewith sharpened, might be the more effectual and mighty through God against this fleshly Lust which warreth against the Soul, and hath made more havoc of the Sons of men, than ever Saul did of the Saints of God. In which honourable and pious engagement with this deadly sin. He convicts it as the common Enemy of the Bodies and Souls of men, declareth open war against it, defieth, and casteth dirt upon the face of its glory, armeth and encourageth the assailing host of Christians to oppose it, dischargeth against it the thundering Canon, laden with the vengeance of Almighty justice, pursueth it to its higher Mountains, raiseth batteries against its strongest holds, discovereth and defeateth all its subtle stratagems, and confuteth all its pretences. Having performed his work according to his great ability, and delivered his zealous Soul to a particular Congregation viva voce, he designed with some enlargement for general use to commit it to the Press, But before he had put to it ultimam manum, God put to his Life ultimam lineam. Which Providence I am not prone to interpret, as a voice from Heaven saying to him, let the Drunkard alone, thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be a reproover. He that is filthy, let him be filthy still, but will rather hope, God so ordered that it should be his dying Pen, that it might be the more affecting.  
Such as he left it, worthy of the Press beyond my commendation, is here Published, and humbly presented Gentlemen to your hands. I am ware how much I presume thus to approach you, for which I am concerned to make my Apology. I am not ignorant what Honourable Respects the Reverend Author deservedly had for your Worships, and what reciprocal Respects obliged him thereunto: which I am bound to believe he would gladly have expressed, and acknowledged by some more public Testimony. Be pleased then to understand and accept this as a posthumous offering, which a lesser hand, though not with less Respects, humbly maketh to you as in his Name.  
The Relation, affection and compassion which he had towards Colchester, and the Souls therein always excited the vehemency of his desires, sharpened the edge of his just actions, directed the aim of his endeavours, and intended the fervour of his Prayers on its behalf, that some happy fruit of the travail of his Soul, and particularly of this, might there be found. In compliance wherewith, considering the Character you bear in your Town, I have presumed to prefix your worthy Names to this small Volume, which being an Orphan doth more earnestly crave your Patronage, and is ambitious of the favour and influence of your recommendation to the concerned Reader.  
The dreadful providence towards the young man, who was made an open spectacle of God's Righteous Judgement, (the occasion of the following sheets) speaking more especially to Colchester, because in it, did naturally prompt me to betake myself to the advantage of some more eminent names among you, through which to revive the memory of so loud a warning, if happily, some at lest who have been long instances of Patience, might with the greater intention legere exemplum justitiae ne fiant.  
I must not forbear to add, that by Royal favour and trust, you fill honourable seats of Authority, extended to a large Province in the Civil Government. Now such is the pride and frowardness, the obstinacy and contradiction of the sin complained of, so strengthened by corruption within, and temptation without, that the best instructed Ministry cannot prevail against it, but is forced to confess the weakness of its most powerful arguments and passionate persuasions, and therefore cryeth to you, as the woman in Holy Writ, in another case, help O Magistrate, ye also are the Ministers of God, into whose hands God hath put the Sword of Justice, not to be born in vain. Your own great examples of Sobriety shall strengthen your hands in exerting your just Authority, to restrain the intemperance of licentious appetites. Wherein you are beyond doubt assured, there is no colour of disloyalty to Prince, no Nonconformity to Church, no violation of Oaths, no breach of Trust, none to be offended but the guilty, who ought not to be pleased. God and the King, Law Sacred and Civil, Conscience and Honour call upon you, and warrant you to apply your politic remedies to this Insatiable Dropsy, which if universally practised by the State-Physitians, would not doubt as effectually cure, as the policy of the ancient Gauls maintained the moderation of their days, who were wont to fine those who through intemperance out grew their girdles.  
But here I reform my Pen, lest I seem to teach you your Office, while I only implore your aid, and aggravate my presumption, while I labour to excuse it. As the publication of what the Reverend Author hath so industriously, and with the Evidence and Authority of Holy Scripture, as well as strength of argument so convincingly written, is a Testimony of my full consent with him, in representing this unmanly and ungodly excess, as matter of just indignation and abhorrence to the reason and ingenuity of men, and Religion of Christians: So this Dedication and Presenting thereof to your hands, desires to be understood as a Testimony of that true Honour and Reverence for your Persons, Virtues and Offices, (the Dignity whereof can never be lessened by disgracing an inglorious vice,) which he justly hath, who is  
Gentlemen, Your Worship's most humble Servant John Fairfax. Barking. Feb. 25. 1681.   
Isa. 28.1. 
woe to the Crown of Pride, to the Drunkards of Ephraim.  

SECT. 1  
THE occasion of my handling this Text is a sad and dreadful Providence, which lately befell a young man, who for some years was very hopeful for Religion, a diligent attender upon God's Ordinances, and well esteemed of among the people of God, but afterwards being led away with temptation, he was sometime overtaken with the sin of drunkenness, and it seemed good to the Holy and Righteous God to cut him off in the act of sin, when he was (as is generally reported) so far overcome with strong drink that he was not able to go, but was led, and laid upon a bed, and died in few hours, without coming to himself again. When a Malefactor is punished by men, all that hear thereof should fear to commit the like sins. Deut. 13.11. And all Israel shall hear and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you. This is spoken of stoneing to death a person, that should entice another to go and serve other Gods. God expected that the hearing of such a man's death should make all Israel fear, and do no more any such wickedness. When a sinner is cut off by the immediate hand of God, his death is as much or more to be regarded, than when he dyeth by the hands of men, and therefore I may say of this judgement, that befell this young man, Oh that all Colchester would hear, and oh that all England might hear and fear, and do no more any such wickedness as this is, to drink Wine or strong drink till they be drunk. I do the rather take this occasion to preach against this sin of drunkenness, because this young man, on whom God sent this judgement was one, that used to attend on my Ministry, and I thought it necessary to warn others, yea to warn all my hearers to take heed and beware of this sin of drunkenness.  
If any say, I have no need to be warned to take heed of the sin of drunkenness, I hate and abhor it, and look upon it as a most beastly sin, what manner of persons do you take us to be, that you warn us to take heed of drunkenness.  
A. 1. They do not know the corruption of their own hearts, nor what strength and power there is in a temptation, that think they have no need to be warned to take heed of drunkenness. There is in our corrupt natures an inclination to all sin, Rom. 7.8. Sin, taking occasion by the Commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. And it is from God's restraining us, that those evil inclinations, that are in our hearts, do not break forth in our lives. Gen. 20.6. I withheld thee from sinning against me, therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. By the power of temptation we may be drawn to those sins, which we think ourselves most averse unto, yea to which we apprehend that we have such an averseness, that we will rather suffer death than consent to them. Matth. 26.35. Peter said unto him, though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Though Peter thought and said this, that he would rather die than deny Christ, yet being in a temptation, he did three times fall into that sin, which he thought he of all men should never have yielded to; ver. 33. Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet I will never be offended. And which he thought he should rather die than commit, he fell thrice into in one night, in the same night in which he solemnly professed, he would rather die than deny the Lord Jesus. Hazael seemed to scorn the Prophet's words, when he told him how cruelly he would deal with the people of Israel, that he would kill their young men with the sword, and dash out their children's brains, and rip up the women with child, and replied, 2 King. 8.13. But what is thy servant a dog that he should do this great thing; Yet he fulfiled what the Prophet had foretold.  
2. Our Lord Jesus Christ saw it needful to warn his own Disciples, who had left all to follow him, to take heed of this sin of drunkenness. Luke 21.34. And take heed to yourselves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. That our Lord Jesus Christ speaks here to his own Disciples is evident from Ch. 20.45. and Luk. 21.5, 7. Compared with Matth. 24.1, 3. Matthew relating much of the same discourse, tells that it was a private discourse between Christ and his Disciples. And several passages in the Chapter show plainly that it was spoken to the Disciples; As ver. 12.15, 17, 28. They shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you— and ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. etc. Now if our Lord Jesus Christ saw it needful to warn his own Disciples, who were enabled to suffer persecution for Righteousness sake, to take heed of drunkenness, why should any of us think we have no need to be warned to take heed of this sin.  
3. Persons of great eminency for the grace of God have been overtaken with this sin of drunkenness, and that in a very shameful manner. Noah was a man of great eminency in the grace of God: he kept his integrity when all the men on the earth had corrupted their ways, Gen. 6.9, 11, 12. He was a Preacher of Righteousness. 2 Pet. 2.5. He was renowned for his faith, and fear of God, and was an heir of the Righteousness which is by saith. Heb. 11.7. He was a man in great favour with God, and could do great things with God in Prayer, and is ranked with Job and Daniel, God's special favourites. Ezek. 14.14.16, 18, 20. Yet this Noah who was so eminent and famous in his Generation, was overcome with Wine in a most shameful manner, in so much as he lay uncovered in his Tent, and his Son saw his nakedness, and this after he had seen God's judgement in drowning the old World for their sins, and his infinite mercy in sparing him and his Family. Gen. 9.20, 21, 22. And Noah planted a Vineyard, and he drunk of the Wine, and was drunken, and he was uncovered within his Tent, and Ham saw the nakedness of his Father, and told it his two brethren without. Lot was a Righteous man, so eminent for Holiness that he was vexed in his Soul to see the unrighteousness of the Sodomites. 2 Pet. 2.7, 8. He was in such favour with God, that the Lord sent two Angels to his house to give him warning of the destruction of Sodom, and to bid him hasten out of that place, lest he was consumed. Gen. 19.1, 12, 13, 15. He was in such favour with God, that though Sodom's sins were exceeding great, and Angels were come down from Heaven to destroy that place, yet they could do nothing, towards destroying that City, till Lot was gone out of it, and escaped to Zoar, ver. 22. Hast thee, escape thither, for I cannot do any thing till thou art come thither. He had such power with God that he prevailed for the sparing of a whole City, which had deserved destruction, as well as Sodom, for the Cities about Sodom were given to fornication, and going after strange flesh as well as Sodom. Judas 7. Yet at Lot's request the City of Zoar was spared. Gen. 19.21. See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing, that I will not overthrow this City, for the which thou hast spoken. Yet this Righteous Lot was twice overcome with wine, and that to such an high degree as that he knew not what he did, and in his drunkenness committed the heinous sin of incest with both his Daughters, for his two Daughters were with Child by lying with their Father, when they had made him drunk. Gen. 19.30. to the 36. And Lot's sin was the greater because it was committed after he had seen God's terrible judgements on Sodom, and the adjacent Cities for their sins, and after God had shown a miracle of mercy towards him in his deliverance out of Sodom. Now if such eminent Saints as Noah and Lot were overtaken with the sin of drunkenness, and that in a very dreadful manner, who can say they have no need of being warned to take heed of this sin? Let these examples have this effect upon us, to make such as think they stand, take heed lest they fall. 1 Cor. 10.12.   

Sect. 2. The Text opened. What's meant by the Crown of Pride, what by the drunkards of Ephraim, what by the woe denounced against them.  
The Prophet in this Text denounceth God's judgements against two great sins, Pride and Drunkenness, for opening whereof let us consider.  

1. What is meant by the Crown of Pride?  
2. What is meant by the Drunkards of Ephraim.  
3. What by the woe denounced against Pride and Drunkenness.   
What is meant by the Crown of Pride?  
A. 1. By the Prophet's crying woe to the Crown of Pride, we may understand that Pride is odious to God in all sorts of persons, though they be Kings and Princes, such as wear Crowns, if great men; If the greatest Kings be lifted up with Pride they are an abomination to the Lord. Prov. 16.5. Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord. Nabuchadnezzar was the greatest Monarch in the World; All People, Nations and Languages trembled and feared before him, whom he would he slew, and whom he would he saved alive. Dan. 5.19. Yet when this great King was lifted up with Pride, God did not spare him, but deposed him from his Kingly Throne, and made him lower than the lowest of men: For he was driven from among men, and had his dwelling among the beasts, and did eat grass as the Oxen. Dan. 5.20. But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in Pride, he was deposed from his Kingly Throne. Dan. 4.31, 32. O King Nabuchadnezzar the Kingdom is departed from thee, and they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, they shall make thee to eat grass as Oxen.  
2. By woe to the Crown of Pride, we may understand, woe to those in whom Pride is a reigning sin. Crowns are worn by those that reign, in token of their regal dignity. We must not suffer Pride or any other sin to reign in us. Rom. 6.12. Let not sin reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Good men may be overtaken with Pride as well as other sins, but it doth not reign over them, but they resist and oppose it, and humble themselves for it, as we may see in the case of Hezekiah. 2 Chron. 32.25, 26.— His heart was lifted up— Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the Pride of his heart. Now the woe denounced against Pride, is against the Crown of Pride, that is, where Pride is a reigning sin.  
3. By the Crown of pride may be understood those Crowns or Garlands made of Roses or other Flowers, which drunkards use to wear at their drunken meetings. Ebrii solebant sibi coronas imponere; As Grotius observeth. It was an Heathenish custom for drunkards to put Crowns on their heads, which custom was imitated by many of the Israelites, against such as these the Prophet denounceth God's judgements, woe to the Crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, as if he should have said, woe to those drunkards in Ephraim, that take a pride in drunkenness, that glory in their shame, that strive to excel and get the mastery of each of other in drunkenness.  
What is meant by the Drunkards of Ephraim.  
A. A drunkard is one that is given, addicted, accustomed to the sin of drunkenness, one that is frequently drunk, Noah was once overtaken with drunkenness, but he was no drunkard, he was not addicted and accustomed to this sin.  
Ephraim was a Tribe in Israel. Numb. 1.33. Of the Tribe of Ephraim were 40500. Sometimes by Ephraim is understood the Ten Tribes of Israel which revolted from the house of David in the days of Jeroboam, As Isa. 7.2. It was told the house of David, Syria is confederate with Ephraim, that is, with the Ten Tribes of Israel, which were called by the name of Ephraim, because Jeroboam who was the first King that the ten Tribes set up, after their defection from the house of David was of the Tribe of Ephraim. 1 King. 11.26, 31. And also because Ephraim was the chiefest of the ten Tribes: so that woe to the drunkards of Ephraim is as much as woe to the drunkards in Israel. Israel was a people that had God's Word and Prophets, a people for whom God had done greater things than for any Nation under Heaven. Psal. 147.19, 20. Israel professed themselves to be the people of the Lord; And therefore to be a drunkard in Israel was far worse than to be a drunkard in Egypt or Moab, or any other Heathenish Land.  
What is meant by that woe which the Prophet denounceth against the Crown of pride, and the drunkards of Ephraim.  
A. It implies that pride and drunkenness are woeful sins, and that all proud persons, and all drunkards are in a woeful condition. This little word woe, is a comprehensive word, it comprehends all sorts of miseries, both in this Life and the Life to come. When the Scripture saith woe to drunkards, it implies that the curse of God is upon them in this Life, and will without Repentance remain upon them to Eternity. But see more particularly what is included in the woe denounced in the Scripture.  

1. The woe denounced in Scripture implieth all sorts of misery and calamity on the outward man, even to our utter ruin and destruction. Numb. 21.29. woe to thee Moab, thou art undone.  
2. The woe denounced in Scripture implieth Spiritual judgements, that God will send his plagues on those men's souls, to whom his word saith wo. Isa. 3.9. woe unto their Soul, for they have rewarded evil against themselves.  
3. When the Scripture denounceth woe against sinners, this woe includeth in it the certain and unavoidable damnation of Hell. Mat. 23.28, 33. woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites— How can ye escape the damnation of Hell. So that this woe comprehends all sorts of judgements, internal, external, and eternal judgements.    

Sect. 3. Drunkenness is a woeful sin. What drunkenness is, when a man is, in Scripture account, a drunken man.  
The text being explained, I shall not at present treat of the woe denounced against the sin of pride, though that be an abominable sin, but of the woe denounced against the drunkards of Ephraim, which concerneth all other drunkards as well as those of Ephraim, though more especially such drunkards as live under the means of grace, and are professors of the Christian Religion. And the Doctrine which I shall insist on is this.  

Doct. Drunkenness is a woeful sin, and all drunkards are in a woeful condition, especially such as live under the means of grace, and make a profession of Religion.  
Wo to the drunkards of Ephraim: It is not to be understood exclusive, as if other drunkards were not in a woeful condition, as well as those of Ephraim, but eminenter, the drunkards of Ephraim above others were in a woeful condition, because they sinned against more light and more means of grace than the drunkards in Heathenish Countries. Before I show what a woeful sin drunkenness is, it will be expedient to inquire what drunkenness is.  
Drunkenness is sometimes taken figuratively, as when it is applied to sin, Rev. 17.2, 6. or affliction; Isa. 51.21. Or properly for being drunk with wine or other strong drink. Eph. 5.18. Be not drunk with wine. And in this sense I shall handle it in this discourse. Drunkenness is a vice so well known that there is little need of any definition to be given of it, yet for a fuller opening of the nature of this sin, I shall give this description of it.  
Drunkenness is a sin whereby a man is inclined to excess in drinking, to the depriving of himself of the use of his reason. For the explaining of this description of drunkenness, there are three things to be considered in the sin of drunkenness.  
1. The inordinate love and desire of wine or other strong drink. This is sinful when the heart is inordinately inclined to the love and desire of wine or strong drink. It is noted as a vice in the children of Israel that they loved flagons of wine. Hos. 3.1. The children of Israel who look to other Gods, and love flagons of wine. It is mentioned as a requisite in the Minister of the Gospel, that he must be one not given to wines. 1 Tim. 3.3. His heart, his affections must not run after wine. As the going out of the heart after Idols is sinful, as well as the bowing the body to Idols. Ezek. 20.16. Their heart goeth after their Idols. So the going out of the heart to wine or strong drink in an inordinate manner is sinful as well as excessive drinking; For inordinate affections to things, in themselves lawful, become sinful. A man may be guilty of drunkenness by his inordinate desire, as well as the immoderate use of wine. Ebrietas est inordinata vini concupiscentia, vel usus. Tho. Aquinas. 22 ae. q. 150.  
2. Excess in drinking wine or strong drink. Drunkenness is sometime called by this name, excess of wine. 1 Pet. 4.3. The time passed of our life may suffice us, to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wines— There is a lawful use of wine and strong drink, especially for such as have weakly stomaches, and such as are oppressed with grief, but than it must be with moderation. 1 Tim. 5.23. Use a little wine for thy stomach's sake, and thine often infirmities. Prov. 31.6. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine to those that be of heavy hearts. But it must be temperately and with moderation; All excess in drinking is sinful, and a degree of drunkenness. If any say what is excess in drinking, when may men be counted excessive in drinking.  
(A. 1.) When they drink more than conduceth to their health. The end of our eating and drinking is the preservation of our health. Act. 27.34. Take some meat, for this is for your health.  
(2.) When a man is so overcharged with drink that he is unfit either for the service of God, or the works of his calling. Luk 21.34. Take heed to yourselves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness. etc. The end of eating and drinking is for strength, that we may be enabled for the duties of our general and particular callings. Eccl. 10.17. Blessed art thou O Land, when thy Princes eat in due season, for strength and not for drunkenness. When we are rendered unfit for our callings by wine or strong drink, that is excessive and sinful drinking. Prov. 31.4, 5.  
3. The deprivation of the use of our reason and understanding. It is ordinary for some men to drink so much, that they lose the use of their understanding, they know not what they say, or what they do; And when men have drunk so much, that they know not what they say or do, this is drunkenness in an high degree.  
For the further convincing of men when they are guilty of this sin of drunkenness, I shall show when a man is in the account of the Scripture, esteemed and called a drunken man.  

1. When a man hath drunk so much that he can't go upright, but reels and staggers as he goes in the streets, not through bodily weakness, but through abundance of drink, such a man is a drunken man. Psal. 107.27. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man. Job 12.25. He maketh them to stagger like a drunken man. Isa. 24.20. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard.  
2. When a man hath drunk so much as that he vomits and spews up what he hath drunk, and that not from the weakness of his stomach, but from abundance of drink, this shows a man to be a drunken man. Jer. 25.27. Drink ye, and be drunken, and spew. Isa. 28.7, 8. They have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way— For all Tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. He proves them guilty of drunkenness by their filthy vomiting on the Tables and Places, where they sat drinking together.  
3. When a man hath drunk so much that wine hath overcome him, and taken from him the use of his understanding, that he is like a man at his wit's end, he knoweth not what he saith, or what he doth, that man is guilty of drunkenness in an high degree. Jer. 23.9. I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome. Psal. 107.27. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end.  
4. Such as are frequently at Taverns and Alehouses, and set tippling there a long time together, though through the strength of their brain, they do not come away disguised and staggering as others do, yet these are ranked amongst drunkards, Joel. 1.5. Awake ye drunkards, and weep and howl all ye drinkers of wine. And have a woe denounced against them, as well as those that are common and notorious drunkards. Prov. 23.30, 31. Who hath woe? They that tarry long at the wine, they that go to seek mixed wine. Isa. 5.11. woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink, that continue until night, till wine inflame them. Such as set bibbing and tippling wine or strong drink, are noted as a detestable generation of men, whose company is to be shunned, avoided by sober men. Prov. 23.20. Be not amongst wine bibbers.     

Sect. 4. Drunkenness proved to be a great and woeful sin, several ways.  
We have seen what the sin of drunkenness is, now I shall prove by several arguments that drunkenness is a great, a dangerous, a woeful sin, whereby it will appear that all drunkards are in a woeful condition.  
§. Drunkenness is expressly against the command of God.  
I. Drunkenness is plainly and expressly forbidden in God's word. Eph. 5.18. Be not drunk with wine. Luk. 21.34. Take heed to yourselves, least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness— Rom. 13.12. Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness— The drunkard can't plead ignorance that he did not know drunkenness to be a sin. He can't plead for himself as Peter did for the Jews, that put Christ to death. Act. 3.17. I wots 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. Drunkard's 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 light of God's word, and that is a great aggravation of sin, to sin against the light of God's word. Sins of ignorance are as it were no sins compared with sins against knowledge. Joh. 15.22. If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin, but now they have no cloak for their sin. Drunkards cast God's word behind their backs, and trample his Commandments under their feet. God faith, be not drunk with wine— Take heed lest your hearts be overcharged with drunkenness; But they say in affect though not in words, we will not regard these commands of God, let God say and do what he will, we will take our fill of wine and strong drink. Drunkards and other sinners that know God's will, and will not do it, contemn and despise God. Psal. 10.13. Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? Drunkards are guilty of rebellion against God, who is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, for sinning against the light of God's word is accounted rebellion; Job. 24.13. They are of those that rebel against the light. And that is an heinous sin to be stubborn, and rebellious against the God of Heaven. 1 Sam. 15.23. Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubborness is as iniquity and idolatry.  
§. It is a beastly sin.  
II. Drunkenness is a beastly sin, it deprives a man of his reason, and makes him carry himself like a beast. It is a vile thing for a man to degrade and make himself like a beast. Job. 18.3. Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed as vile in your sight. Bildad thought himself and his friends wonderfully disparaged, when he thought they were counted as beasts; But how do they vilify and disparage themselves, who do in reality make themselves no better than brute beasts by their drunkenness? yea this sin makes a man worse than a beast. The Ass is a silly beast, yet the Asses will not drink to excess, they drink no more than will quench their thirst. Psal. 104.11. The wild Asses quench their thirst. And therefore as Solomon sends the sluggard to the Ant, Prov. 6.6. Go to the Ant thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise. So may I send the drunkard to the wild Asses, go to the wild Asses thou drunkard, and consider their ways and be wise, who having no guide, 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 enticed by the pureness of the wine, or the pleasantness of thy 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 Serpent, by drinking to excess.  
§. It is a mischievous sin, both to body, soul and estate.  
III. Drunkenness is a most mischievous sin, and brings a world of mischief along with it both to soul and body, and estate, and good name.  

1. It doth great mischief to the Soul. For (1.) It besots and stupifies the Soul, and estrangeth a man's 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 stupifieth the mind, it blinds and darkens the understanding, and maketh men sottish, as Jeremiah complains of the Jews, who were much addicted to drunkenness. Jer. 4.22. My people is foolish, they have not known me, they are sottish children, and have none understanding, they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. Or we may take heart for the affections, and so it is true that wine taketh away the heart, for drunkenness taketh of the heart from God, and all that is good. Drunkards have no love to God, no delight in God, no desire of enjoying God, no fear of God, no heart to that which is good. Drunkenness is a fleshly lust, and fleshly lust's war against, and tend to the ruin of our precious Souls. 1 Pet. 2.11. Dear 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 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. Wo to them that follow strong drink, that continue till night till wine inflame them. Our bodies should be the Temples of the Holy Ghost. 1 Cor. 6.19. What know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you. And it is dangerous defiling the Temple of God with excess of wine or strong drink. 1 Cor. 3.17. If any man defile the Temple of God, him shall God destroy.  
3. It brings ruin upon a man's estate. Prov. 23.21. The drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty. Many persons by their drunken and sottish courses wast fair estates, that were left them by their Parents, others that have been brought up to callings, spend all they gain by their callings in excessive drinking, whereby it comes to pass that they make no provision for their Families, but their Wives and Children are brought into great want and straits, such as these are as bad, yea worse than Infidels. 1 Tim. 5.8. But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an Infidel.  
4. It blasts a man's reputation; It is a shame for a man to have the brand of a drunkard set upon him, even children will hour and deride a drunken man when they see him reel and stagger as he goeth in the streets.   
§. Drunkenness is the cause of many other sins.  
iv The greatness of the sin of drunkenness will appear from hence, that it disposeth a man to many other great and crying sins, as for instance.  

1. Drunkenness disposeth men to commit uncleanness. Prov. 23.31, 33. Look not thou upon the wine, when it is red— Thine eyes shall behold strange women. When men are overcome with wine they are easily drawn to commit the worst sort of uncleanness. Lot though a Righteous man, being overtaken with drunkenness committed incest twice. Eph. 5.18. Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess. The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as Beza observeth, omnis profusio eaque summâ cum turpitudine conjuncta. All excess of riot even that which is joined with the greatest filthiness. No filthiness comes amiss to a drunken man, who is shameless whilst 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 sour, they have committed whoredom continually. Their drink is sour, some interpret of the sour belches drunkards have after their cups, and another effect of immoderate drinking wine, besides the souring 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 persuaded to be idolaters, for they making their belly their God, Phil. 3.19. will easily be persuaded to bow down their bodies to an Idol, and 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 drunk wine and praised the Gods of Gold, and of Silver, of Brass, of Iron, of Wood, and of Stone.  
3. Drunkenness is accompanied with abundance of vain babble, and foolish and idle talk, which men have together when they are in their cups. Prov. 23.29, 30. Who hath babble— They that tarry long at the wine. And if any think there is no great hurt in those babble and foolish talking that drunkards have, when they sit together at juns or Alehouses; Let such consider. 

(1.) That vain babble harden the heart, and dispose a man to ungodly practices. 2 Tim. 2.16. But eat profane and vain babble, for they will increase unto 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 God's 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 judgement, 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 account thereof in the day of judgement; 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 scoff, 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. P. drunkard is wont to be a derider of God and men. It hath been usual with drunkards in former as well as these days, 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, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his People, till there was no remedy. Mockers bring upon themselves mighty and unavoidable judgements. Isa. 28.24. Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong. Forty and Two little Children were torn in pieces by two She bears, for mocking a Prophet, and calling him baldhead. 2 King. 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 rend in pieces 42 Children, how offensive is it to the Lord to hear those that are come to man's estate, knowing and understanding men, mock and scoff at his servants? Though no judgement come upon them in this World for their sin, yet without Repentance a worse thing will come unto them, they shall be rend and torn, that is, they shall be tormented in the other World for ever, by the Devil who is a roaring Lion, 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. 5.12. 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 ye fall into condemnation.  
6. Drunkards are oft times persecutors and smiters of their fellow-servants. Matth. 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 drink with the drunken. They are such as eat and drink with the drunken that smite their fellow-servants; And smiteing and persecuting the servants of Christ is an heinous sin, he takes it as ill, when his servants are persecuted, as if he himself were persecuted. Act. 9.4. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Saul did not persecute Christ in his own person, for he was in Heaven, setting at his Father's Right-hand, but he persecuted Christ's Servants, and Christ was as much offended at the persecution of his Members, as if he himself had been persecuted.  
7. Drunkenness casteth men into a deep sleep, and maketh them dreadfully secure under those judgements that hang over their heads. Prov. 23.34. Yea thou shalt be as one that lieth down in the midst of the Sea, or as he that lieth on the top of the Mast. Solomon speaking of such as tarry long at the wine, sets out their danger, by one that lieth sleeping upon the top of a Mast in the midst of the Sea, who is in danger every moment to fall into the Sea, and to be drowned, yet fears nothing while he is a sleep; 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 shows them their sin and misery. When the Prophet calls, Awake ye drunkards— Joel 2.5. It implies that they are in a deep sleep, and that it is no easy 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 Clitus. Yea there is no sin so horrid, but a drunkard may fall into it, if he hath an occasion and temptation to commit it.   
§. Drunkenness brings national judgements.  
V Drunkenness is such an abominable sin, that it brings down National Judgements. Whole Nations are punished for this sin of drunkenness; The Earth is weary of bearing drunkards, and often spueth out its inhabitants. We read of the inhabitants of the Land of Canaan, that their Land spewed them out for their defiling it, and the Israelites are warned not to defile their Land lest they also be spewed out. Leu. 18.28. That the Land spew not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spewed out the Nations that were before you. And when the Israelites did defile their Land by drunkenness and other sins, they were a burden to the Land, it was weary with bearing them, it spewed them out, and they were carried 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 inflame them— Therefore my people are gone into captivity. The Lord threatened to send a mighty adversary against Ephraim for their pride and drunkenness, which came upon them as furiously as a tempest of hail, and a destroying storm, and as a mighty flood of waters that should overflow all places, and bear down all before it. Isa. 28.1, 2. woe to the crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim— Behold the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail, and a destroying sterm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. So that drunkards are the plague of a Nation, that bring down God's judgements on themselves, and the places where they live. And when an overflowing scourge comes on a Nation, usually drunkards have the speediest and deepest share in the judgements of God. Amos 6.1, 3, 6, 7. woe to them that are at ease in Zion— that put far away the evil day— that drink wine in bowls— Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive— When the King of Assyria invaded the Land of Israel, the drunkards were trod under feet like mire in the streets. Isa. 28.2, 3. Behold the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, etc. The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trod under foot.  
§. Drunkard's oft times die in the act of sin.  
VI Drunkenness appears to be a great sin, because oft times it is punished with sudden death, and sometimes drunkards are cut off in the very act of sin; They are very frequently cut off, suddenly and unexpectedly. Nah. 1.10. While they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry. Stubble that is fully dry is consumed in a moment, so are many drunkards cut off suddenly, when they have no thoughts, no expectations of death. Luk. 12.45, 46. If that servant shall begin to eat and drink, and to be drunken. The Lord of that Servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not ware, and will cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. We see here the woeful condition of drunkards, both in their death and after their death. Their death is oft times sudden and unexpected, they have not a day, not an hours warning; Their Lord comes in a day that they did not look for him, and in an hour that they were not ware of, and shall cut them in sunder, that is, separate their souls from their bodies by death, and after death give them their portion with unbelievers, that is, in the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone. Rev. 21.8. Drunkards are  times cut off in the very act of sin, which is a dreadful token of God's displeasure, when he will not vouchsafe a sinner space for Repentance, but cuts him off in the very act of sin. Elah a King, a King in israel, was cut off in the very act of sin, while he was drinking himself drunk in his Steward's house. 1 King. 16.9, 10. His servant Zimri conspired against him as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, Steward of his house in Tirzah; And Zimri went in, and smote him, and killed him. This is recorded to the terrors of all drunkards in all Ages, to the end of the World. As Christ said to deter us from looking back, remember Lot's wife: So may I say to deter you from drunkenness; Remember Elah, who was killed whilst he was drinking himself drunk; And if God did not spare a King in Israel, take heed lest he do not spare you. Besides Elah's example, Amnon one of David's Sons was killed whilst his heart was merry with wine. 2 Sam. 13.28. When Belshazzar had been drinking wine with a thousand of his Lords in the day time, he was slain in the night. Dan. 5.1, 30. Belshazzar the King made a great feast to a Thousand of his Lords, and drank wine before the Thousand— In that night was Belshazzar the King of the Chaldeans slain. Besides these examples we have known or heard of several others, some that have died dead drunk, and never came to life again, others that have fallen off their horses in their drunkenness, and broke their necks, others that have fallen into the water and been drowned, and others cut off by other means.  
§. It unfits a man for the service of God, and his Generation, and for Death and Judgement.  
VII. Drunkenness makes a man unfit for any good work, unfit for the service of God and Men, unfit for Death and Judgement; It makes a man unfit for Prayer, and all other Religious Duties. 1 Pet. 4.7. The end of all things is at hand, be ye therefore sober, and watch unto Prayer. No men are fit for Prayer but sober men; It is probable Nadab and Abihu had distempered themselves with wine or strong drink, when they presumed to offer up strange fire, and fire went out from the Lord, and devoured them, for immediately after the relation of their sin and punishment, there is a strict charge given to Aaron and his Sons, that they should not drink wine or strong drink when they went into the Tabernacle of the Congregation upon pain of death, that they might be fit for their employment. Leu. 10.8, 9, 10, 11. It also unfits a man for the service of his Generation, especially for a place of public trust. Many Armies have been ruined, Towns and Kingdoms lost by the drunkenness of the Commanders. A small Army of the Israelites, not exceeding 7000, setting upon the Syrians, when Benhadad their King was drinking himself drunk with his Confederates, put the Syrians to flight, and slew them with a great slaughter, although besides his own great army, he had Thirty and Two Kings that came to his assistance. 1 King. 20.16, 17, 20. And as this sin renders us unfit for the service of God and Men, so also it makes us unfit for the day of death and judgement. Luk. 21.34. And take heed to yourselves, least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.  
§. It will exclude a man out of Heaven.  
VIII. Drunkenness is such an odious sin, that the Lord hath told us expressly that he will not admit any drunkards into the Kingdom of Heaven. 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Know y not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived, Neither Fornicators— nor Drunkards— shall inherit the Kingdom of God. If a man be a drunkard, and think to go to Heaven when he dyeth, he deceiveth his own Soul. Drunkenness is a manifest work of the flesh, and the Scripture tells us plainly, that they that live in drunkenness and such like sins shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. Gal. 5.19, 20, 21. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanness, Lasciviousness— Drunkenness, Revellings, and such like, of which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. Drunkards may know their doom before they come to the judgement seat of Christ, I tell you before— that is, before the day of judgement come, before the sentence be passed upon you, that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. The Apostle knew drunkards were dull of hearing, and slow of heart to believe, and therefore he tells them over and over, that they shall not inherit the Kingdom of God; and what folly and madness is this to part with a Kingdom, an Everlasting Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven for a pot of drink, or a cup of wine. It was a foolish act in Esau, and argued him to be a profane man; to sell his Birthright 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 birthright. Drunkards are guilty of worse profaneness than Esau, for they part with a better blessing than a Birthright, namely with the Kingdom of Heaven, for a pot of drink or a cup of wine, which doth them no good, but much hurt. It is not drinking wine or strong drink, but excess of drinking excludes us from the Kingdom of Heaven, and excess of wine doth a man no good, but much hurt.  
§. It is a damnable sin  
IX. Drunkenness is a damnable sin, a sin for which men shall be condemned to the torments of Hell for ever. The drunkard shall be cut asunder, and have his portion appointed with unbelievers. Luk. 12.45, 46. If that servant shall begin to eat and drink, and be drunken, the Lord of that servant will cut him asunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. But what is it to have our portion appointed with the unbelievers? It is to be damned, and to be cast into the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone. Mark 16.16. He that believeth not shall be damned. Rev. 21.8. The unbelieved shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone. Hell is full of drunkards. Isa. 5.11, 14. woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink, that continue until night, till wine inflame them. Therefore Hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure, and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth shall descend into it. There is scarce any sin fills Hell like drunkenness, following of wine and strong drink sends great multitudes to Hell. The glory, and pomp, and jollity of drunkards, shall be no security to drunkards to keep them from the bottomless pit. The drunken Gentleman and drunken Prince, notwithstanding all his bravery, shall descend into Hell as well as the drunken beggar. They that inflame themselves with wine and strong drink, shall be tormented in flames of fire for ever; And then they that drunk wine in bowls, and filled themselves with strong drink, shall not with all their entreaties get so much as one drop of water to cool their tongues.  
§. It is a bewitching sin, very hardly left by those that are addicted to it.  
X. Drunkenness is an enticing, bewitching sin, which is very hardly left by those that are addicted to it. Neither the word nor rod of God prevaileth with men to leave this sin, but they go on sinning against light, sinning against the counsels and reproofs, and tears of friends, against the checks of their own Consciences, though the Lord afflict them in their bodies, estates, good names, yet still they persevere in this sin. Though when upon sick beds they are under terrors of Conscience, and feel as it were some flashes of Hell Fire, and make great vows, and solemn protestations, that if God will spare their lives, and raise them up again, they will leave off their drunkenness, yet when they are restored to health, they return to their old courses again. Prov. 23.35. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick, they have beaten me, and I felt it not; When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again. Solomon speaks here of drunkards who are not disheartened by all the difficulties, and troubles, and blows that they meet with in following after strong drink, but resolve to seek yet again, and to persist in their dissolute courses. Drunkards are wont to encourage themselves, and one another to persist in their drunken courses, under all discouragements. Isa. 56.12. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink, and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant. In stead of desisting, they grow more resolved in their way; And the reason why this sin is hardly left, and so few recovered from it, may be partly from the strength this sinful habit gets in the soul, by the many repeated acts of this sin, and also from the pleasingness of this sin to corrupt nature, for the more pleasing any sin is, the more hardly it is left, and chief from the just and righteous judgement of God, who giveth up men, who go on sinning against light, unto their own hearts lusts, saying to them, he that is filthy, let him be filthy still. Drunkenness is called by some, vitium maximae adhaerentiae, a sin that sticks closer and faster to a man than any other sin.  
Sect. 5. Several aggravations of the sin of drunkenness.  
We have seen the greatness of this sin of drunkenness, now let us consider the aggravations of this sin; It is worse in some men than others, and worse at sometimes than others.  
§. It is worse in Magistrates than in other persons.  
I. It is a great sin for any man to be overcome with drink, but 'tis worse for Magistrates than for other persons. The greater and more eminent the person is that commits the offence, the more heinous is the offence.  
Omne animi vitium tanto conspectius in se  
Crimen habet, quanto major, qui peccat, habetur.  
The Scripture speaks of it as an odious sin in Kings and Princes, that are Rulers over others, to be addicted to this sin of drunkenness. Prov. 31.4. It is not for Kings, O Lemuel, it is not for Kings to drink wine, nor for Princes strong drink. It is not the use, but the excess of wine and strong drink that is forbidden to Kings and Princes; And there may be several reasons why Magistrates should above others, avoid this sin of drunkenness.  

1. They are God's Vicegerents on earth, they are in the place, and in the stead of God among men. Exod. 4.10. Thou shalt be to him instead of God. They that are Rulers and Judges do not, or at least ought not to rule and judge for themselves, but for the Lord. 2 Chron. 19.6. And he said to the Judges, take heed what ye do, for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord. And what a dishonour is it to the Holy and Blessed God, that his Vicegerents, that they that rule and judge 〈…〉 stead on earth, should be tainted and 〈…〉 with such a beastly sin as drunkenness?  
2. When Magistrates are pious, prudent, sober and temperate, they are blessing 〈◊〉 the places over which God hath set the 〈◊〉 but when they are like children, and can't govern themselves, but eat and drink unseasonably and excessively, they bring woe and misery not only on themselves, but on others also, even on the whole Land where they live. Eccl. 10.17. woe to thee O Land, when thy King is a child, and thy Princes eat in the morning! Blessed art thou O Land when thy King is the Son of Nobles, and thy Princes eat in due season, for strength and not for drunkenness.  
3. When Magistrates are given to excess of wine or strong drink, it unfits them for their employments, it makes them forget God, and the duty of their places, and to pervert judgement. Prov. 31.4, 5. It is not for Kings, O Lemuel, it is not for Kings to drink wine, nor Princes strong drink, lest they drink and forget the law, and pervert the judgement of any of the afflicted. And those Magistrates do wickedly, and are altogether unlike God, that through carelessness, or taking bribes, or affection, or any other account pervert judgement. Job 34.12. Yea surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgement. It is the opinion of all men that they deserve the curse of God, who pervert judgement, though in the cause of the meanest persons, such as strangers, widows and fatherless. Deut. 27.19. Cursed be he that perverteth the judgement of the stranger, fatherless and widow, and all the people shall say Amen.  
4. The Magistrate's example hath a great influence on the people. When Rulers are just, and holy, and temperate, that will incline the people to the love and practice of Justice, Temperance and Holiness. When Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue believed, many of the Corinthians embraced the faith of Christ. Act. 18.8. And Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue believed on the Lord with all his house, and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptised. While Joshua ruled Israel, who was a pious person that served the Lord, Israel served the Lord also. Josh. 24, 15, 31. As for me and my house we will serve the Lord; And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua. Manassah's evil example made Judah and Jerusalem to sin at an high rate, and to do worse than the Heathen. 2 Chron. 33.2, 5.  
5. Magistrates dishonour themselves exceedingly in the sight of the people, by excess of wine, and render themselves contemptible, by giving themselves over to vicious courses. Hab. 2.15, 16. woe to him that giveth his neighbour drink, and maketh him drunken, that thou mayest look on his nakedness. Thou art filled with shame for glory, drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered, the cup of the Lords Right-hand shall be on thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory. The Babylonians were much addicted to the sin of drunkenness, for which as well as for other sins, the Lord denounceth Gods judgements against them, because they were given to drinking themselves, and would make others drunk also, and among other punishments which they should receive from the Lord for this sin, this was one, that they should be filled with shame instead of Glory. Thou art filled with shame for Glory— and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory. They that understand this place Metaphorically, grant that it may have a literal sense to this effect. Potest hoc ad Regem Babylonium referri quod vomet ipse, cum magno dedecore, quod ante intemperanter hauserat. They are Calvin's words upon the place; This may have reference to the King of Babylon, that he should vomit with great shame, what he had drunk in an excessive manner. Though men be advanced to never such dignity and glory, yet if they be given to excess of wine, if they will drink till they spew, if they will drink till they lose their understandings, this stains their glory, their drunkenness is a greater shame to them than their promotion to places of Government is a glory to them.   
§. It is worse in Ministers than in any other men.  
II. Drunkenness is a worse sin in a Minister of the Gospel, who should be a pattern as well as a preacher of Righteousness, than in any other man. Under the Mosaical Law the Priests were forbidden to drink wine or strong drink upon pain of death, when they were to go into the Tabernacle of the Congregation. Leu. 10.8, 9 And the Lord spoke unto Aaron, saying, do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy Sons which thee, when ye go into the Tabernacle of the Congregation, lest ye die, it shall be a statute for ever, throughout your Generations. And the reason of this strict prohibition of wine and strong drink to the Priests when they were to attend the service of the Lord, is added. ver. 10.11. And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between clean and unclean, and that ye may teach the children of Israel all the Statutes which the Lord hath spoken to them, by the hand of Moses. The prohibition of the Priests drinking wine when they were to attend the service of the Lord, is renewed by Ezekiel. Ezek. 44.21. Neither shall any Priest drink wine when they enter into the Inner Court. And as under the Law there was a strict charge given to the Priests, not to drink wine or strong drink when they were to be employed in serving the Lord, and teaching the people, so it is required of all Ministers under the Gospel, that they be sober, and not given to wine. 1 Tim. 3.2, 3. A Bishop must be blameless— vigilant, sober— not given to wine. Tit. 1.5. For a Bishop must be blameless as the Steward of God,— not given to wine— What the Apostle saith in his Epistle to Timothy and Titus concerning the qualifications of a Bishop, concerneth all the Ministers of the Gospel, which are called to preach God's Holy word, and take the care and oversight of men's souls, and it is twice mentioned concerning them, that they must not be given to wine. The use of wine is not wholly forbidden to the Ministers of the Gospel, for such as have weak stomaches may lawfully make use of this good creature of God, but than it must be with very much moderation. Timothy an Evangelist was allowed by the Apostle the use of wine, but it was in a small measure, and sparingly, so far as his weak stomach had need of it. 1 Tim. 5.23. Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake, and thine often infirmities. That drunkenness and other scandalous sins, are far worse in Ministers of the Gospel, than in any other men, will appear several ways.  

1. Ministers of the Gospel are under greater obligations to Holiness than other men. They are to be the light of the World, and the salt of Earth. Mat. 5.13, 14. Ye are the salt of the earth— ye are the light of the world. They are Christ's Ambassadors. 2 Cor. 5.20: And God's Stewards. 1 Cor. 4.1. And what a dishonour is it to God to have a drunken Steward, a drunken Ambassador! They are styled Angels; Rev. 2.1. And what an uncomely sight is it to see one whose office and dignity resembles him to an Angel, by his drunken and sottish practices to make himself like a beast. Ministers of the Gospel ought to be examples and patterns of Holiness to such as believe in Christ. 1 Tim. 4, 12. Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Tit. 2.7. In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works. And for a man that is to be an example of holiness to believers to be given to drunkenness, which civil men, which sober Heathens detest, and which makes a man worse than a beast is a most abominable sin.  
2. The evil example of Ministers of the Gospel will draw multitudes to that which is evil. If Ministers frequent Taverns, and drink to excess, their example will encourage and embolden their neighbours to follow wine and strong drink, a profane Minister makes a profane people. Jer. 23.15. From the Prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the Land. See also ver. 10.11. The Land is full of adulterers— For both the Prophet and the Priest are profane. When those that are teachers of others depart from the ways of God, their example makes many to stumble. Mal. 2.7, 8. The Priest's lips should preserve knowledge— But ye have departed out of the way, ye have caused many to stumble at the law.  
3. The same Sacrifice under the Law was required for the sin of the Priest, which was required for the sin of the whole Congregation; As we may see, Leu. 4.3, 13.14. When the Priest sinned he was to bring a young Bullock for a sin offering, and this was the same offering which was appointed for the sin of the whole Congregation. ver. 13.14. Whereas for the sin of the Ruler, there was but a kid of the goats, a male without blemish. ver. 22.23. And for the sin of any of the common people a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, which is of less value than the male. ver. 27.28. From this difference of the Sacrifices, there being less appointed for the common people, than for the Ruler, and less for the Ruler than for the Priest, we may learn that the sins of Rulers are greater than the sins of the common people, and the sins of Ministers are greater than the sins of Rulers, and greater than the sins of the common people, they may be counted equal of the sins of a whole Congregation.  
4. When such as are preachers of God's word, are drunkards, or given to any other scandalous sins, they bring themselves, and their office, and the worship and service of God into contempt among the people. Isa. 43.27, 28. Thy teachers have transgressed against me, therefore I have profaned the Princes of the Sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches. When Ministers of God's word do not keep God's ways, the Lord makes them base and contemptible among the people. Mal. 2.9. Therefore have I made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways. This is spoken of the Priests, as we may see, ver. 1.7, 8. When they proved vicious they brought their persons and office into contempt among the people. It was the Apostles care to magnify his office, Rom. 11.13. I magnify mine office. and to walk circumspectly in all things, that his Ministry might not suffer any blame. 2 Cor. 6.3. Giving no offence in any thing, that the Ministry be not blamed. Yea they that are profane Ministers, do not only bring their persons and office into contempt, but make the worship and service of the Lord to be abhorred, and that is a mighty sin for Ministers by their evil conversations, to give occasion to any men to abhor the service of the Lord. 1 Sam. 2.17. Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.  
5. When such as are preachers of God's word, prove drunkards, or live in any other scandalous sins, though they should be instrumental to save others, they themselves shall be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven. Mat. 7.22, 23. Many will say unto me at that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works; And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from me ye that work iniquity. And what a sad condition is this, to cast devils out of others, and yet we ourselves to be cast into the bottomless pit, to abide with the devil for ever. It was the Apostles care to be temperate in all things, and keep under his body, lest while he endeavoured to save others souls, he should lose his own. 1 Cor. 9.25, 26, 27. Everyone that striveth for the mastery, is temperate in all things— I therefore so run— I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway.  
6. Drunkenness is such an odious sin in Ministers of the Gospel, that it hath been by several counsels deemed scandalous in Ministers to frequent Taverns, and divers Canons have been at several counsels, made against this scandalous practice of Ministers being frequently at Taverns.   
§. It is worse in knowing men, that make a a profession of Religion, than in ignorant and profane men.  
III. Drunkenness is worse in knowing men, and such as make a profession of Religion, than it is in ignorant and profane persons. Isa. 28.1. woe to the Crown of Pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim. Ephraim was a Tribe in Israel, and the Israelites were a knowing people. Deut. 4.6. Surely this great Nation is a wise and understanding people. The Israelites worshipped the true God, and professed themselves to be the people of God, they enjoyed the means of grace, and therefore a drunkard of Ephraim was in a worse condition than a drunkard of Moab or Egypt. A drunken Israelite was worse than a drunken Heathen; That it is far worse for men of knowledge, and eminent for profession of Religion, to be addicted to this sin of drunkenness, than ignorant and profane men, may be made out several ways. As, 

1. When men of knowledge, and professors of Religion, will frequent Taverns, and set tippling at Alehouses, till they are inflamed with strong drink, their example will embolden ignorant and young persons to do as they do, and may ruin them for ever. What the Apostle saith of knowing persons sitting and eating in the Idols Temple. 1 Cor. 8.10, 11. If any man see thee, which hast knowledge, sit at meat in the Idols Temple, shall not the Conscience of him that is weak, be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to Idols? And through thy knowledge shall thy weaker brother perish, for whom Christ died. The same may I say of sitting at Taverns and Alehouses; If any man see thee which hast knowledge, sit and drink, and tipple at a Tavern or an Alehouse, shall not he that is weak be emboldened to follow thy example, and through thy knowledge thy weak brother may perish Eternally. What is said of Achan, Josh. 22.20. That man perished not alone in his iniquity. The same may be said of men of knowledge, they perish not alone in their iniquities, their example draweth multitudes to sin and destruction with them.  
2. The miscarriages of men of knowledge, and professors of Religion, cause the name and Gospel of God to be blasphemed. Rom. 2.17, 23, 24. Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the Law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will— Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, through breaking the Law, dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you. When such as are called and accounted the people of God, and know his will, do break God's Laws, this causeth God's name to be dishonoured and blasphemed. When David who had a great name for Religion, fell into scandalous sins, his fall gave great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme his name. 2 Sam. 12.14. Because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. As the Philistines rejoiced and triumphed when they heard that Saul and his mighty men fell in the battle. 2 Sam. 1.19, 20. The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places, now are the mighty fallen; Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. So do profane men rejoice and triumph when they hear of any persons eminent for profession of Religion, that fall into any scandalous sins; As the Heathen spoke scoffingly of the children of Israel, when they went into captivity. Ezek. 36.20. These are the people of the Lord, and are gone forth out of his Land. So are profane men ready to say when they see professors of Religion overcome with wine or strong drink; These are the people of the Lord, and yet they will drink and tipple, and be drunk as well as other men, and thereupon make a scoff at Religion, and think by reason of some men's miscarriages, that all Religion is nothing else but hypocrisy.  
3. Sins against knowledge are far greater than sins of ignorance. A sin committed against knowledge is so great, that a sin of ignorance is as it were no sin compared with it. Joh. 9.41. Jesus saith unto them, if ye were blind, ye should have no sin, but now ye say we see, therefore your sin remaineth. Joh. 15.22. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin, but now they have no cloak for their sin. They had not had sin, that is, not to be understood absolutely, for all men have sinned. Heathens that never heard of the Gospel, as well as other men, Rom. 3.23. but it is to be understood comparatively, their sin is so great being committed against knowledge, against the light of my Gospel, that their sin had been none at all, compared with their sin, as it is now aggravated by being committed against light; Yet sins of ignorance are of that heinous nature that they are not explated but by the blood of Christ; For there were Offerings and Sacrifices for sins of ignorance under the Law, as we may see, Lev, 4.2, 3, 13, 14, 22, 23, 27, 28. Which did type out the expiation of our sins by Christ's offering up himself a Sacrifice for us. Heb. 9.26. Eph. 5.2. And it is said expressly. Heb. 9.22. Without shedding of blood is no remission. And if sins of ignorance be not expiated but by the blood of Christ, and would have procured our being cast into Hell torments for ever, what heinous sins, are sins against knowledge, seeing sins of ignorance are as no sins, compared with sins against light.  
4. Such as sin against knowledge, and under a profession of Religion, shall have far greater punishment in the other World than ignorant persons. Luk. 12.47. That servant which knew his Lords will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. The Pharisees who were knowing persons, being given to oppression and other sins, and covering their sins with a profession of Religion, our Lord Jesus Christ saith to them, Matth. 23.14. Therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. And as such as sin against light, and sin under a profession of Religion, shall receive greater damnation in the other World, so they oft times are punished sooner and more severely in this World than other men. Amos 3.2. You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. Ezek. 9.6. Slay utterly old and young— and begin at my Sanctuary. When God sends forth his judgements, he usually gins at his Sanctuary. Attending upon God's Ordinances, will be so far from securing impenitent sinners from God's judgements, that it will hasten their ruin.    
§. Drunkenness is worse in women than in men.  
iv It is a greater shame to see a drunken woman, than a drunken man. A drunken woman was in old times accounted a daughter of Belial. 1 Sam. 1.13, 14, 15, 16. Eli thought she had been drunken, and Eli said unto her, how long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee! And Hannah answered and said, no my Lord! I am a woman of a sorrowful Spirit, I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink— Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial— Hannah's answer to Eli, implieth that drunken women were counted daughters of Belial. But what is it to be a daughter of Belial.  
A. The worst sort of men and women in Scripture, are called Sons and Daughters of Belial; As we may see, 1 Sam. 2.12, 17, 22. Judg. 19.22, 23, 24. Deut. 13.13. A daughter of Belial is rendered by some, a very child of the devil, as Willet observes on the place; This word Belial in some places signifieth the Devil. As, 2 Cor. 6.15. What concord hath Christ with Belial. Peter Martyr in his Comment on these words of Hannah, Count not thine handmaid a daughter of Belial, hath this passage; Turpis est profecto in viro quovis ebrietas, at in Muliere multo est faedior, maxim in Levitae uxore. Verily drunkenness is a filthy sin in any man, but it is much more filthy in a woman than in a man, and most of all in a Minister's Wife. Chrysostom hath a passage to this effect; Ebria muliere nihil turpius; Nothing is more filthy than a drunken woman; And the Son of Syrach speaking of a drunken woman saith. Eccl. 26.8. A drunken woman, and a gadder abroad causeth great anger, and she will not cover her own shame. Shamefaceness and Sobriety are an ornament to a man, and the Apostle requireth of all women that they should be thus adorned. 1 Tim. 2.9. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety. If shamefacedness and sobriety be an ornament to a woman, than impudence and intemperance are a disgrace to her. Mr. Harris calls a drunken woman, a swine with a woman's face.  
§. It is an aggravation of this sin, when a man persists in it under much means used to reclaim him.  
V It is an aggravation of the sin of drunkenness, when a man persists in it, after much means used by God and Men to reclaim him. As, 

1. When a man hath been instructed and taught out of God's word, and knows in his own Conscience that drunkenness is an horrible sin, and yet will not leave it off, this doth greatly aggravate his sin. For it greatly heightens any sin, when a man is clearly convinced of the evil of it, and his Conscience as it were flieth in his face, when he is about the commission of it, and yet he will not desist from it. Hos. 7.10. And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face, and they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek him for all this.  
2. When a man hath met with various afflictions in his body or estate, or his employments, or his relations, and his Conscience tells him, it is for his drunkenness, and yet will not turn from his sin, this doth increase his guilt, to persist in his sin, under his afflictions. Amos. 4.9. I have smitten you— yet ye have not returned unto me saith the Lord. The Prophet reckons up the several afflictions that God had sent upon the Israelites, ver. 9 to the 12. As Famine, Drought, Blasting, Pestilence, Sword, Fire, and under all layeth this to their charge, yet ye have not returned unto me, intimating that the more afflictions they had been under, the more provoking their sin was, that they should still persist therein. A sore destruction is threatened against those that persist in their sins, under the correcting hand of God. Jer. 5.3, 6. Thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved, thou hast consumed them, but they received no correction, they have made their faces harder than a Rock, they have refused to return— Wherefore a Lion out of the Forest shall slay them, and a Wolf of the Evenings shall spoil them, a Leopard shall watch over their Cities, every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces. That is, because they continued impenitent under God's judgements, they should be torn in pieces by their enemies, that should be as fierce, and as strong as Lions, as cruel and mercyless as Wolves, as vigilant and swift as Leopards.  
3. When a man hath been often reproved for his drunkenness or other sins by his Friends and Relations, or by God's Ministers, or by his own Conscience, or by remarkable and startling providences of God, that have fallen out either while or soon after he hath been indulging himself in his lusts, and yet perseveres in his sinful courses, this doth greatly aggravate his sin, and ripen him for destruction. Prov. 29.1. He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.  
4. When a man hath received eminent mercies, and signal deliverances from God, and yet goes on in this sin of drunkenness, or any other sin, this increaseth his guilt, and greatly provoketh God to anger against him. Ezra 9.13, 14. After all this is come upon us for our evil deeds, and thou hast given us such a deliverance as this— Should we again break thy Commandments, wouldst thou not be angry with us, till thou hadst consumed us. When the Jews had received a wonderful deliverance at the Red Sea, and yet sinned against God, this was an high provocation. Psal. 106.7. Our fathers provoked him at the Sea, even at the Red Sea.    
§. It is an aggravation of this sin, to persist in it against vows and promises of resormation.  
VI It is an aggravation of the sin of drunkenness, or of any other sin, when a man hath made many vows and promises either on a sick bed, or being in danger of his life at Sea, or in any other distress, that if God would spare his life, and deliver him out of his distress, he would leave off his sins, and become a new man, and yet persists in his evil courses, this is a great provocation, and doth exceedingly aggravate his sin. Jer. 2.20, 22. Thou saidst I will not transgress, when upon every high hill, and under every green tree, thou wanderest playing the harlot,— For though thou wash thee with Nitre, and take thee much Soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me saith the Lord God. Such as make fair promises of reformation, and yet upon every temptation and occasion are ready to return to their sins again, their iniquity is marked before the Lord, and so marked, that no excuses, nothing that they can do, nothing but the infinite mercy of God, and the merits of Christ, can take away their sins. We had better not make any vows and promises unto God, than to vow, and not to perform our vows. Eccl. 5.4, 5. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it, for he hath no pleasure in fools, pay that which thou hast vowed. Better it is that thou shouldst not vow, than that thou shouldst vow and not pay. To make promises of reformation, and not to perform them, is to flatter with God, and to tell God a lie. Psal. 78.34, 36, 37. When he slew them, than they sought him, and they returned and enquired early after God; Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongue; For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his Covenant. It is a sad thing to tell a lie unto men, but it is worse to lie unto God. Ananias and Sapphira were both smitten with sudden death, for lying unto God about the price of their Land. So many vows and promises as we make to God to break off our sins, so many lies we tell him, if we do not perform those promises. And therefore they that have told God many lies of this nature, may wonder at God's patience that he suffers them to live, and hath not long since cast them into hell, when as he struck Ananias and Sapphira dead for telling but one lie, and he hath said, All liars shall have their part in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone. Rev. 21.8.  
§. This sin is aggravated from the times when it is committed, as if on Sabbath days, before or after the Lord's Supper, when God's Judgements are abroad.  
VII. Drunkenness is a vile sin at all times, yet 'tis worse if committed at some times than others; As for instance.  

1. It is worse for a man to be drunk on a Sabbath day, than on other days; For the Sabbath day is to be employed in Holy and Religious Exercises. Exod. 20.8. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy. And 'tis a double sin to be drunk on the Sabbath day, for such to their drunkenness add profanation of the Sabbath.  
2. It is worse to be drunk when a man comes to the Lord's Table to partake of the Lord's Supper, or soon after a man hath been at this Holy Ordinance, than it is to be overcome with wine at other times. In the Church of Corinth, there were some that did presume to come to the Lord's Table, when they were little better than drunk. 1 Cor. 11.21. But such as are drunken a little before, or soon after they come to the Lord's Table, eat and drink unworthily of that Holy Ordinance; And such as eat and drink unworthily at the Lord's Table, are guilty of a mighty great sin, for they are guilty of the body and blood of Christ. 1 Cor. 11.27. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. That is, 

(1.) He shall be deemed guilty of abusing and trampling under foot the body and blood of Christ, and God shall deal with him as an abuser of the body and blood of Christ.  
(2.) He shall be esteemed as a shedder of Christ's Blood, and Crucifier of his Body, and God shall deal with him as with a Murderer of Christ. It is a great Crime to be guilty of the blood of an innocent man, but it is more to be guilty of the blood of Christ, than to be guilty of the blood of all the men in the World. And as drunkards commit a great sin, so they bring great judgement on themselves, by coming in their sins to the Lords Table, for they eat and drink damnation to themselves. ver. 29. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself.    
3. It is worse to be drunk in a day of common calamity, when God's judgements hang over, or are come on the places where we live, than in a day of prosperity, for they that do so, despise the judgements of God. The Lord expects when he sends his judgements upon us, that we should break of our sins, and learn Righteousness. Isa. 26.9. When thy judgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the World will learn Righteousness. There is a woe denounced against those that are at ease, and are jovial, and give themselves to drinking, and other pleasures, when evil days are coming. Amos 6.1, 3, 5, 6. woe to them that are at ease in Zion— ye that put far away the evil day— that chant to the sound of the Viol,— that drink wine in bowls. Days of common calamity call for fasting and mourning, and instead of fasting and mourning at such times, for a man to give over himself to riotous courses, is a most provoking sin, as we may see. Isa. 22.5, 12, 13, 14. It is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity by the Lord of Hosts, in the valley of vision— And in that day did the Lord God of Hosts call to weeping and to mourning— And behold joy and gladness— Eating flesh and drinking wine, let us eat and drink for to morrow we die. And it was revealed in mine ears, by the Lord of Hosts, surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord God of Hosts. It is a very dreadful threatening, which is here denounced against those, that in a day of common calamity give up themselves to a voluptuous course of life, and will not leave off their riotous and drunken courses; Surely this iniquity shall not be purged till ye die, saith the Lord God of Hosts. Here is God's word, and his oath (for that word surely is used to express God's Oath. Heb. 6.13, 14.) to assure such contemners of God's word and his judgements, that this iniquity shall not be purged till they die— That is, 

(1.) God will plague men all the days of their lives, for this sin. And  
(2.) Without Repentance will punish them to Eternity, for what sins are not pardoned before we die, shall never be forgiven.     
§. It aggravates this sin, to be eager and greedy of it.  
VIII. The more eager and greedy men are of this sin of drunkenness, or of any other sin, the more heinous it is, for it shows a man to be come to a great degree of sin, when he commits it with greediness. Eph. 4.19. Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to commit all uncleanness with greediness; And they commit this sin with greediness.  

1. Who rise early to follow after strong drink, and continue at it all day, such are woeful drunkards, that will set from Morning to Night drinking and tippling at Taverns and Alehouses. Isa. 5.11. woe to them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink, and continue till night, till wine inflame them.  
2. They are greedy drunkards that use incentives to provoke their thirst, that when they have a design to meet their Companions at a Tavern, will eat salt meats in the Morning, that they may drink the more freely and largely, contrary to that command of the Apostle. Rom. 13.14. Make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.  
3. They are greedy drunkards whose minds hanker after Taverns and Alehouses, when they are at their Callings, and do frequently leave their Callings to go to the Alehouse, without being called out by their idle Companions, only as they are enticed by their own hearts lusts. And such also as  walk the Streets, or travel on the Road, but they must call in, and have a pot or two, almost at every Alehouse, especially if it have a name for vending good drink. As they were notorious Idolaters, who could not pass by a mountain or a grove where there was an Idol, but they must bow themselves, and show respect to every Idol that came in their way. Jer. 3.6. She is gone up upon every high mountain, and under every green tree, and there hath played the Harlot. So they are notorious drunkards that can't pass by any Tavern or Alehouse, but they must go in, and tipple there.  
4. They are greedy drunkards that can never have enough, but drink till they are dead drunk, that they can't go nor speak, but lie like dead men; And if Friends send for them, there is no getting them away, or the Master of the house would persuade them to forbear drinking, they fall into a rage, and are like mad men; of such it may be said, what the Prophet speaks. Isa. 56.11. They are greedy dogs which cannot have enough.  
5. They are greedy drunkards, who do not only go themselves frequently to Taverns, but invite, and entice others to go along with them. Isa. 56.11, 12. They are greedy dogs that cannot have enough— Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink.   
§. It is an aggravation of this sin to boast, and glory of it.  
IX. It is an aggravation of the sin of drunkenness, or any other sin, when a man will glory and boast either of being drunk himself, or making others drunk; All sin is matter of shame and blushing. Jer. 3.25. We lie down in our shame, and our confusion doth cover us, for we have sinned against the Lord our God. Ezra 9.6. O my God, I am ashamed, and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased— And therefore they are impudent sinners that will glory and boast of their sins; God will confound those that boast of their sins. Psal. 97.7. Confounded be all they that boast themselves of Idols; And as boasting of Idols, so boasting of any other sin will bring confusion with it. Such as glory in those evil courses whereof they have cause to be ashamed, their end will be destruction, not only in this life, but in the other World for ever. Phil. 3.19. Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, whose glory is their shame.  
§. It is an aggravation of this sin, to continue long in it.  
X. The sin of drunkenness, and all other sins are aggravated by long continuance in them. Jerusalem's adultery was the greater, and more heinous, because of its long continuance. Ezek. 23.43. I said unto her that was old in adulteries— And the hatred of the Philistines against the Jews was the more displeasing to God, because they had hated the Jews a long time. Ezek. 25.15, 16. Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred; Therefore thus saith the Lord God, I will stretch out mine hand against the Philistines— When a man hath been disobedient from his youth, this makes his disobedience the greater sin. Jer. 22.21. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyest not my voice. All impenitent sinners are under the curse of God, but more especially the old sinner. Isa. 65.20. The sinner being an hundred years old is accursed.  
Sect. 6. The pleas and excuses of drunkards, whereby they would excuse their sin, answered and removed.  
As it was with those that were invited to the supper, and did not go; They all with one consent began to make excuse. Luk. 14.18. So it is with this Generation of men, they have all of them one excuse or other, whereby they would excuse, or at least extenuate and lessen this abominable sin of drunkenness. I will instance in several excuses, and show how vain and frivolous they are.  
§. Though men of good fashion, and great parts, be addicted to this sin, we must not follow their example.  
Plea. 1. The greatest wits, the able'st Scholars, and the best sort of Gentlemen are usually great drinkers: they are only a company of dull souls, pitiful sneaking fellows, such as affect singularity, that speak against drunkenness, and will not go to Taverns, and drink as freely as other men, and therefore I can't believe this is such an odious and abominable sin, as you would represent it to be.  
A. 1. There never were wiser and better men in the World, than the Prophets and the Apostles, yet they all with one consent declaim against this sin of drunkenness, as a most odious abominable sin, yea our Lord Jesus Christ chargeth and commandeth us to take heed, least at any time our hearts be overcharged with drunkenness. Luk. 21.34. And take heed unto yourselves, least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness. John the Baptist was an eminent person for wisdom and piety, our Lord Jesus Christ gives this Character of him. Mat. 11.11. Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist. He was not only highly esteemed among men, but he was great in the sight of God, and converted many Souls, and he never drunk any wine or strong drink. Luk. 1.15, 16. He shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his Mother's Womb, and many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And therefore to say none but dull souls, and sneaking fellows, and such as affect singularity, speak against drunkenness, is a reproaching the Prophets and the Apostles, and the best men that ever lived, yea our Lord Jesus Christ himself, for they all preached against, and abhorred the sin of drunkenness.  
2. To say that all generous Spirited men, and great wits are great drinkers, and that they that are not so, are a company of dull souls, and pitiful sneaking fellows, is to reproach and condemn the generation of the righteous, as if they were the basest fort of men, whereas they are the excellentest persons that are upon the face of the earth. Psal. 16.2, 3. My goodness extendeth not unto thee. but to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent in whom is all my delight. Prov. 12.20. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour. Those sober men whom drunkards call pitiful sneaking fellows, shall lift up their heads with joy and boldness before Jesus Christ at the day of judgement, when wine bibbers shall call to the Rocks and Mountains to fall on them, and to hid them from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.  
3. Though drunkards think themselves the only wise men, and cry up their Companions as the only witty and brave men, yet in truth and reality they are very fools, and there is not one wise man amongst them. Prov. 20.1. Wine is a mocker, and strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wie. If Solomon be to be believed, who was one of the wisest men that ever lived, yea if the Spirit of God which spoke by Solomon, who is the Spirit of truth, be worthy to be believed, we must assent to it as a certain truth, that whosoever is deceived by wine or strong drink is not a wise man. They may be wise for managing worldly matters, but they have not that wisdom which cometh from above, which maketh wise to Salvation, for that wisdom teacheth men to be pure and holy. Jam. 3.17. The wisdom that is from above is first pure— And therefore impure and filthy drunkards have none of this wisdom. They are so far from being wise men, that in truth and reality they are very fools, for they part with the glory and pleasures of Heaven for ever, for a pot of drink, or a cup of wine, and for the enjoyment of the pleasures of sin, which are but for a season, they plunge themselves into the torments of Hell for ever.  
4. They are not the best sort of Gentlemen that are given to drinking and other vices; Debauched Gentlemen are the reproach of the Gentry. The best sort of Gentlemen are pious and virtuous Gentlemen, who hate and abhor vicious courses, such as walk in the fear of God, and themselves, and families are patterns of piety and virtue, such as love and seek the welfare of their Country, and are rich in good works.  
5. This will not excuse any man at the day of Judgement, to say many Gentlemen, and men of great parts were addicted to drunkenness. For, 

(1.) Those Gentlemen will be in as miserable a condition as the poorest beggars, at the Judgement seat of Christ; Who have been vicious persons, their Riches will avail them nothing at all at that day. Job. 36.19: Will he esteem thy Riches? No not gold, nor all the forces of strength. Those Rich men that fared deliciously every day, and drunk their fill of wine and strong drink, while on earth, shall not get one drop of water to cool their tongues, when they are in Hell. Luk. 16.19, 23.  
(2.) Vicious Gentlemen will be in a worse condition in the other world, than the poorest and meanest beggar on the face of the earth, for they shall be tormented for mispending their Estates, with which God entrusted them to do good with all. Potentes potenter torquebuntur. What is said of Babylon, Rev. 18.7. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her. The same measure shall be meeted out to vicious Gentlemen, the greater pomp they have lived in on earth, and the more deliciously they have fared, the more sorrow and torment they shall have hereafter.  
(3.) Pious persons that have been so poor that they have begged their bread, shall reign with Christ in Heaven, while vicious gentlemen shallcry and roar in Hell, and beg for a drop of water to cool their tongues, and be glad of it, though brought by the hand of a beggar, that hath begged Alms at their doors. Luk. 16.20.21, 22, 23, 24, 26. Lazarus was a poor beggar full of noisome running sores, which the dogs licked when he lay at the rich man's gate, he would have been glad of any crumbs that fell from the rich man's Table, but when he died, Angels carried his Soul into Abraham's Bosom, and when the rich man died, he went to Hell, and there being in great torment, he begged that Lazarus might dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool his tongue, but he could not obtain that favour, to have so much as a drop of water to cool his tongue, though he was a great man, and lived gallantly, while he was on earth.    
§. The example of such Ministers as are given to this sin; No excuse for drunkards. The woeful condition of a drunken Minister.  
Plea. 2. There are many Ministers will drink as hard as any other men, and we hope we may do as our Ministers do, we have honourable thoughts of our Ministers, and besides our Ministers are learned men, and if drunkenness were such an horrible sin, as you would make us believe, surely they that are such learned men would not be addicted to such a foul sin.  
A. 1. To be a Minister of Christ is an high and honourable employment, and it is a good thing that people should have honourable thoughts of the Ministers of Christ, and esteem them very highly, for their work and office sake. 1 Cor. 4.1. Let a man so account of us, as of the Ministers of Christ, and Stewards of the mysteries of God. 1 Thes. 5.12, 13. We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake.  
2. We must not follow the example of any Minister, though he should be the best Minister in the World, farther than he followeth Jesus Christ. Who was a better Minister than the Apostle Paul, yet he desired no man to follow his example, farther than he himself followed Christ. 1 Cor. 11.1. Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.  
3. Did you know what a woeful condition drunken Ministers are in, you would not be in their case for the whole World. The Prophet Jeremiah trembled Body and Soul, and was amazed when he considered the woeful condition of drunken Ministers. Jer. 23.9, 11. Mine heart within me is broken, because of the Prophets, all my bones do shake— For both Prophet and Priest are profane. Profane Ministers are in God's account as bad as Sodomites, Jer. 23.14. I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing, they commit adultery, and walk in lies, they strengthen also the hands of evil doers, that none doth return from his wickedness, they are all unto me as Sodom; And we know that the men of Sodom were such an abomination to the Lord, that he consumed them with Fire and Brimstone from Heaven. Profane Ministers are the worst sort of men, and therefore in Scripture they are compared to the tail. Isa. 9.14, 15. The prophet that telleth lies he is the tail. There is a most bitter cup, as bitter as wormwood and gall, prepared for drunken and profane Ministers. Jer. 23.15. When Ministers are ignorant or negligent in their work, or profane in their lives, their flock lieth open for a prey to all that have a mind to devour them. Isa. 56 9, 10, 11. And the blood of all those souls that perish either by their negligence, or evil example, will be required at their hands.  
4. It is no marvel to see some Ministers that have great parts, and much learning, given to drunkenness and other scandalous sins. For, 

(1.) Knowledge without Grace will not make a man an Holy man. The devils have great knowledge, yet they are wicked Spirits, and do very wicked things.  
(2.) It was so under the law, there were many wicked Priests, that lived in scandalous sins. Jer. 10.21. The pastors are become brutish. Jer. 23.11. Both prophet and priest are profane. And it is foretold it would be so under the Gospel, that there would be many preachers that would live wickedly. Mat. 7.23, 24.    
5. If the example and practice of scandalous Ministers would make drunkenness no sin, or but a very little one, than the greatest sins that ever were committed might be excused, and be counted no sins, or but very small ones, for they that have been teachers of the people have sometimes been guilty of the greatest sins. What greater sins than Idolatry, Murder and Adultery? yet we find many Priests under the Law, taxed with the guilt of these fins. Hos. 6.9. As troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of Priest's murder by consent in the way, for they commit lewdness. Jer. 23.14. I have seen in the Prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing, they commit adultery, and walk in lies— 2 King. 23.5. He put down all the idolatrous Priests. What greater sin than Crucifying Christ, yet the Priests had the principal hand in putting our Lord Jesus Christ to death. Mat. 27.20. The chief priests and elders persuaded the people that they should ask Barrabas, and destroy Jesus. And ver. 1. All the chief priests, and elders of the people, took counsel to put Jesus to death.  
§. The plea of such as think drunkenness good fellowship, and the way to preserve love and friendship, answered.  
Plea. 3. My Neighbours are generally given this way, and I esteem it a piece of good Fellowship to go to the Tavern with my Neighbours, and I look upon it as a way to preserve love and friendship, to go now and then with my neighbours to the alehouse, and to drink, and be merry, and when I am among my friends and neighbours, I am overcome before I am ware, but in regard I have good ends in what I do, I hope I may be excused.  
A. 1. This is evil, and not good fellowship to keep company with drunkards, and such fellowship as is condemned in Scripture, such as we ought to reprove, and not to be partakers with them. Eph. 5.11. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.  
2. To call drunkenness good fellowship, is to call evil good, and there is a woe denounced against those that call evil good. Isa. 5.22. woe to them that call evil good, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness. It is a strange delusion, that men should think, that that fellowship which undoeth men both Body and Soul, that ruins their Estates, beggars their Children, hinders their Salvation, should be called good fellowship.  
3. Such friendship as is got and maintained by drinking at Taverns, and tippling at Alehouses, is woeful friendship, for it makes God an enemy to us, and makes us enemies to God. Jam. 4.4. Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God, whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. This is a weighty, dreadful sentence, and of large extent; It is better to have all the great men, yea all creatures our enemies, than to have God our enemy, yet it is an undoubted truth, that whosoever will be the friend of the world, is the enemy of God.  
4. Though this hath a show of love and friendship, to go to the alehouse among our neighbours, and to sit and tipple with them yet in reality there is more of hatred than love in it. To suffer sin upon our neighbour, and not to reprove him is to hate him in our hearts. Leu. 19.17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart, thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. If they hate their neighbours in their hearts that suffer them to live in sin, and do not rebuke him, how much more do they hate them that countenance and encourage their drunken meetings, by their presence and example.  
5. Suppose that going to the Alehouse with your neighbours, and to tipple there with them, were the way to preserve love and friendship, yet we must not do any evil that good may come of it. Rom. 3.8. And not rather as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say; Let us do evil that good may come, whose damnation is just. This passage whose damnation is just, may either relate to the slanders that were raised of the Apostle's Person and Doctrine, and then the sense is this, it will be a just thing with God to damn those men that raise or spread abroad slanderous reports of his Ministers, either as to their persons or Doctrine, for they do a world of mischief, and hinder the efficacy of their Ministry by filling men's minds with prejudice against them; Or it may relate to the words immediately foregoing. Let us do evil that good may come. And the sense is, that is just with God to damn those men, who are of this opinion and practice: To do evil that good may come. A good intention will not excuse, will not justify a bad action in the sight of God, for he will condemn evil doers, and that justly: though they do evil that good may come.  
6. Tippling and drinking at alehouses begets quarrels and contentions, instead of friends, and makes those that were friends before, oft times to become enemies one to another; for it often happens that when men are in their cups, on some trifling occasion or other, they give provoking speeches each to other, whence arise Lawsuits, which prove very chargeable, vexatious, and of long continuance; And sometimes their quarrels are so great that they beat and wound each other, and sometimes kill each other. Prov. 23.29, 30. Who hath sorrow? who hath contentions, who hath wounds without cause— They that tarry long at the wine—  
§. The plea of such as are drunk but seldom, answered.  
Plea. 4. If I were a common, or an old drunkard, I should look upon myself to be in a woeful and miserable condition, but though I confess I am sometime overcome with wine and strong drink, yet it is but lately that I begun this practice, and I use it very seldom, when I light into company of my old acquaintance, or at a fair, or at some other chance time, and therefore I hope my crime is not so great but I may be excused.  
A. 1. The oftener a man commits any sin, the more provoking his sins are in the sight of God. Psal. 78.40. How oft did they provoke him in the Wilderness, and grieve him in the desert? The frequency of the murmur, and other sins of the children of Israel in the Wilderness, did greatly grieve the Lord, and provoke him to anger. Hos. 12.1, 12. Ephraim daily increaseth lies,— Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly— To tell lies daily, or to commit any other heinous sin daily, provokes the Lord to anger most bitterly.  
2. Though it be a great aggravation of drunkenness to be a common drunkard, and to be daily tippling at alehouses, yet 'tis a vain thing for a man to think to excuse himself by saying he is drunk but now and then, which he may be convinced of, if he see how vain this excuse is in other sins. If a Murderer should say, I do not make it my common practice to kill men, I do it but now and then, when I meet with men to whom I have born a grudge a long time; Or an adulterer should say, I do not commit adultery every day, it is but now and than, when I have convenient opportunity. Or a Thief should say, I am no highway man that maketh a trade of robbing, I do steal only at some times, when I can do it, and no body take notice of it: would not these excuses be vain in the case of murder, adultery, theft, and such like sins? and if so, why not in the case of drunkenness also.  
3. Christian's should be so careful of scandalous sins as not to commit them so much as once. Eph. 5.3. Fornication, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh Saints. And particularly concerning drunkenness, our Lord Jesus chargeth us to beware not only of being drunken often, but least at any time our hearts are overcharged with drunkenness. Luk. 21.34. And take heed least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness.—  
4. Once being drunk is enough to shut a man out of the Kingdom of Heaven for ever, without Repentance. Gal. 5.21. Drunkenness, revel— they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. It is not said, they that do such things often— but they that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Adam did eat but once of the forbidden fruit, and for that one offence he was cast out of Paradise, and by that one offence judgement came upon himself, and upon all men to condemnation. Rom. 5.18. The Bethshemites looked but once into the Ark, and for that one offence there died Fifty Thousand Threescore and Ten men. 1 Sam. 6.19. David numbered the people but once, yet for that one offence there came a Pestilence, which killed Seventy Thousand men. 2 Sam. 24.10. to the 16.  
5. Though you are but beginning to be a company keeper, and are overcome but seldom, yet who knows that if at any time your heart be overcharged with drunkenness, but that may be the time when God may call you out of the World. Luk. 21.34. Take heed least at any time your hearts be overcharged with drunkenness— and so that day come upon you unawares. God cuts off some men when they do but begin to be company keepers, and gives them their portion in eternal misery. Mat. 24.48, 49, 50, 51. If that evil Servant shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken, the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not ware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth ..  
6. Though at present you are drunk but seldom, yet unless you repent, and break off this evil course of drinking, you will by degrees fall into it more and more, and may in a little time prove as common, as notorious, as sottish a drunkard as any other man; For it is ordinary for impenitent sinners to grow more vile every day than other. 2 Tim. 3.13. Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse.  
§. Privacy in the commission of this sin is no excuse for it.  
Plea. 5. If I were an open drunkard I should think myself to be in a sad condition, but though I cannot deny but that I am sometime overtaken with the sin of drunkenness, yet it is very privately, and therefore I hope God will be merciful to me.  
A. 1. The more open and impudent men are in the commission of their sins, the greater their punishment shall be. Isa. 3.9. The show of their countenance doth witness against them, and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hid it not, woe unto their Soul— Those impudent sinners as are not ashamed to sin openly, and seek not to hid their sins, are in a most woeful condition.  
2. Drunkenness is such a shameful sin that in old times, men sought for private times, and private places for the commission of this sin. They were ashamed to be drunk in the day time, and took the opportunity of the dark night to keep their drunken meetings. 1 Thes. 5.7. They that be drunken be drunken in the night. When some persons that heard the Apostles speaking with tongues, supposed them to be drunk, the Apostle refutes that supposition, not from the piety of the men, that abhorred that vice, not from the rationality of their discourse, but from the time of the day. Act. 2.15. These are not drunken as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. It was such an unusual thing in those times, to see a man drunk in the day, that the Apostle thought it sufficient proof that they were not drunken, because it was but the third hour of the day. But alas, it is otherwise in these times, wherein we see men frequently reeling and staggering at high noon day.  
3. Although open drunkards are in a worse condition than such as are secretly given to drunkenness, yet such as are secret drunkards shall not be excused by their secrecy in their sins. For, 

(1.) All our secret sins are committed in the sight of God. Psal. 90.8. Thou hast set our sins before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. David plotted Vriah's death, and defiled Bathsheba with great secrecy. 2 Sam. 12.12. Thou didst it secretly— Yet he confesseth these sins were committed in the sight of God. Psal. 51.4. Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight.  
(2.) What sins we commit in secret without Repentance shall be punished openly. Eccl. 12.14. God shall bring every work into judgement with every secret thing, whether it be good or bad; As it is with secret duties, they shall have an open reward. Math. 6.4. Thy Father which seethe in secret, himself shall reward thee openly. So it is also with secret sins.    
§. The plea of such as say they are good natured, and never go to alehouses but when enticed, answered.  
Plea. 6. I never go to Alehouses but when I am enticed, and I am so good natured, that if any of my friends or acquaintance ask me to go with them to the Alehouse I can't deny them, and when I am there I am overtaken before I am ware.  
A. 1. What you call good nature is an evil nature, to be so flexible and easy to yield to a temptation to sin. God commands us, when sinners entice us, not to give our consent unto them Prov. 1.10. My son, if sinners entice thee consent thou not. A good nature will teach us to obey God, and to refuse our consent to the entice of sinners. That is an evil nature that prompts us to disobey God, to please and gratify a friend or neighbour.  
2. If the dearest friends or nearest Relations we have in all the World, should entice us to that which is evil, we must by no means consent unto them. Deut. 13.6, 8. If thy brother the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, let us go and serve other Gods— Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him.  
3. It will not excuse us in the sight of God, to say we were enticed to this or that sin, for it is an heinous offence to be drunk, or commit idolatry, or any other such like sin, though we were enticed to these sins. Job. 31.26.27 28. If I beheld the Sun when it shined, or the Moon walking in brightness, and my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand. This also were an iniquity to be punished by the Judge, for I should have denied the God that is above.  
§. The plea of being urged and importuned to drink more than is meet, is no excuse for drunkenness.  
Plea. 7. If I drink too much it is at such times as I am urged and importuned thereto, by the company among whom I am, and I can't tell how to withstand the importunity of my friends, when they are very urgent with me to drink beyond measure. I hope the urgency and importunity of friends will be my excuse, if I now and then drink too much.  
A. 1. The great God is more urgent and importunate with you to abstain from excessive drinking, and all other sins, than any men can be. He calls to you, he chargeth you to take heed that you be not at any time overcharged with drunkenness. Luk. 21.34. Take heed to yourselves, least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfitting and drunkenness. He commands you to abstain from drunkenness. Eph. 5.18. Be not drunk with wine. He beseecheth you to abstain from fleshly lusts. 1 Pet. 2.11. Dear beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the Soul; And drunkenness is a lust and work of the flesh, as you may see. Gal. 5.19, 20, 21. He pleads with you to turn from those evil courses that will be your ruin. Ezek. 33.11. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die O house of Israel. And shall not the importunity of the great God prevail with you, above the importunity of all the men in the World; Though they be great men, though near friends, though such as will be angry with you, if you yield not to them, yet their importunity should not prevail with you to break the command of the great God.  
2. Brute beasts cannot be drawn by any urging, and importunity to drink more than satisfieth their natures, unless there be force used with them, and the drink be poured down their throats, they will not take more than quencheth their thirst; And therefore it is below a man to say, I could not avoid drinking to excess, for I was importuned and urged thereunto. Yea, they are sunk a degree below beasts, that will be prevailed with by importunity to drink more than is for their good.  
3. If a man should urge you to cast yourselves into a fiery furnace, would you consent thereto, or if a man should importune you to part with a fair Estate for a trifle, would you consent to it? Should importunity prevail with you to do these things? When by importunity of any man you yield to drink unto drunkenness, you yield to that which is more prejudicial to you than casting yourselves into a fiery Furnace, or parting with a great estate for a trifle; For by drunkenness you provoke God to shut you out of the Kingdom of Heaven, and to cast you body and soul into that Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone, there to remain for ever; And that is infinitely worse than to be cast into any fiery Furnace on earth.  
4. They are none of your friends that urge and importune you to drink more than is for your good. They may be pretended friends, but are real enemies— For they urge you to that which will be your ruin, to that which will undo you Body and Soul for ever; And is he a friend or an enemy that urgeth you to that which will be your ruin.  
§. The plea of such as say they are drawn to this sin by their Relations and Friends, on whom they have their dependence.  
Plea. 8. My Friends and Relations on whom I have my dependence are addicted to this sin of drunkenness, and if I should not do as they do, they would cast me off, they would disinherit me, they would leave me out of their Wills, and give me nothing at their death, and therefore I am forced to comply with their way and humour, and drink more than is meet, to please my Relations, from whom I hope to be much advantaged at their death.  
A. 1. You have a greater dependence on God than on any man upon the face of the Earth. You depend upon God for your beings, your life, your motion, yea, for all things. Act. 17.28. In him we live, and move and have our beings. And therefore you had need be more careful to please, and more fearful to offend God, than to please or offend any man on the face of the earth.  
2. Suppose your Parents or Relations should cast you off for retaining your integrity, and because you will not defile yourself with their evil ways: the Lord will be a friend to you, and will take the care of you. Psal. 27.10. When my Father and Mother forsake me, than the Lord will take me up. But if we sin against God to please our Relations, and forsake his ways, the Lord will cast us off. 1 Chron. 28.9. If thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever. And if the Lord cast us off, it is not all the men in the World can do us good.  
3. What is the loss of an earthly inheritance to the loss of the Kingdom of Heaven? Suppose you should lose a great inheritance on earth, for want of complying with your Parents or Relations in sinful courses, yet that is nothing in comparison of the loss of Heaven, which you will bring upon yourselves by excessive drinking, although it be to please your Relations, for drunkards shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. 1 Cor. 6.10. If you sustain loss for Righteousness sake, all such losses shall be made up with an hundred sold advantage, both here and hereafter. Math. 19.29. But if you lose the Kingdom of Heaven, you are a lost undone man for ever; Nothing is able to make up that loss.  
4. If you resolve to please God rather than to please your Friends: it may be the Lord will turn the hearts of your Friends towards you; For the hearts of all men are in his hands; And it is said, Prov. 16.7. When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. And if God can incline the hearts of our enemies towards us, then much more the hearts of our friends, when we do those things that are pleasing in his sight; However run the hazard, rather adventure the displeasing your friends by obeying God, than displease God by complying with the sinful humours and ways of your friends.  
5. It is great folly to comply with friends or Relations in their evil ways, in hope to get an Estate from them after their Death. For, 

(1.) Who can tell but you may die before your friends? And what will your sinful compliance do you good, if you die before your friends? Or who can tell but they may take a disgust at you, though you strive to humour mour them in that which is sinful? And what a sad case is that to lose the favour of God and your friends also.  
(2.) If you should obtain that estate you hope for, your sinful compliance will do your souls more hurt, than ever your Estate will be able to do you good.  
(3.) Such an state as is gotten by a sinful compliance hath not God's Blessing going with it; And it is better being without an Estate than to have it without the Blessing of God. For an estate without a blessing doth a man much hurt, of such an estate it may be said as Solomon doth. Eccl. 5.13. There is a sore evil which I have seen under the Sun, namely riches, kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.    
§. The excellency of wine or strong drink is no excuse for drunkenness.  
Plea. 9 I am not won't to be disguised with drinking, except it be at such times as I light of excellent wine, and very pleasant liquors, and when I meet with pure and pleasant wine, or other choice drink, I can't refrain myself, but I must drink to excess, and I hope in such a case I may be excused.  
A. 1. This is a vain, frivolous, foolish excuse. If a thief should say I never rob a man but when I meet with a rich and tempting prize. Or an adulterer should say I never commit adultery but when I meet with a fair and beautiful woman. Would such pleas excuse the thief and adulterer? No more will it excuse a drunkard to say, I am never overcome with wine, but when I meet with pure, rich, and generous wine.  
2. There is no purer, clearer, pleasanter water, than Spring water, yet the pleasantness and purity of the Spring water doth not tempt the wild asses, or other beasts, to drink more than will quench their thirst. Psal. 104.10, 11. He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills, they give drink to every beast of the field, the wild asses quench their thirst. And shall man who was made after the Image of God, and who hath a more excellent Spirit than any of the beasts, drink to excess, because he meets with pure wine and excellent drink?  
3. The purest and most excellent wine, when drunk to excess will prove the most deadly poison, for it destroys Body and Soul, whereas other poison destroys the Body only. That passage of Moses may be applied. Deut. 32.33. Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps. And what wise man would drink the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps, though it should be made pleasant to the taste? Or would drink the sweetest and richest wine under Heaven, if he knew there were the poison of dragons, or the cruel venom of asps infused into it? The guilt of drunkenness is more destructive to a man than the poison of dragons, or the cruel venom of asps, for the one kills the Body only, the other will destroy Body and Soul for ever.  
4. Whereas drunkards say they can't for their hearts refrain from drinking to excess, when they meet with choice and excellent wine, which is both pleasant to the eye and and taste, they should consider with themselves that the briskest, purest, most pleasant wine, if drunk to excess, will by't like a serpent, and sting like an adder. Prov. 23.31, 32. Look not thou upon the wine wh●… 〈◊〉 is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright, at the last it biteth like a Serpent and stingeth like an adder. There is scarce any drunkard so sottish that after he hath drunk a glass of wine, should espy a serpent at the bottom of his second or third glass that would certainly by't him, if he proceeded to drink any more, and should discern an adder under the table, that would surely sting him if he did not flee the room, but would refrain drinking, though he had a bottle of the best and pleasantest wine that ever was drunk, standing before him. What the Lord tells us in his holy word, is as certainly true as what we see with our bodily eyes, and therefore seeing the Lord tells us that such as are enticed by the pleasantness of the look or taste of the wine that is before them, to drink to excess, shall find their excess in drinking will by't them like a serpent, and sting like an adder, this should make us refrain immoderate drinking, although we should meet with pure and pleasant wine. If any say, I have been often drunk, but never found the wine that I drunk biting me like a serpent, and stinging me like an adder, if I had I would have broken off this course of drinking long ago.  
A. Though you have not felt any biting or stinging from the sin of drunkenness for the present, yet you may find it hereafter, and shall assuredly find it without Repentance. At the last it bitcth like a Serpent— Though for a while this Serpent seems to be asleep, yet at the last it will by't more dreadfully than any serpent, and it will sting worse than any adder.  

(1.) It bites in this life many men with horrors of Conscience and sharp and painful diseases in their bodies.  
(2.) It will sting terribly at the hour of death. 1 Cor. 15.56. The sting of death is sin. When a drunkard comes to die, than his frequent drunkenness, and all mad pranks that he committed when he was drunk will come to his mind, and sting his Conscience when he lies upon his deathbed. And the sting that sin puts into death, is worse than the sting of an adder, or the biting of a serpent.  
(3.) At the day of judgement than drunkenness will by't and sting worse than at the day of death, than drunkards will be stung with their sin, that they will be desirous that the Rocks and Mountains should fall on them, and cover them from the wrath of the Lord. Rev. 6.15, 16, 17.  
(4.) In Hell torments, when drunkards shall be cast to the old Serpent the devil, than this sin of drunkenness will torment you worse than the biting of any serpent, or the stinging of any adder.   
§. The plea of common tiplers, and of such as are strong to drink wine, answered.  
Plea. 10. I acknowledge that I go often to Taverns, and drink freely when I am there, but I am not like those weak headed men, that are disguised by a little matter, and go reeling and staggering away, and are fit for no business; If I did drink till I reeled and staggered, than I should deserve to be ranked among the drunkards, but I hope I am not to be blamed, seeing I do not drink so long as to lose my understanding, I hope you will not rank such as I am among the drunkards.  
A. 1. Wine-biblers, such as sit drinking and tippling at Taverns and Alehouses, are an hateful Generation of men, whose company and practices are to be shunned by sober men. Prov. 23.20. Be not amongst wine-biblers— Wine-biblers and Tavern haunters are ranked amongst drunkards, as well as those sorts that drink till they reel, and are drunkards in the account of the Scriptures. Prov. 23.21, 22. Be not amongst wine-biblers, amongst riotous eaters of flesh, for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty. Solomon gives this reason why we should not be among wine biblers, for the drunkard shall come to poverty, which plainly shows that a wine-bibber is esteemed a drunkard. The Prophet Joel ranks drunkards and drinkers of wine together. Joel 1.5. Awake ye drunkards, and weep, and howl all ye drinkers of wine. By drinkers of wine understand not such as drink wine for their health sake with moderation, but out of wantonness, merely to gratify their sensual lusts, these may be ranked with drunkards, although they do not drink to such a degree as to be dead drunk, or to be like bruits without understanding.  
2. There is a woe denounced against such as tarry long at the wine, as well as against those that are overcome with wine, and against such as are haunters of Taverns. Prov. 23.29, 30. Who hath woe?— They that tarry long at the wine, they that go to seek mixed wine. By such as go to seek mixed wine, the Caldee paraphrast understandeth such as frequent Taverns and Alehouses. jis qui vadunt & investigant domum mixtionis, id est, popinam & vini tabernam. And therefore let not such as are haunters of Alehouses and Taverns, especially such as tarry long there, think that they shall escape the judgements of God, because they do not drink so much as they are not able to go without reeling.  
3. A man may be inflamed with wine and strong drink, his body may be inflamed with a preternatural heat, and his lusts may be inflamed with his excessive drinking, and yet a man may retain the use of his reason. Now there is a woe denounced against such as continue drinking wine, till wine inflame them. Isa. 5.11. woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink, and continue till night, till wine inflame them. They that follow strong drink, that is, haunters of Taverns and Alehouses, and such as continue drinking and tippling till wine inflame them, have a woe denounced against them.  
4. It is said of Benhadad that he was drinking himself drunk, and yet he had not wholly lost the use of his reason, for he was able to give instructions to his Commanders, and could speak very good sense, and was able to ride his horse, and to flee from his enemies to save his life. 1 King. 20.16, 17, 18, 20. Benhadad was drinking himself drunk,— And they told him there are men come out of Samaria, and he said, whether they be come out for peace, take them alive, or whether they be come out for war, take them alive; And Benhadad the King of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen. Some men that are great drinkers will not be convinced that they are guilty of drunkenness, because when they come from Taverns, they can speak good sense, they can give instructions for the carrying on of their Callings, they can escape the dangers that occur to them as they go home. But did not Behadad do as much as these things? Did not he give instructions to his Commanders, what to do with those that came out against him? did not he speak very good sense? was he not so wise as to escape from his enemies, by fleeing away on horse back? yet it is said of him, when he did these things, He was drinking himself drunk.  
5. There is a woe to them that are strong to drink wine and strong drink. Isa. 5.22. woe to them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink. By such as are mighty to drink wine, understand such as can drink a large quantity of wine, and yet not be overcome with it, but can bear it away without staggering, or loss of their understandings, and this usually comes to pass through a long habit of drinking, and the longer men have been addicted to this sin, and the stronger they are to bear wine, the more woeful their condition is.  
6. To be full of wine, and to be drunken, signify the same thing in Scripture Language. Act. 2.13, 14, 15. Others mocking said, these men are full of new wine; But Peter said unto them— These men are not drunken, as ye suppose. When some mocked the Apostles, and said they are full of new wine, their meaning was they were drunken, as Peter's answer to their calumny implies; These are not drunken as ye suppose. When a man doth frequent Taverns, and when he is there, fills himself with wine or strong drink, though he do not lose his understanding, because he hath a stronger brain than other men, yet he is in Scripture accounted a drunkard, as well as those sottish persons that drink till they are not able to speak sense.  
7. The sin of drunkenness lieth more in the inordinacy of the affection to wine and strong drink, and in the excessive use of strong drinks, than in the loss of the understanding, which follows upon excessive drinking; For the loss of the understanding hath more of punishment than of sin. It is a peculiar punishment which the Lord hath annexed to this sin, that he for a season deprives men of the use of their reason and understanding; The deprivation of the understanding as inflicted by God is penal, as contracted by man through his voluntary drinking it is sinful. There are two things as Aquinas observes in drunkenness.  

(1.) The defect of the Understanding, which proceeds from the abundance of wine, or other strong drink.  
(2.) The act by which a man contracts this defect of his understanding, and this act is sinful, the defect is penal, and lays down this conclusion; Ebrietas quae est inordinat a vini concupiscentia vel usus vitium judicatur magis quam illa quae in rationis privatione consistit. The sin of drunkenness lieth more in the inordinate affection or excessive use of wine, than in the defect of the understanding.   
§. The Tradesman's plea for drunkenness answered.  
Plea. 11. The world is now at that pass, that a man can hardly make a good bargain, but he must go to a Tavern or Alehouse before he can conclude it, and besides trading is so bad, that if a new Customer come, or a former Customer lay out a considerable sum of money: to engage him to come again, I must go with him to the Tavern, and give him a glass of wine, and when I am among my Customers, or driving on a bargain, I forget myself, and am surprised before I am ware, and I hope this will excuse me.  
A. 1. It is an evil custom, and sinful practice of many men to leave their Shops and Houses to make bargains at Alehouses and Taverns. But such as profess themselves to be the servants of Christ must not conform to the sinful customs and practices of the men of this world, Rom. 12.2. Be not conformed to this World. They must break and reform, and not follow evil customs.  
2. You may quickly lose more than you get by driving bargains at Taverns and Alehouses. For, 

(1.) You will lose your reputation among sober persons, and that is a greater loss to lose your good name, than to lose great riches. Prov. 22.1. A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches. If a man be counted a tippler, a haunter of Taverns, this is a blemish to him, he hath lost his good name.  
(2.) By driving bargains at Alehouses, you will be in danger to debauch your Conscience, and will lose the peace of your Conscience, you will get a wound and a snare to your Soul. And if a man lose a good Conscience, that is a greater loss than the loss of all Riches.  
(3.) If you contract a habit of drunkenness by driving bargains at Alehouses, you will loaf your Souls, and the loss of the Soul is such a great loss as can't be made up by the gaining of the whole World. Mark 8.36. For what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own Soul.  
(4.) If you get a habit of drunkenness by frequenting Taverns, you will lose the favour of God. Psal. 5.5. Thou hatest all the workers of iniquity. And a man had better lose estate, liberty, life, and all that he hath in the World, than lose the favour of God.    
3. You do, and get more hurt than you are ware of, by frequenting Taverns to make bargains; For your example in frequenting Taverns to make bargains encourageth others to go thither, who go out of wantonness, and hardens them in their evil practice. And you get much hurt, for by degrees your heart will be hardened, and from sipping now and then, you will proceed to larger draughts, and from thence to drunkenness.  
4. There is a far better way to engage Customers than to go to taverns with him, and that is, by affable carriage, by selling them good Commodities, by dealing justly and truly with them, this would invite men to deal with you. Prov. 24.26. Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer. When a man is known and proved to be a man of his word this doth so engage men to him that every one desireth to deal with such a man. Prov. 28.20. A faithful man shall abound with blessings. Diligence in a man's Calling that also engageth Customers; All men love to employ a diligent person. Prov. 22.29. Seest thou a man diligent in his business, he shall stand before Kings, he shall not stand before mean men.  
5. When your necessary occasions draw you to a Tavern or Alehouse, look upon it as a place of temptation, and hasten away, be as one that sitteth on thorns, be at no ease till you are gotten away.  
6. It will not excuse your drunkenness, to say I was surprised before I was ware, whilst I was drinking with a Friend or a Customer, for you ought to watch over yourselves, and it argues want of Wisdom, to be deceived or surprised with wine or strong drink. Prov. 20.1. Wine is a mocker, and strong drink is raging, whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.  
§. The plea of such as think drunkenness is no sin, because they have no trouble of Conscience, neither meet with any affliction for their excess.  
Plea. 12. If drunkenness were such a great sin as you would persuade us, surely I should have terrors in my Conscience, or be followed with some sore judgement for this sin, but I have no terrors in my Conscience, and I meet with no afflictions or judgements from God, and therefore I can't believe that drunkenness is such an heinous and woeful sin as you have represented it to us.  
A. 1. A man may be a greater sinner in the sight of God, and yet the Lord may not set home his sin upon his Conscience, or inflict his judgements upon him in this life, because he reserveth him to be punished at the day of Judgement. Job. 24.12. Yet he layeth not folly to their charge. Job speaks here of abominable sinners, that oppress the poor and needy, and fatherless, and take away their lands and flocks, and their raiment, and their food, insomuch that they cause men to groan and cry out like wounded men, yet God layeth not folly to their charge, that is, doth not charge their sin upon their Consciences, nor punish them for their sins. 2 Pet. 2.9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust to the day of judgement, to be punished.  
2. It is probable that you had some gripes in your Consciences for this sin, your hearts have smitten you at one time or another, though now you have by your sottish courses stifled those checks of your Consciences, and your Consciences be now fallen asleep; And it is very likely you have had many rebukes from God since you went on in this way, but you not regarded them. It is usual with those that are addicted to this sin, to be regardless of God's deal, both what God doth to themselves and others. Isa. 5, 11, 12.— They follow strong drink— they regard not the work of the Lord, nor consider the Operation of his hands.  
3. If you have no remorse of Conscience for this sin, this doth not argue your sin to be a small sin, but shows that you are an obdurate hardened sinner, and so your condition is much worse than those drunkards that have trouble of Conscience for what they have done. They are the worst sort of sinners, that sin at an high rate, and yet feel no trouble in their minds for what they have done. Eph. 4.19. Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. It is a woeful condition to be given up to an hard heart, and feared Conscience, and to have no feeling of the evil of sin.  
4. Suppose you have met with no judgements from God for your evil courses, you have known or heard of others on whom God hath sent his judgements for their sin of drunkenness, some have broken their limbs, some have broken their necks, others have had there sore judgements inflicted on them, all which are warnings to you and others to repent of, and forsake this sin of drunkenness. If some drunkards be cut of in the act of sin, while you are spared, you must not think that they were greater sinners than you are, but by their example God calls you to Repentance. Luk. 13.4, 5. Those eighteen upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all that dwell in Jerusalem, I tell you nay, but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  
5. Your prospering in a sinful course, and being free from trouble of Conscience, and also your being free from the judgements of God, is a sure token that God intends to destroy you for ever. Psal. 94.7. When the wicked spring as the grass, and all the workers of iniquity do flourish, it is that they may be destroyed for ever. Some men's sins go before to judgement, and some men they follow after. 1 Tim. 5.24. The less you meet with here for your sins, the more you have to come in the other World.  
6. If you be free from God's judgements on your outward man, yet it may be he sends his plagues upon your heart. Exod. 9.14. I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart. If the Lord give a man up to his own hearts lusts, or to an hard and impenitent heart, this is a worse judgement than afflictions on the Body or Estate.  
§. The plea of such as fear reproaches, if they should not drink to excess as others do, answered.  
Plea. 13. I would leave off this sin of drunkenness were it not that I feared reproach and scorn, my companions with whom I have used to frequent Taverns and Alehouses will call me a precise fool, and say I am turned Puritan, if I should not do as they do, and besides my occasions do oft times lead me into the company of Gentlemen that are great drinkers, and if I should scruple drinking in their company, they would reproach and scorn me, now I stand much upon my honour, and to avoid reproaches, I am drawn to that which I am convinced is a great evil, but I can't avoid it unless I should make myself a derision and scorn among my acquaintance.  
A. 1. If you stand upon your honour, than whatever scoffs are put upon you, hold fast your Sobriety, be not by any means drawn to excessive drinking, for drunkenness is a great reproach to any man, be he a great or a mean man. Prov. 14.34. Sin is a reproach to any people. To be reproached for our temperance, or any other branch of Righteousness, is a real honour. 1 Pet 4.14. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye, for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you. Then we are reproached for the name of Christ, when we are reproached for our obedience to any of the Commandments of Christ, of which this is one. Take heed to your own selves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfitting and drunkenness— Luk. 21.34. And therefore if any man reproach you, because you will not overcharge yourselves with drunkenness, this is your happiness, this is your glory, for the Spirit of glory rests upon those that are reproached for the name of Christ.  
2. None but fools will mock at you for refusing to drink to excess. Prov. 14.9. Fools make a mock at sin. And who will regard what fools say? As for all good men, if you live in the fear of God they will honour you. It is mentioned as a Character of a good man, He honoureth them that fear the Lord. Psal. 15.4. Yea if you abstain from drunkenness out of Conscience to the command of Christ, the Lord himself will honour you. Joh. 12.26. If any man serve me, him will my Father honour.  
3. If you are ashamed to keep your sobrietp, because of the scoffs and jeers of sottish men, the Lord Jesus Christ will disown you, and be ashamed of you before the Holy Angels, and before his Heavenly Father. Mark 8.33. Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this sinful and adulterous Generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his father with the Holy Angels.  
4. If you will not turn from your sottish courses at the call and command of God, the Lord himself will laugh at you, and mock you in the day of your calamity. Prov. 1.23, 24, 26. Turn ye at my reproof— Because I have called, and ye refused— I also will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh. And that is very dreadful, to have God instead of helping us in our distress, mock and laugh at us in our calamity. Yea the Devils also, who tempted you to sin, will laugh at you in Hell for your folly, in parting with Heaven for such a poor matter as a pot of drink.  
5. You have slighty thoughts of sin, and low thoughts of your immortal souls, and of the joys of Heaven, and the torments of Hell, if you will commit such an horrible sin as drunkenness, and cast away your immortal souls, and deprive yourselves of the joys of Heaven, rather than bear the scoffs and jeers of foolish and sottish men.  
§. The plea of rich men, whereby they would excuse their drunkenness answered.  
Plea. 14. If I were a poor labouring man, and should lie at the Alehouse, and spend what I earned, and my Family be in want, I should be greatly to be blamed, but I am a rich man, and have a great Estate, I can spend freely at Taverns and Alehouses, and not feel any want of what I spend there, and therefore I hope I may be excused.  
A. 1. It is indeed a very great crime for labouring men, or any others, to waste their Estates at Alehouses, whereby their Families are brought to want. for such are worse than infidels. 1 Tim. 5.8. If any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the Faith, and is worse than an Infidel.  
2. The rich drunkard shall find no more favour with God than the poor man, yea, than the beggar; For the Lord is no respecter of persons, but will render to every man according to his works. Riches avail nothing to keep off the wrath of God. Prov. 11.4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath. Job 36.19. Will he esteem thy riches? No not Gold, nor all the forces of strength. Yea it will go worse with rich drunkards at the day of judgement, than with poor men that have been addicted to this sin; For they sin against greater mercy, and abuse greater Talents than poor men, What is said of the rust and canker, which is on the Gold and Silver of rich men that are covetous, and hoard up their Riches, and do no good with them. Jam. 5.3. Your Gold and your Silver is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire, ye have heaped treasure together for the last day. The like may be said of what rich men spend lavishly at Taverns and Alehouses, your Gold and your Silver, which you have consumed in a lavish manner upon your lusts, will be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire, for at the last day you must be accountable to God for all that treasure which you have wasted upon your lusts.  
3. Rich men are not Lords of their Estates, to spend them according to their own will, they are but Stewards, and must emyloy them according to the will of God. 1 Pet. 4.10. As every man hath received the gift, even so Minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Though the Lord makes Rich his Stewards, yet he retains a propriety in all things that he commits to their trust. He calls our corn and wine his corn and his wine, and our wool and flax, his wool and his flax. Hos. 2.9. I will take away my corn— and my wine— and my wool, and my flax given to cover her nakedness. All our  are his . Psal. 50.10. Every beast of the forest is mine, and the  upon a thousand hills. Yea the Lord hath a propriety in all things, that all men have in all parts of the World. 1 Chron. 29.11. All that is in Heaven, and all that is in the Earth is thine. Now seeing rich men are but the Lord's Stewards, they must not spend their Estates upon their lusts, but must honour the Lord with them. Prov. 3.9. Honour the Lord with thy substance. What is spent in excess of wine and strong drink, and riotous courses, is employed to the dishonour of God.  
4. What abundance of treasure might you have laid up in Heaven, if you had given all that money to the poor members of Christ, which you have spent vainly and sinfully at Taverns and Alehouses; Whereas all that is spent that way is treasure laid up in Hell, that will torment you to Eternity.  
§. The plea of such as go to Alehouses out of idleness, answered.  
Plea. 15. I go to Alehouses and Taverns only at such times as I have nothing else to do, and I have found the pot and the pipe, and a merry companion, delightful pastimes, methinks it is pleasant recreation to sit in an Alehouse, and to hear and tell news, and talk of old stories over a pot of drink, or a dish of Coffee, should I not do this, I should be at a loss how to spend away my time, my spare hours would be a burden to me.  
A. 1. Those men do not know the worth and preciousness of time, that go to Coffeehouses, Alehouses and Taverns, merely out of an idle humour, to pass away the time. Time is more precious than Silver and Gold, for all the Silver and Gold in the World can't purchase one day, one hour of that time which is past, and hath been misspent— Upon this moment of time well improved or misspent, dependeth our eternal happiness, or eternal misery. It is a great sin for a man to spend his money idly and vainly, but it is a greater sin to spend his time which is more precious than Money, in a vain and idle manner.  
2. If you do not know how to prise your time, consider the doleful lamentations of despairing souls, that think the day of Grace is past, and listen to the sighs and groans of dying men, who have not made their peace with God, and whose Consciences are troubled for their misspent time. And consider what precious thoughts damned souls have of time? Oh what would dying men, and damned souls give for so much time to repent, and make their peace with God, as you spend idly in alehouses and taverns? They would give Millions of Silver and Gold, yea the whole World, to gain but so much time as you misspend in idleness.  
3. To idle away precious time in coffeehouses and alehouses, which is the common practice of many persons, is a great and provoking sin, and I shall give one instance for the proof hereof. Idleness was one of the sins for which God destroyed Sodom with Fire and Brimstone from Heaven. Ezek. 16.49, 50. Behold this was the iniquity of thy Sister Sodom; Pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her, and in her daughters— Therefore I took them away as I saw good. Now that is an horrible sin which provoked God to rain down Fire and Brimstone from Heaven, upon such a famous City as Sodom, and consume it with all its inhabitants to ashes. And if idleness were such a provoking sin in a Sodomite, than it is far worse in a Christian. Anidle Christian is worse than an idle Sodomite, for Christianity teacheth us better things than the light of nature taught the Sodomites. It shall be more tolerable at the day of judgement for the men of Sodom, than for such as profess the Christian Religion, and yet spend their time in idleness.  
4. Such as are Christians indeed, and live in the exercise of the power of Godliness, have so much work to do for God, and for their own souls, and for others, that they rather complain of want of time, than want of pastimes and recreations. They do not complain that they have so much spare time, they can't tell how to spend their time, they rather wish they could live without eating and drinking, and sleeping, that they might have more time to spend in the service of God, and their Generation.  
5. If that time which many spend vainly in alehouses, were spent in doing good to their own souls and others, as in visiting the lick, comforting the afflicted, etc. this would bring much glory to God. Joh. 15.8. Herein is my father glorified, that ye bear much fruit. And this would redound to your comfort and benefit in this life, and the life to come.  
6. It is the command of Christ, that we should always abound in the work of the Lord. 1 Cor. 15.59. Always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Is this to abound always in the work of the Lord, to spend abundance of precious time in vain discourse in alehouses, or such like places, this is rather abounding in idleness.  
7. Would you be willing to be found in an alehouse, spending away your time between the pot and the pipe, when Jesus Christ shall come to Judgement? Christian's should not be in those places, or do those things which they would not be found in at the coming of Christ to Judgement. Jam. 2.12. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. Calvin would not desist from his employment, though advised to it for his health, and gave this reason. Vultis ne ut Dominus cum venerit. etc. What would you that the Lord when he comes should find me idle. If Calvin was unwilling when infirm to desist from his studies for fear that the Lord should find him idle, had not such as spend away much precious time at alehouses, need desist from this course for fear that the Lord when he cometh should find them idle.  
§. The plea of such as go to Taverns is drive away their sorrows and cares, answered.  
Plea. 16. I go to Taverns only at such times as I meet with crosses, and am burdened with cares, and oppressed with grief and sorrow, and when I am there I drink freely to ease my heart of my grief and cares, and I hope there is no great hurt in this, though I now and then take a little more than is meet.  
A. 1. It is true that wine and strong drink moderately taken, are useful for such as are of a sorrowful spirit, for they are of a cheering nature, Psal. 104.15. Wine that maketh glad the heart of man.— and are to be given chief to such as are of a sorrowful spirit. Prov. 31.6, 7. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of an heavy heart. Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his sorrow no more. But this doth not give a liberty to any person to drink wine or strong drink to excess. And if you make use of time to cheer your hearts, why not at your own houses rather than alehouses.  
2. Wine and strong drink taken immoderately instead of driving away sorrows bring much woe and sorrow. Prov. 23.29, 30. Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow?— They that tarry long at the wine— Drunkenness is wickedness, and wickedness bringeth a multitude of sorrows along with it. Psal. 32.10. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked. And instead of easing a man of his burden and trouble, it increaseth his burdens and troubles; For excess of wine burdens the soul with the guilt of sin. It leaves a load upon the Conscience; And the burden that ariseth from the guilt of sin is far greater than the burden of cares. Psal. 38. 4. Mine iniquities are gone over mine head, as an heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.  
3. Wine and strong drink taken immoderately, instead of making men merry, do make them mad; They swear and curse, and rage, and carry themselves like mad men. Prov. 20.1. Strong drink is raging. What Festus said to Paul, Act. 26.24. Paul, thou art beside thyself, much learning hath made thee mad. The like may be said to such a man as is overcome with wine and strong drink; Thou art beside thyself, much drinking hath made thee mad.  
4. The right way to get ease and comfort under our sorrows and cares, is not to go to Taverns and Alehouses to drown our cares, and drive away our sorrows with wine and strong drink, and merry company, which will prove bitterness in the latter end, and increase our sorrows and burdens, but the right and ready way to get ease and comfort when we are oppressed with sorrow, and burdened with cares, is, 

(1.) To betake ourselves to Prayer. Joh. 16.20, 24. Ye shall weep and lament— ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy— Ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. See here the way for such as weep and lament, and are full of sorrow, to have their sorrow turned into joy, and that is to betake ourselves unto Prayer, for hereby we shall be filled with joy. Hannah who was in great bitterness of spirit, before she went to Prayer, got so much comfort by Prayer, that she went away, and was no more sad. 1 Sam. 1.13. She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. And the woman went away, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.  
(2.) The way to get ease under our burdens and sorrows, is to cast our burdens and cares upon God, for if we do so, he will put under his everlasting arms, and bear up our spirits. Psal. 55.22. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee—    
§. The plea of Young Drunkards, answered.  
Plea. 17. I am a young man, and young men must have their pastimes and recreations, and this is that which pleaseth me above other delights, to keep jovial company, and to be merry with my companions at a Tavern, and I hope this is allowable in a young man, and if it be not, I have time enough before me, I will repent when I am old, and then God will be gracious unto me.  
A. 1. Drunkenness is an abominable sin in any men, either young or old, and therefore not to be allowed, not to be pleaded for in any. Psal. 5.5. Thou hatest all workers of iniquity— This will not exempt a man from the hatred of God, that he is a young man, if he be a worker of iniquity; For all the Generation of evil doers are hateful to God, the young as well as the old. It is an aggravation of sin to be an old sinner. Isa. 65.20. The sinner being an hundred years old, shall be accursed. Yet this will not excuse a man from drunkenness, or any other sin, to say, I am a young man, I hope it is no great offence for me now and then to be overcome with wine or strong drink.  
2. Vain and lose young men, that give themselves to their pleasures, and will not be reclaimed by the advice and counsel of Parents, Friends, Relations, or God's Ministers, they may if they think good take their own course, and do whatever their own hearts prompt them to, and is pleasing to their corrupt natures, but yet let them know that the Lord will call them to judgement for all their idle courses, and sinful pleasures, and misspent time. Eccl. 11.9. Rejoice O young man in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes, but know thou that for all these things, God will call thee to judgement.  
3. It is very evil and dangerous for young men to allow themselves in drunkenness, or other evil practices, with a purpose to repent, and to become new men when they are old, in hope that God will be merciful to them, whensoever they repent of their sins; And that on several accounts, as, 

(1.) Our young time is our choicest time, and our choicest is to be given to God, and not to be spent in the service of sin. Eccl. 12.1. Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. The days of old age are evil days, years wherein we have no pleasure, and shall we spend our good days, our comfortable days in the service of sin, and spend our evil days only, and the years wherein we have pleasure in the service of God.  
(2.) It is dangerous to spend your young time in riotous courses, or other sins, and think to repent when you are old, because you do not know whether you shall live to be old, God cuts off some persons that are addicted to company keeping, when they do but begin to follow after vain persons, and to eat and drink with the drunken. Mat. 24.48.49, 50, 51. If that evil servant shall begin to smite his sellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken, the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not ware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  
(3.) If you should live till you are old, if you spend your young time in sin, who can tell whether God will give you Repentance in your old age. It is a rare thing to see a sinner converted in his old age. It is as hard for one that hath been accustomed to do evil, to do good, as it is for a Blackamoor to become white, or a Leopard to change his spots. Jer. 13.23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his spots, then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil.  
(4.) If the Lord should give you Repentance, the sins of youth will lie heavy upon you in your old age, and will cause much bitterness in your soul. Job. 13.26. Thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.    
§. The plea of such drunkards, as make a profession of Religion, answered.  
Plea. 18. If I were a profane drunkard, that would curse and swear, I should look upon myself as in a very sad condition; but though I am now and then overcome with drink, I am a Religious person, I hear and write Sermons, I pray in my Family, I will lay down my life for Christ, I will rather burn than turn from the true Religion. And therefore I hope God will not take any notice of my sin, though I do sometimes drink to excess.  
A. 1. To be a drunkard, and yet to be a Religious person are inconsistent each with other, as inconsistent as light and darkness, as Heaven and Hell. The grace of God teacheth a man to live soberly. Tit. 2.11, 12. The grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us the denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live righteously, soberly and godly in this present World. And therefore such as live intemperately, and have not learned sobriety, are destitute of the grace of God. That man that maketh profession of Religion, and yet is a drunkard, his Religion is a vain Religion.  
2. Our making a profession of Religion, and performing Holy duties, will be so far from causing God to take no notice of our sins, that he will visit us sooner, and punish us more severely than other men, if we live in drunkenness, or such like sins. Amos 3.2. You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth, therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. Such of the Jews as made a profession of Religion, and yet lived sinful lives, the Lord tells them he would punish them for their iniquities, even for all of them.  
3. The prayers, and other Religious services of drunkards are an abomination to God. Prov, 15.8. The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. Sacrifice was part of God's worship under the Law, and when offered up in a right manner was very acceptable to God, yet when performed by a wicked man, it was an abomination to the Lord. The services of impenitent sinners are a burden and a weariness to the Lord. Isa. 1.13, 14. Incense is an abomination to me, the new Moons and Sabbaths, and calling of Assemblies, I cannot away with, it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting, your new moons, and your appointed feasts my Soul hateth, they are a trouble to me, I am weary to bear them. Incense did cast forth a sweet and delightful smell, yet when offered by impenitent sinner it was an abomination to the Lord If impenitent sinners should have such gifts in prayer, as that their prayers should be pleasing and delightful to those that join with them, yet their prayers are an abomination to the Lord.  
4. Such as make a profession of Religion, and yet live in drunkenness, are worse, and in a more woeful condition than ignorant and profane drunkards. Isa. 28.1. woe to the drunkards of Ephraim. Ephraim was a Tribe of Israel, and a drunken Israelite is in a more woeful condition than a drunken Egyptian, or a drunken Philistine.— The sins of such as make a profession of Religion, do bring more dishonour to God, and scandal to Religion, than the sins of other men. Rom. 2.17, 23, 24. Behold thou art called a Jew, and restest in the Law, and makest thy boast of God— Thou that makest thy boast of the Law, through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God; For the name of God is blasphemed through you, among the Gentiles.  
5. They deceive their own hearts, that think they could lay down their lives for Christ, who will not, who cannot lay down a swinish and sottish lust for Christ, which is prejudicial both to their Bodies and Souls.  
§. The plea of such as drink to excess to avoid envy and hatred of their neighbours, and for fear of having ill offices done them, answered.  
Plea. 19 I live in a drunken sottish place, where my neighbours are generally given to drinking, and if I should not do as my neighbours do, I shall be envied and hated, and they will put troublesome offices upon me, or raise me in the rates, or do me some ill turn, and therefore though I approve not of drinking and tippling, yet I am necessitated to do as they do, else I should not live a quiet life amongst them. I do this only to avoid trouble, and therefore I hope I may be excused.  
A. 1. If you will not live soberly, and temperately, and righteously in this present evil world for fear of hatred and envy, and trouble, than it is not possible that you should be a true Christian, and lead a holy and righteous life, or do any good works, for no man can be a Christian indeed, but wicked men will hate him. Luk. 21.19. Ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. No man can lead a Godly Life, but he shall meet with trouble. 2 Tim, 3.12. Yea, and all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. No man can do any good work but some or other will envy him. Eccl. 4.4. I considered all navel, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour.  
2. If you live righteously and soberly God will love you. Psal. 146.8. The Lord loveth the righteous. But if you be a worker of iniquity, the Lord will hate you. Psal. 5.5. Thou hatest all workers of iniquity. And if the Lord love you, you need not be troubled though all your neighbours, and all the men in the World hate you. And if the Lord hate you, it is not the love of your neighbours will comfort you under the hatred of God.  
3. If you be hated of your Neighbours, and have ill Offices done you, because you will not break the Commandments of God, as other men do, this is matter of joy rather than of sorrow, such hatred makes you happy rather than miserable. Luk. 6.22, 23. Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day. and leap for joy, for behold great is your reward in Heaven.  
4. It is far better being troubled and hated, and envied of men, raised in your rates, and to have all the ill Offices done that you can think of, than to have troubles in your own Consciences, and be shut out of Heaven, and be tormented in Hell for ever, which will be the certain effect and consequence of drunkenness. What petty, inconsiderable things are being envied of neighbours, raised in your rates, and the like, to the loss of the Kingdom of Heaven, and the suffering of the torments of Hell.  
5. If you cannot withstand the temptation of drunkenness, by reason of your living among sottish neighbours, remove your habitation, and choose a dwelling among more sober and pious persons, whose Godly example may excite and encourage you to lead a Godly Life.  
§. The plea of such as will not believe that God will shut them out of Heaven for such a small sin as drunkenness, answered.  
Plea. 20. If I thought God would shut me out of Heaven for excessive drinking, I would forthwith leave off my going to Alehouses and Taverns, and would never be drunk any more, for I am not such a fool, as to cast away my immortal Soul, and deprive myself of the glory and joys of Heaven for ever, for so small a matter as wine or strong drink, but it can't enter into my heart to believe that God will shut men out of Heaven, and cast them into Hell, for such a small sin as drunkenness, for such a small matter as drinking a little too much wine or strong drink, and therefore I will take my liberty to eat and drink, and be merry, and hope to go to Heaven as well as the most precise, and abstemious persons in the World  
A. 1. Dost thou call drunkenness a small sin? It is a great, abominable, a monstrous, most loathsome and beastly sin. It is a sin against the light of nature, and a sin against the light of Scripture. It makes a man like a beast yea worse than a beast, for there are many beasts will not drink more than satisfieth nature. It makes a man like a devil, some men when they are in their cups will rage's and swear, and curse at that dreadful rate, that they seem rather to be incarnate devils than men. Yea some drunkards are worse than devils, for the devils are afraid of being tormented, and pray that they may not be tormented before their time. Mat. 8.29. Art thou come hither to torment us before the time. Luk. 8.28. What have I to do with thee, Jesus thou Son of God most high; I beseech thee torment me not. But many drunkards do frequently in their cups call out to God to damn them, as if they longed to be in Hell, and dared the most high God to damn them. And shall any man than be so far deluded, as to think or say, that drunkenness is but a small sin.  
2. The Lord foresaw that many drunkards would flatter themselves with vain hopes of Salvation, and therefore he hath given a caution to drunkards, that they would not deceive themselves with vain and groundless hopes of enjoying the Kingdom of Heaven; For he hath plainly declared that no drunkards shall enter into his Kingdom. 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. Be not deceived— Nor drunkards shall inherit the Kingdom of God. Gal. 5.19, 21. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, Adultery, Fornication,— Drunkenness, Revellings, and such like, of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. By these, and such like Scriptures, it is plain and evident that drunkards shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, and that drunkenness is a sin that will certainly shut a man out of Heaven. And therefore whether you believe it, or believe it not, it is most sure, that if you do not repent of, and forsake this sin of drunkenness, you shall not, you cannot be saved.  
3. The Lord is a very merciful and gracious God, and his tender mercies are over all his works, but yet he will not show mercy to any contrary to his Word; He is faithful and true, as well as merciful. Psal. 25.10. All the paths of the Lord are Mercy and Truth.— Psal. 85.10. Mercy and Truth are met together. It was never known that the Lord did show mercy to any in a way contrary to his truth, or that mercy and truth crossed each other. If the Lord should save drunkards he should not be true to his word, for he hath said in his Holy Word, that drunkards shall not inherit his Kingdom. And therefore it is vanity and folly to hope for Salvation contrary to the word of God, which is in effect to hope that God will break his word, that he may save our souls.  
4. Such drunkards as will not believe that God will shut men out of Heaven for the sin of drunkenness, do add unbelief to their drunkenness, and do thereby go about to make God a liar. 1 Joh. 5.10. He that believeth not, hath made God a liar.  
5. It is an horrible provocation for drunkards, or other sinners, when they hear or read of God's judgements, that he will shut them out of Heaven, and cast them into Hell, etc. To bless themselves, and think that they shall have peace, and that God will be merciful to them, and spare them, though they go on in their sins. Hear how dreadfully God threatens such persons. Deut. 29.18, 19, 20, 21. Lest there should be among you man or woman, or family, or tribe— And it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse, he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of my heart, to add drunkenness to thirst. The Lord will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord, and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book, shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven, and the Lord shall separate him unto evil, out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the Covenant, that are written in this book of the Law. Here are several judgements denounced against all such persons whether men or women, of what Family or Nation soever they be, that bless themselves in their sinful courses, and say in their hearts they shall have peace, though they go on, to add sin to sin.  

(1.) The Lord will not spare him.— No excuses, no pleas, no entreaties, no tears shall prevail with God to spare such a man. The Lord will not spare him, that is, the Lord will show him no mercy, he will not spare him from destruction here. Jer. 13.14. I will not spare but destroy them— Nor spare him from eternal torments in the other world; Not sparing implies a casting down to Hell. 2 Pet. 2.4. God spared not the Angels that sinned, but cast them down to Hell.  
(2.) The anger of the Lord, and his jealousy, shall smoke against that man. If the Lord's anger be kindled but a little, they are happy that are secured from it. Psal. 2.12. And therefore that man is in a woeful condition, against whom God's anger and his jealousy waxeth hot, and sinoaketh. The jealousies of a man is dreadsull. Prov. 6.34, 35. But the jealousy of God is far more dreadful, that burns like fire. Psal. 79.5. Shall thy jealousy burn like fire.  
(3.) All the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him. The curses written in this book, that is, the curses of God denounced in the Scripture, and they are more dreadful than the curses of any men, they shall not only come and fall, but they shall lie upon that man that adds drunkenness to thirst, and that not only some, but all of them. To have any one of the curses of God come upon a man is dreadful, but to have them all, not only to fall, but to lie upon a man, is unspeakable misery.  
(4.) And the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven; That is, the Lord shall give him no part, no portion in the Kingdom of Heaven, and the Lord shall root out his posterity, and leave him no name of Son or Daughter, and shall cause his name, the memory and remembrance of him to perish.  
(5.) The Lord shall separate unto evil, out of all the Tribes of Israel, according to all the curses that are written in the book of this Law. As much as to say, God will separate such a man from the rest of mankind, to make him an object of his wrath, and a monument of his displeasure, to pour out all his wrath upon him, and to bring upon him all the plagues, and all the curses threatened in his word against impenitent sinners. Let such drunkards, and other impenitent sinners, as go on still in their sins, and yet hope for Salvation when they die, consider, and lay to heart what dreadful judgements are here denounced against such as add drunkenness to thirst, and yet bless themselves in their hearts, and say they shall have peace.   
§. The plea of such as have a secret hope God will spare them, either because of some excellency, or because Christ died for sinners, or because they confess their sin.  
Plea. 21. I do verily believe that some, yea many drunkards shall be shut out of Heaven, but I have a secret hope that God will spare me, because of those excellencies he hath put upon me, and because Christ died to save sinners, and when ever I am drunk, as soon as I am come to myself, I confess my sin, and make vows and promises to leave my sin.  
A. 1. It is folly and self-flattery makes thee think God should spare thee for that sin, for which God will condemn others; For God is no respecter of persons, but will execute vengeance upon every impenitent sinner, of what Nation, rank or condition soever they be, upon the rich as well as the poor, the honourable as well as the base, the great as well as the mean man. Act 10.34. Of a truth I perceive God is no respecter of persons. Rom. 2.6, 9 Who will render to every man according to his deeds,— Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Centile.  
2. Let such as fancy that God will spare them, and not cast them to hell for their drunkenness, and their other sins, because of some excellency they have above others, as because they are great men, or Learned men, honourable men, or the like; consider that God did not spare the Angels when they sinned, but cast them into Hell. 2. Pet. 2.4. God spared not the Angels that sinned, but cast them down to Hell. Yet the Angels are wiser than the greatest Scholars and most Learned Men in the World, and more glorious Creatures than the greatest Gentlemen, Knights, noblemans, yea, more glorious than Kings and Princes. And if God did not spare the Angels when they sinned against him, but cast them down to Hell, why shouldest thou think that he will spare thee, and not cast thee to Hell for thy drunkenness, because thou art a Learned, or an Honourable man, seeing all thine Excellencies, whatever, are inferior to the Excellency of Angels.  
Obj. But Christ died to save Sinners, but he did not die to save Angels, and therefore I hope God will save me, though I go on still in my Sins.  
A 1. Jesus Christ who came into the World to save sinners, came also to call sinners to Repentance. Luk. 5.32. I came not to call the Righteous, but sinners to Repentance. He came not to save Sinners in their sins, I mean to let Sinners live as they list, and yet to save their Souls, but he came to save sinners from their sins, Matth. 1.21. Thou shalt call his Name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.  
2. Jesus Christ, who came to save Sinners, tells us expressly, that he will not save one sinner without Rrepentance, but that all, who do not repent, shall perish, and that he will shut out of Heaven at the day of Judgement all workers of Iniquity. Luk. 13.3.5. I tell you nay, but except you repent, ye shall all likewise perish. I tell you nay, but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. He speaks the same words twice that they may sink the deeper into our hearts. See also Luk. 13.27. Depart from me all ye workers of Iniquity.  
Obj. I do believe, may some say, such as do not repent of their sins, shall not be saved by the death of Christ, but I repent of my Drunkenness, when I have been overcome with Wine or strong Drink one day, the next day when I am sober, I am grieved for my sin, and I confess my sin to God, and make vows that I will not be drunk any more, and therefore I hope God will spare and pardon me, though he condemn other Drunkards.  
A. 1. If you so repent of, are grieved for, and confess your sin, as to forsake your Drunkenness, you shall find mercy with God, and he will pardon your sin, though you have been a very vile and wicked person, and have committed abundance of sin, Isa. 55.7. Let the wicked for sake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.  
2. If you only confess your sin, but soon commit it again, and make vows and promises of Reformation, but break them as oft as you make them, this is not true Repentance, this is but dissembling with God, and a kind of mocking God, when you confess your sin, and yet are not resolved to leave your sin, and to make vows and Promises, when you do not mean to perform them. The promise of pardon is to such as confess and forsake their sins, not to such as confess and commit them again. Prov. 28.13. Whoso confesseth and forsaketh, shall find mercy. When men make Vows and Promises to God to reform their lives, and their Hearts are not real, neither are they steadfast to what they promise, God accounts all our vows and promises but flattery, and telling him so many lies. Ps. 78.34, 35, 36, 37. When he slew them, than they sought him, and they returned and enquired early after God. And they remembered that God was the 〈◊〉 rock, and the high God their Redeemer, Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongue. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant.  
§. Noah and Lot's Drunkenness will not excuse Drunkards.  
Plea. 22. Noah and Lot were good men, and there is no doubt but they are gone to Heaven, yet they were both drunk with Wine, and that in as fearful and shameful manner as ever we were, Noah was so drunk, that he lay uncovered within his Tent, and one of his Sons saw his Nakedness. Lot was so overcome with some, that he knew not what he did, but committed Incest with both his Daughters, and why may not we be good men, and go to Heaven as well as Lot and Noah, though we be now and then overcome with Drink.  
A. 1. Though Noah was once overtaken with Drunkenness, and Lot was surprised twice, yet they were no Drunkards. A Drunkard is one that is addicted and given to the sin of drunkenness, one that is frequently overcome with Wine and strong drink. A good man may be overtaken with a fault, and may fall into sin, but they are wicked men that lie and continue in their sins. A Sheep may fall into the Mire, but they are Swine that love to wallow in the mire.  
2. Noah and Lot repent of their drunkenness, and so obtained Mercy, but impenitent Sinners, such as instead of repenting, go on still in their trespasses, instead of Mercy shall receive vengeance from God. Psal. 68.21. But God shall wound the head of his Enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.  
3. The falls of the Saints, the sins of Lot and Noah, and other Servants of God are recorded into Scripture, not to justify or encourage any man in his sins, but as warn to all that think they stand to take heed lest they fall, 1 Cor. 10.12. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall. The Apostle had spoke in the foregoing verses, of the murmur, and several other sins of the Israelites, and of God's judgements against them for their sins, and tells us that these things are recorded that such as think they stand, should take heed lest they fall. And therefore they that make this use of the fall of the Saints, to encourage themselves in their sinful practices, wrist the Scriptures to their own destruction.  
4. Lot's sin was punished in his posterity, for the Children which he begat of his Daughters in his drunkenness, namely, Moab and Ammon, brought forth a cursed Generation of Men that proved great Enemies to the Church of God. For Moab who was Lot's eldest Daughters Son, was the Father of the Moabites. And Ben-ammi, that was the Son of the younger Daughter, was the Father of the Ammonites. Gen. 9.37, 38. And the Lord had such an indignation against the Moabites and Ammonites, that he made a special Law against them above other Nations to exclude them from coming into the Congregation of the Lord. Deut. 23.3. An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord, even to their tenth Generation they shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord for ever.  
§. The Plea of such as say, Drunkenness is their infirmity.  
Plea. 23. There is no man perfect in this World, but all men have their infirmities and failings, one in one kind, and another in another kind, and this is my infirmity that I love a Cup of good drink too well, and when I am amongst my Companions, I can't for my heart forbear drinking over much, and I hope that seeing this is mine infirmity, God will be gracious unto me, and not shut me out of Heaven for a sin of infirmity.  
A. 1. It is true all men have their infirmities and failings whilst they are in this World. Eccl. 7.20. For there is not a just man upon Earth that doth good and sinneth not. The holiest men in the world have acknowledged themselves to be imperfect. There was not a holier man on Earth than Job, if perfection be taken for integrity and uprightness, in that sense he was a perfect man. Job. 1.10. Yet Job was conscious to himself of his infirmities, and durst not stand upon his own justification in the sight of God and say that he was perfect. Job. 9.20. If I justify myself, my own Mouth shall condemn me, if I say I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. The Apostle Paul acknowledgeth himself imperfect. Phil. 3.12. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect. But although the Servants of God have their infirmities, they do not live in such beastly sins as Drunkenness. What Moses saith of the degenerate Jews, Deut. 32.5. may be applied to Drunkards. They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his Children, they are a perverse and a crooked generation. They flatter and delude themselves, who live in such vicious courses as drunkenness, and call their sins their infirmities.  
2. Such as are frequently overcome with wine and strong drink, their drunkenness is not a sin of infirmity, but a wilful and presumptuous sin, as will appear in these respects.  

1. A man that sins through infirmity, is willing and desirous to be freed from his sins, Matth. 26.40, 41. What could ye not watch with me one hour. The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. The sleepiness of the Disciples was their infirmity, their Spirits were willing to have watched, but their flesh was weak. And such a man as sinneth through infirmity, useth means to be freed of his sins. Psal. 77.10. And I said, This i●●●y infirmity, but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high. The Psalmist having through infirmity called in question the love and mercy of God, calleth to mind his former experiences of God's gracious deal with his soul, he used means to get out of that sin which he fell into through infirmity. But this is not the case of drunkards, they do not use means to avoid drunkenness, they may keep at home, and not go to taverns and alehouses, and when they are there, they may forbear drinking, and seeing they do not use means to shun this sin, as avoid going to Taverns, and avoid such company as draws them to this sin, their sin of drunkenness is not an infirmity, but a presumptuous sin.  
2. Then a man sins presumptuously, when he knoweth this or the other thing to be a sin, and to be expressly against the command of God, and yet will go on to commit that sin. When God commanded the Israelites that they should not go up against the Amorites, and yet they would go contrary to the command of God, they are charged with rebellion and presumptuous sinning against God. Deut. 1.42, 43. And the Lord said unto me, say unto them, go not up, neither fight— So I spoke unto you, and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the Commandment of the Lord, and went presumptuously up into the Hill. The case is the same with drunkards, they are rebels against God, and presumptuous sinners; The Lord saith unto them; Be not drunk with wine— Eph. 5.18. Take heed unto yourselves, least at any time your hearts be overcharged with drunkenness. Luk. 21.34. But they will not hear, but rebel against the command of God, and go on presumptuously, and will drink wine and strong drink till they are drunk, they are so far from taking heed lest any time their hearts be overcharged with drunkenness, that they are oft times overcharged with this sin. When God commanded the Israelites to cast away the Idols of Egypt, and they would not hearken to him, this is called rebelling against God. Ezek 20.7, 8. Then said I, cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the Idols of Egypt, I am the Lord your God; But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me, they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the Idols of Egypt. The case is the same here, God commands every one to leave off the sin of drunkenness, but when men will not hearken to the Lord, but will be drunk still, this is rebellion against God.  
3. When men plot and contrive how to carry on their sins, they do not sin by surprise, but with deliberation, this is presumptuous sinning against God. As it is in killing a man, when a man plotteth and designs his death, this is a presumptuous sin. Exod. 21.14. If a man come presumptuously on his neighbour, to slay him with guile— So it is with other sins, when they are plotted and contrived sins, they are presumptuous sins. When David plotted and contrived the death of Vriah, his kill Vriah was not a sin of infirmity, but a presumptuous sin and a despiseing the Commandment of God. 2 Sam 11.14, 15. David wrote a Letter to Joab— saying, set ye Vriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten and die— Compared with 2 Sam. 12.9. Wherefore hast thou despised the Commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight, thou hast killed Vriah the Hittite with the Sword. This is the case of many drunkards, they sin with deliberation, they have their stated and set bouts for drinking such a day, at such a tavern, or such a private house, and at another time at another place. Others forecast their business, and the receiving their money, that they may be provided to meet their Companions at the Alehouse.  
4. When a man yields willing obedience to the lusts of his own heart, his sins are not sins of infirmity, but reigning sins, Rom. 6.12. Let not sin therefore Reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts of it. And he himself is the servant of sin. ver. 16. Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness. Now this is the case of many drunkards, if a sensual lust arise in their hearts, and incline them to go to the Alehouse, or if one of their companions call them to go with them, they yield present and willing obedience, they leave their callings and families, and all their business to gratify their sensual lusts, which shows that drunkenness is a reigning sin in them, and that they are the servants of sin.   
§. The plea of such as say they can't leave their drunken courses, because they find much pleasure and delight in them.  
Plea. 24. I am convinced that drunkenness, is a vile sin, but I find so much pleasure and delight in it, that I can't leave it, the Songs, and Music, and merry company that I have at Taverns, and the delight I have in drinking wine and strong drink, are the chiefest joy I have in this World, and therefore I can't be persuaded to leave them.  
A. 1. There is more true and real pleasure in Temperance and Godliness than there is in Gluttony and Drunkenness, or Music, or Songs, or merry company. For, 

(1.) Intemperance disorders the body, and clouds, and disturbs the mind, and brings pains and aches, and sicknesses. Hos. 7.5. In the day of our King, the Princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; Whereas temperance is ordinarily attended with a healthful constitution of body, and freedom and serenity of mind, and temperate persons eat and drink with greater delight than gluttons and drunkards, though they have no better fare than bread and water.  
(2.) The pleasures that drunkards have in their cups, their songs, their music, their merry company, is not comparable to those pleasures that temperate men find in an Holy Life; For the drunkards pleasures are mere vanity and vexation of Spirit. Eccl. 2.2.3, 8.17. I said of laughter it is mad, and of mirth what doth it? I sought in my heart to give myself unto wine. I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men as Musical Instruments, and that of all sorts— All is vanity and vexation of Spirit. They leave the heart sad, and end in heaviness. Prov. 14.13. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful, and the end of that mirth is heaviness. But the pleasure and peace, and delight which temperate men find in the ways of God is exceeding great, solid and abiding pleasure. Psal. 119.165. Great peace have they which love thy Law, and nothing shall offend them. Psal. 21.6. Thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance. Psal. 138.5. Yea they shall sing in the ways of the Lord. We see here there is peace, great peace, gladness, exceeding gladness to be found in the ways of God, yea such as will make the heart sing for joy; Yea all the ways of God bring pleasure and peace. Prov. 3.17. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. The pleasure of drunkards is only a corporeal transient pleasure, but the joy and delight which temperate men find in the ways of God, are spiritual pleasures, the joys and comforts of the Holy Ghost; Act. 9.31. Walking in the fear of the Lord, and the comfort of the Holy Ghost. And there are no pleasures in this world to be compared with the comforts of the Holy Ghost.    
2. The pleasures of drunkenness bring dreadful pains along with them. And those after pains are of that afflicting nature, that no wise man would purchase those vain imaginary pleasures at so dear rate, as to have all those pains that they bring with them. For, 

(1.) Drunkenness causeth sharp and painful sicknesses, which sometimes are of long continuance. And what good will a man's pleasures that are vanished away do him when he is on his sickbed.  
(2.) Drunkards meet with many sharp rebukes and sore afflictions, which vex and pierce them like Thornes. Prov. 26.9. As a Thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard,— And if there be a Thorn in the hand, there can be but little joy in the heart.  
(3.) There are pains in the Conscience, that follow the drunkard's pleasures; The guilt of his sins will one day sting the drunkard like a serpent, and by't him like an adder, though for the present it seems a pleasing thing to be among drunken companions. Prov. 23.31, 32. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.  
(4.) The worst pains that follow drunkards, are the pains of Hell, for they are eternal, intolerable, unspeakable pains, Then all their mirth and jollity shall cease for ever. What is said of Israel in the day of their calamity. Amos 8.3. The Songs of the Temples shall be howl in that day. The like may I say of drunkards when they are in Hell; The Songs of the Taverns shall be howl in that day. Then those that were styled roaring boys, that were wont to sing, shall howl and roar in Hell through grief and anguish of heart. And what the Prophet Isaiah saith of the calamities that were coming on the Jews. Isa. 24.7, 8, 9 All the merry hearted do sigh, the mirth of Tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the Harp ceaseth, they shall not drink wine with a Song, strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it. The same shall be verified of drunkards that were full of mirth while they lived, when God shall cast them into Hell, all the merry hearted shall sigh and mourn for ever, there are no Musical Instruments, no pleasant Songs, there the noise of them that rejoice endeth, there shall be no drinking of wine or strong drink, no not one drop of water to cool their tongues, their strong drink shall be bitter to them that took most pleasure in it.    
3. Are wine and strong drink thy chiefest joy and delight thou hast in this world? then thou makest thy belly thy God; For that which is our chiefest joy, that we make our God. Ps. 43.4. I will go unto the altar of God, of God my exceeding joy. And such as make their Belly their God, their end will be destruction. Phil. 3.19. Whose end is his destruction, whose God is their belly.  
4. The pleasure men take in drunkenness is sinful pleasure, and the pleasures of sin are so dangerous, so destructive to Body and Soul, that a wise and gracious person will choose rather to suffer any kind of Affliction, than to embrace the pleasures of Sin. Moses was a wise man, and he chose rather to undergo an afflicted condition in the Wilderness, than enjoy all the Pleasures of Pharaoh's Court, because he could not enjoy them without sin. Heb. 11.25. Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.  
5. If the pleasantest and most delightful Wine in the World were presented to you, if you saw a Spider or a Toad, or some other poisonous Creature in the Cup, would you not throw it away? Drunkenness will do you more hurt than any poison. For poison only kills the Body, but drunkenness kills and destroys both Body and Soul for ever. If any man should say to you when you are in your Cups, as they cried to the Prophet. 2 King. 4.40. O thou man of God, there is death in the Pot. As if one should say to you, O thou Drunkard, there is death in the Cup, and were sure what he said was true, would you not throw away your Cup: There is a worse thing than death in the drunkard's Cup, there is damnation in the Cup. And shall the pleasantness of the Liquor entice you to drink your own damnation?  
6. The more pleasure men take in their sin, the greater is their sin, and the greater will be their punishment. It is a damnable sin not only to do unrighteous actions, but to take pleasure therein. 2. Thess. 2.12. That they all might be damned, who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. The more voluptuously men live here, the greater sorrow and torments they shall have hereafter. Rev. 18.7. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment give her.  
§. The obstinate Drunkard's Plea that is resolved to take his course, though he go to Hell when he die.  
Plea. 25. You may spare your pains, for I am resolved I will go on in my way, if I must be damned for this sin of drinking, I will bear it as well as I can, I shall have good store of Company with me in Hell, and shall have Neighbours sure, and therefore let God have his will on me hereafter, and I will have my will while I am here.  
A. 1. Dost thou consider what thou sayest; Thou art a Heaven daring, a God provoking Sinner. Dost thou contemn God? Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered. Job. 9.4. Dost thou make a light matter of Hell Torments? The Devils who have not their full torment till the day of Judgement, are afraid of those Torments that they must undergo when that day is come. Matth. 8.29. Art thou come hither to torment us before the time. And they begged of Christ they might not be tormented. Luk. 8.28. I beseech thee torment me not. And art thou more hardhearted than a Devil to make a light matter of Hell Torments.  
2. Canst thou bear a fit of the stone in extremity, or other racking pains, when thou hast all manner of helps that love or money can procure to assuage thy pains, and give thee ease, and when thou hast thy Friends about thee to comfort thee, and a soft Bed to lie on? How then wilt thou bear the Torments of Hell, where there is no bed to lie on, but flaming fire, no Friends to comfort thee, but Devils that will mock and laugh at thee, no Cordials to bear up thy fainting Spirits, not so much as a drop of water to cool thy tongue. All the pains that were ever felt by any men in this world, are but fleabites compared with the Torments of Hell. Canst thou hold thine hand one hour in the fire? If not, how wilt thou be able to lie Body and Soul in Hell-fire for ever. The fire of Hell is seven times hotter than any fire on Earth.  
3. How troubled was Jesus Christ when our sins were only imputed to him? He was so full of sorrow, that he was ready to die with grief, Matth. 26.38. He was in such an Agony, that his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground. Luk. 22.44 And if our Lord Jesus Christ found it so difficult to bear the punishment of our sins, when they were only imputed to him, how wilt thou be able to undergo the punishment of thy own sins in the other world for ever?  
4. It will be no mitigation, but an addition to thy torments in Hell, that thou shalt have many of thy Neighbours and Companions with thee. Their hideous cries, and their roar will add to thy sorrows, especially such as thou hast been instrumental to draw to sin. The rich man when he was in Hell torments, was very solicitous to have means used that his five Brethreen might not come into the same place of torment. Luk. 16.28. Which he did not out of love to his Brethren's Souls, for there is no true love among the damned in Hell, but for fear of increasing his own Torments. It would terrify a Drunkard, and almost put him out of his wits whilst he is on Earth; if the Ghost of one of his sottish Companions that died in his sins, and is damned for his sins, should appear to him and where ever he goeth haunt him But it will be a far greater trouble to be with them, and haunted with them in Hell, and to have them cry out against them, had it not been for you, had not you enticed me, encouraged me by your example, I had repent, and had not come into this place of torment.  
§. The Atheistical Drunkard's Plea, who doth not believe there is a God, or Life to come answered.  
Plea. 26. As for those that believe there is a God, to whom an account must be given for what is done whilst we live in this world, and a Heaven for the righteous, and a Hell for the wicked, and yet live in drunkenness, and such like sins, they are vile wretches that will act so contrary to their Consciences and their profession, but for my part I believe none of these things, but do look upon them as Stories and Fables, I do not think that there is a God, a Heaven or an Hell, or a future life, but am of opinion that when a man dyeth, there is an end of him, even as there is of a Beast, and therefore I will take all the pleasure I can while I live, and do approve of that saying, Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we must die.  
A. 1. Drunken sottish Atheists that do not believe there is a God, are the greatest Foo●s in the whole world. For there is nothing more evident and plain than that there is a God. What we see with our Eyes, and hear with our Ears, and feel with our Hands, is not more ●ure than this truth, that there is a God, For 1. All Creatures in Heaven and Earth proclaim the being of God with a loud voice. Thregular Motions of the Heavens, and the fir mament which is beset with an innumerable company of Stars, and the constant succession of day and night, declare that there is a God, and that this God is a glorious God, for no Creature was able to frame such a glorious work as the Heavens which are adorned with Sun, Moon, and Stars, these are the work of none but a God. neither can any but a God guide and order their motions. Ps. 19.1, 2. The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the Firmament showeth his handy work. Day unto day uttereth Speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. Yea, if thou goest to the Birds or Beasts of the Earth, or Fishes of the Earth, and they will convince thee of thy folly, and tell thee that he is a very ignorant and blind Creature that doth not see the Workmanship of a God in all these things. For none of these Creatures made themselves, neither could any man make them, none but a God was able to make, maintain, and govern all these Creatures. Job. 12.7, 8, 9 But ask now the Beasts, and they shall teach thee, and the Fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee, or speak to the Earth, and it shall teach thee, and the Fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought all this. All Creatures in the Air, on the Earth, and in the Sea, do proclaim with a loud voice that there is a God, and own the Workmanship of God in every Creature. 3. They are more foolish than the Ox and the Ass, that will not believe there is a God. For the Ox knoweth his Owner, and the Ass his Master's Crib, Isa. 1.3. And seeing all men live and are maintained by the Providence of God. Act. 17.28. For in him we live and move and have our being. It is greater folly than is found in the Ox or the Ass; for a man to deny his Master, yea, his God that made him, and maintains him, and to say there is no God. 4. The Being of God is so evident, that all people in all places and all ages of the World do own that there is a God, none but very Fools ever said or thought otherwise. Mich. 5.5. For all people will walk, every one in the name of his God, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever, and for ever: We see here that all people do own a God, though many of them are ignorant of the true God, and Worship Idols instead of God. And therefore they deserve to be chronicled for the veriest Fools that ever lived, who think, or say in their hearts there is no God. Ps. 14.1. The Fool hath said in his Heart, there is no God.  
2. Thou that thinkest there is no God, wert once of another mind, before thou hadst debauched thy Conscience by thy sottish courses, thou didst believe the being of God as well as other men: See therefore into what a woeful condition thou hast brought thyself by thy drunken and sottish courses, thou art fallen into a worse condition than a Devil, and art more blind and hardened than a Devil. For the Devils believe there is a God, and tremble at the apprehensions of the Torments that he will inflict on them. Jam. 2.19. Thou believest that there is one God, thou dost well. The Devils believe also and tremble. And therefore such as neither tremble at God's judgements, nor believe that there is a God, are greater Infidels, and more hardened than the Devils.  
3. Thou that sayest there is no God, see whither thou dost speak against thine own conscience. It is most likely that thou rather wishest there were, than really thinkest in thy heart that there is no God. For this truth is so deeply graven upon man's heart, that there is a God, that it is hardly possible to root it totally and constantly out of our minds, but Conscience will some time or other discover that there are some Notions of a Deity remaining in the worst of men. What mean those accusations of Conscience, which even such as profess themselves Atheists, feel for secret sins, which none know but themselves, especially in times of distress, and when they are in danger of death? They are intimations that there are apprehension, there is a God to whom men must be accountable even for their secret sins. Why do Atheistical persons fear and tremble when it Thunders and Lightens in a dreadful manner. Why did Caligula the Emperor, who feared no man on Earth, show so much timerousness when it Thundered and Lightened, that he got under his Bed? Their fears of God's judgements show that there are some impressions of the Being of God remaining in the Minds and Consciences of the most professed Atheists.  
4. If you will not be convinced of your folly in being of this singular and wicked Opinion, that there is no God, enjoy your Opinion to yourself, and please yourself in your own delusion, and take your fill of sin, but know whither you will believe it, or will not, that there is a righteous God, who will call thee to judgement for all these things, and will without repentance cast you into Hell-fire for your sins, and when you feel his vengeance in the other world, you shall never doubt any more whither there be a God to Eternity. For whatever Atheistical Opinions men hold on Earth, they shall cease to be Atheists when they come in Hell.  
§. The despairing Drunkard's Plea, who thinks there is no hope of mercy for him, and therefore resolves still to go on in his sins.  
Plea. 27. I have been such a vile and wretched sinner, and have lived so ●●…ng in this sin of drunkenness, that I am af●●●… there is no Mercy for me. And therefore I had as good enjoy what delight and pleasure I can whilst I live, seeing I must perish when I die, If I did apprehend there was any hope of Mercy for me, I would speedily break off my evil courses, and reform my life.  
A. 1. Despair doth harden men's hearts to go on still in their trespasses. Jer. 18.12. And they said, There is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the Imagination of his own evil heart. And therefore we should be careful that we do not give way to despairing thoughts concerning the mercy of God.  
2. Though your case should be hopeless, yet you had better break of your evil courses, than go on to add sin to sin, for that will lessen your torments in the other world.  
3. There is hope upon your Repentance, that you may obtain mercy from God, though you have been as vile a Drunkard as any that lives upon the face of the Earth, For 1. The blood of Christ is of sufficient virtue to wash away the greatest sins of the greatest sinners in the world. Joh. 1.23. Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world. All sins though never so many for number, and never so heinous for nature are cleansed away by the blood of Christ, from such as repent and believe in him. Joh. 1.7. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 2. The Lord for Christ his sake hath promised remission of sins upon their repentance to the chiefest of sinners, and such as have continued so long in their sins, that they have even wearied the patience of God to bear with them. Isa. 1.16, 17, 18. Put away the evil of your do from before mine eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do well— Come now let us reason together, though your sins be as Scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red as Crimson, they shall be as wool. The most heinous sins, such as are like scarlet and crimson of a deep die, shall be forgiven to such as cease to do evil. Isa. 43.24, 25. Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine Iniquities. I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Though a man hath been a very wicked man, and led an evil Life, and committed abundance of sin, yet upon his Repentance, God will pardon all his sins, Isa. 55.7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 3. Abominable Drunkards, and other vile sinners have obtained pardon of sin through the blood of Christ, and Sanctification by the Spirit of Christ. 1 Cor. 6.11. And such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Such were some of you, that is, such as are mentioned in the foregoing verses, Drunkards, Idolaters, Adulterers, abusers of themselves with Mankind, Theives, Revilers, Extortioners. And yet though some of them had been such abominable sinners, they were pardoned by the blood, and sanctified by the Spirit of Christ. And therefore let no man though a great sinner, though the chiefest of sinners, say his case is desperate, for there is mercy for him upon his Repentance. Prov. 28.13. Who so confesseth and forsaketh shall have mercy.  
Sect. 7, And Exhortation to such as are addicted to this sin of drunkenness to break off their sin.  
If drunkenness be such a woeful sin, then let me exhort all persons that are addicted to this sin of drunkenness, whether they be rich or poor, young or old, speedily to break of their sin, and to leave of their drunken courses and companions. I entreat, and beseech you for God's sake, whose name is dishonoured by this beastly sin, and for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, who shed his most precious blood to redeem you from this and your other sins, and for the Holy Ghost's sake, who is grieved and vexed by your sensual courses, and for the Gospel's sake, which is scandalised by your lose Conversations, and for your own sake, that you would not ruin yourselves Body and Soul for ever, and for the Kingdom of Heaven's sake, that you would not deprive yourselves of the unspeakable glory and joys of Heaven, rather than to leave off this swinish sin, and for your Families that you would not ruin and corrupt your Families, and entail God's Judgements on your Posterity, and for the Nation's sake, that you would not pull down God's wrath upon the Land of your Nativity, leave off your drunkenness and company-keeping. If you have any regard to the honour of God, if you have any love to Jesus Christ, if you have any respect to the Blessed Spirit of God, if you have any respect to your own welfare, either in this or the World to come, if you have any love to your Families, or to the Nation in which you live, break off this beastly, this sottish, this bewitching, this abominable, this damnable sin of drunkenness. To press on this Exhortation the more effectually, consider, 

1. If you will turn from this loathsome sin of drunkenness, there will be exceeding great joy both in Heaven and Earth at your Conversion. Your Parents, and Godly Relations, that have prayed for you, and wept for your disorderly courses, they will rejoice at your Conversion. Prov. 10.1. A wise Son maketh a glad Father. The Ministers of God will rejoice exceedingly at your Conversion, for they have no greater joy in this World, than to see the fruit of their labours in the Conversion, Holy Conversation and Salvation of those to whom they preach. Joh. 3d. Epist. 3.4. I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth; I haveno greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. The Apostle Paul had such joy in the Conversion of the Thessalonians, that he was not able to express his joy, and his thankfulness to God for their Conversion. 1 Thes. 3.9. What thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy, wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God. And the Saints and Servants of God will joy to hear of your Conversion. Act. 15.3. Declaring the Conversion of the Gentiles— they caused great joy unto all the brethren. Yea more if you repent of your sins, and turn from drunkenness, you will cause joy among all the Angels of Heaven. Luk. 15.7, 10.  
2. If you neglect or refuse to break off this sin of drunkenness, you will be grief to God and Men, and bring grief and sorrow to your own Soul. You will grieve God that made you, and maintains you, that God in whom you live, and move, and have your being. Gen. 6.5, 6. God saw that the wickedness of man was great on the Earth— And it grieved him at his heart. And by your hardness of heart, and persisting still in your sins, you will grieve Jesus Christ, who shed his blood to save lost man. Mark. 3.5.— Being grieved for the hardness of their hearts. Your going on in this sin in a rebellious manner will grieve the Holy Spirit of God. Isa. 63.10. They rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit. You will be a grief to your Parents, Prov. 19.13. A foolish son is the calamity of his Father. Prov. 17.25. A foolish son is a grief to his Father, and bitterness to her that bore him. You will be a great grief to God's Ministers, and to all Godly People. Psal. 119.136, 158. Rivers of tears run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy Law. I bebeld the Transgressor's, and was grieved, because they kept not thy Word. And you will bring great sorrows to your own Soul. Prov. 23.29, 30. Who hath sorrow— They that tarry long at the wine— See also Prov. 5.11, 12, 13, 14. And will you grieve God, and grieve your Parents, and grieve God's Ministers, and all God's Servants, and pierce your own Soul through with many sorrows, rather than leave off this grievous sin of drunkenness?    
What shall I say more to persuade you to leave off this vile sin of drunkenness? If tears would prevail with you, I would say with the Prophet, Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a Fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night before you, till I had prevailed with you to leave this abominable, this Soul destroying sin of drunkenness. If the mercies of God would make any impression upon your hearts, I would beseech you by all the mercies of God, that ever you received, or hope to receive, either in this World, or in the World to come, to break off this beastly sin. If God's promises would do any thing to lead you to Repentance, I might tell you what great things God hath promised to do for you, if you will leave of this, and your other sins; He will give you a free, full and eternal pardon of all your Transgressions, he will give you his Heavenly Kingdom, where you shall have unspeakable glory, fullness of joy, and Rivers of pleasure for evermore, he will withhold no good thing from you. If you have any fear of God's judgements, I might tell you of the Worm that dyeth not, of the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone, of blackness, of darkness, of being sent from Christ's Judgement Seat, with a curse into Everlasting Fire, to have your abode with the Devil and his Angels, all which things, and more than the tongue of man can express, will be your portion, if you break not off this damnable sin of drunkenness. If any words or arguments will prevail with you, I could wish I had the tongue of Men and Angels, to speak to you in the most persuasive manner, to leave off this Soul destroying sin.  
§. The convinced sinner's case considered, that is almost persuaded to leave off this sin.  
It may be some will say, my heart gins to relent, methinks I am almost persuaded to leave off my drunkenness, and to become a new man, I am of the mind to bind myself with a vow, and to make a solemn promise never to be drunk any more, what counsel would you give to one in my condition.  
A. 1. Do not only almost, but altogether resolve to leave off this sin, else you will be but almost saved. If you be double minded, sometimes of the mind to leave your sins, and sometimes of the mind to keep them still, you will be unstable in all your ways. Jam. 1.8.  
2. Do not only resolve, and promise, and vow to forsake this sin, but perform your vows and promises; As that man's Son dealt with his Father, whom his Father bid go and work in his Vineyard, he said I go Sir, but he went not. Matth. 21.30. So many men deal with God, they make promises to God to leave their sins, but they perform them not. Now it is better not to make any vows or promises of Reformation, than after we have made them, not to perform them. Eccl. 5.5. Better it is that thou shouldst not vow, than that thou shouldst vow and not pay.  
3. Take heed of leaving this sin for a time, and then returning to it again, as the dog doth to his vomit, and the sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire, for the latter end of such persons is worse than the beginning. 2 Pet. 2.20, 21, 22.  
4. Turn from all your other sins as well as drunkenness, if you would find favour with God, and obtain the remission of your sins. It is not sufficient to cast away some of our sins, but if we would escape Eternal Death, we must cast them all away, and not allow ourselves in any known sin. Ezek. 18.31. Cast away from you all your Transgressions whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart, and a new Spirit, for why will ye die O house of Israel?  
§. The lingering sinner's plea answered.  
I am convinced I must leave off my drunken courses, or else there is no Salvation for me, and I am purposed to do so, but I am desirous to have a few merry bouts more at drinking, and then I will become a new man.  
A. 1. Sinful lusts are insatiable, it is not once or twice gratifying our sinful lusts that will give satisfaction to our corrupt natures, but the oftener we fulfil the lusts and desires of the flesh, the more strongly our hearts will be carried out after sin. It is here as it is with the fire, the laying on new fuel makes the fire rage and burn more furiously, the adding of new acts of sin, makes our lusts to rage and crave the more furiously for farther opportunities of sin. Ezek. 16.28, 29. As Idolaters and Adulterers are insatiable in their lusts, so are drunkards, and other sinners also. The sluggard, the longer he lieth in his bed, the loather he is to rise. Prov. 6.9, 10. So it is with the drunkard, the longer he lieth in his drunkenness, the more unwilling he will be to leave it.  
2. The time past is sufficient, and too much which you have already spent in sin, 2 Pet. 4.3. and therefore you should not waste any more precious time in such sottish courses.  
3. Thy own heart, and the Devil deceive thee, in suggesting such thoughts as these, I will have but a merry bout or two more in drinking, and then I will leave this course; For it is likely thou hast thought and resolved so many times heretofore, and yet nothing is done. When a Sermon hath come home to thy Conscience, or when thou hast been near unto death, or hast met with some startling providence, hast thou not thought with thyself, I will leave of my drunkenness, and what set a time for thy Repentance, and yet thou art fallen to it a fresh again. Sin is of a deceitful hardening nature, if it can but prevail with us to defer our Repentance, it will harden our hearts. Heb. 3.13.  
4. Who can tell but the next merry bout which thou hast with thy companions, thou may'st be taken out of the World. While Job's children were eating and drinking wine in their Eldest Brother's house, they were all slain by a great wind that blew down the house, Job 1.18, 19 Why may not sudden death come upon thee when thou art drinking wine, and making merry, as well as on Job's children. They were the children of a Godly man, their mirth was innocent mirth, yet were they cut off while they were drinking wine; And why may it not be so with thee also? The Rich man that said to his Soul, eat drink, be merry, had his soul taken from him that very night. Luk. 12.19, 20.  
§. The presumptuous sinner's Plea answered, who goes on in his sin, presuming that at what time soever he reputes God will be merciful to him, and presuming that he may live long.  
If any say, God is a merciful and gracious God, and at what time soever a sinner reputes of his sins, God will pardon him, and therefore I will repent of my evil ways, but not yet, I will enjoy my sinful delights a while longer, and then I will repent, and I doubt not but God will be merciful to me, and that I shall go to Heaven as well as other men.  
A. 1. It is an horrible abuse of God's mercy, to take occasion from God's mercy to continue in sin. God's goodness should lead us to Repentance, and therefore they that presume upon God's mercy, to continue and go on in their sins, are guilty of despising the riches of God's grace. Rom. 2.4.  
2. It is true that God hath promised to forgive penitent sinners at what time soever they repent truly of their sins, but he hath not promised to give Repentance to such as refuse to turn at his call, and go on in their sins, presuming that God will be gracious to them. True Repentance is never too late, but late Repentance is seldom true.  
3. Though you be young and strong, and like to live many years, yet it is dangerous to defer your Repentance on many accounts, as 1. Life is uncertain, some die in their full strength, and the height of their prosperity, when they are at greatest ease, they go down in a moment into the grave. Job. 21.13, 23. Such as promise themselves many years in this World, may not have one days continuance. Luk. 12.19, 20. And if sudden Death take you away before you have repent of your sin, you are lost for ever. 2. If your life should be continued, God may take away the use of your understanding, and give you up to distraction, and persons under distraction are not apprehensive, what need they have of Repentance. 3. If you should enjoy Life, and have the use of your understanding, yet who can tell whither God will give you repentance for your sin, it may be he will give you up to your hearts lusts, instead of giving you repentance, and because you refused to repent in the day that he offered you mercy, possibly he may swear in his Wrath, that you shall never enter into his rest, as he did to the Jews, Heb. 3.7, 8, 11. 4. If you should repent, it may be it will be as Judas did repent, he grew desperate, and hanged himself, he was so burdened and troubled in his Conscience for his sin, that he could not bear his burden, but went away and hung himself, Matth. 27.3, 5. Judas repent himself, saying I have sinned, and went and hanged himself.  
4. Let such as put off their repentance because they are young and strong, and like to live many years, or on any other account, consider this, that if they do not repent now, it is most likely they will not repent, nor leave off their sins as long as they live. For, 1. The longer you live in sin, the less able you will be to repent, for continuance in sin strengthens sin, and weakens the Soul. Jer. 13.23. Custom in sin doth give sin such rooting in the heart, that it will be as hard a matter for such as have got a custom of sinning to leave their sins, as it will be for a Blackamoor to change his skin, or the Leopard his Spots. 2. The longer any man lives in his sins, the less willing he will be to repent, for his inclinations to sin will be strong, and his averseness to holiness greater, and his heart will be more hardened in sin. Heb. 3.12. 3. The longer a man continueth to provoke God, the less hope there is of his assistance, and giving us his grace, and the more ground for fear, that he should say his Spirit shall no more strive with us. 4. The World and the Flesh and the Devil will be as tempting hereafter as they are now, and our hearts as ready, and more ready to yield than they are now.  
§. The plea of such as say they would leave off their drunkenness, but they cannot. Helps against this sin of drunkenness.  
If any say, I am abundantly convinced that Drunkenness is an abominable sin, and I would leave it, but I cannot, I find it hath got such power over me as that I can't withstand it, What shall I do, that I may be able to leave this sin?  
A. It is no easy matter for a man that is accustomed to this sin to leave it, it is of such an enticing bewitching nature, and therefore having set out the greatness of this sin, and answered the Pleas that are made use of to excuse this sin, I shall now propose some helps against this sin.  
§. Prayer is a special help against Drunkenness, and all other sins.  
1. Pray to God to give you his Holy Spirit to sanctify your hearts, and to turn you from this, and from all your other sins. When the Apostle had cautioned the Ephesians against Drunkenness, as a means and help against this sin, he exhorts them to be filled with the Spirit. Eph. 5.18. Be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit. Now the way to get the Spirit of God is to pray for it. Luk. 11.13. Your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him. By Prayer to God we may obtain help against all our sins, such as are strongest, and of longest continuance. Psal. 119, 2, 3. Blessed are they that seek him with the whole heart, they do no iniquity. Such sins as we are most inclined to, that have dwelled in us a long time, and are become natural to us, may be overcome by the grace of God. Jam. 4.5, 6. The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy, but he giveth more grace. That is, God's grace is sufficient for the subduing our strongest Corruptions, and if we do seek to him with humble hearts, he will give us more strength of grace, than there is strength of sin in us, whereby we shall overcome those sins that have dwelled longest in us, and to which our Hearts and Spirits are most strongly inclined. But here some may say by way of discouragement.  
Obj. 1. It is true, Prayer will do great things with God, but it is said, Joh. 9.31. We know that God heareth not sinners, and therefore to what purpose should I that am a sinner pray to God to give me his grace to leave and forsake my sins, seeing God will not hear me.  
A. 1. When it is said God heareth not sinners, it is to be understood of impenitent sinners, of such as love and delight in their sins, and hate to be reform, and turn a deaf Ear to the word of God, Prov. 28.9. He that turneth away his Ear from hearing the Law, even his Prayer shall be an abomination.  
2. As for such sinners as are desirous to leave and forsake their sins, there is hope for them if they pray to God for his grace, that he will hear them. The Woman of Samaria that discoursed with Christ at Jacob's Well, was a great sinner; she lived with a man that was not her Husband, and so was an Adultress. Joh. 4.16, 17, 18. She was a Samaritan, ver. 4. and the Samaritans were Idolaters, and did did not know what they worshipped ver. 22. Ye worship ye know not what. See also 2 King. 17.24, 28, 29, 41. The Samaritans were a people of ill fame among the Jews. Joh. 8.48. Say we not well, thou art a Samaritan, and hast a Devil. This Woman of Samaria had carried herself unkindly to Christ, yet when he asked for a draught of water, though she knew the Well was deep, and that he had nothing to draw with, ver. 11. She did not grant him his request, but instead of giving him water, she gave him a check, ver. 9 How is it that thou being a Jew, asketh drink of me which am a Woman of Samaria, for the Jews have no deal with the Samaritans. Yet our Lord Jesus Christ encourageth this Woman to pray, though a Samaritan, though one that lived with a man as her Husband, that was not her Husband; though she had carried herself unkindly to Christ, he encourageth her to pray, and tells her if she had asked, he would have given her living water. Joh. 4.10. Jesus said unto her if thou knowest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. Oppressors and Unrighteous persons are great sinners, yet they are exhorted to seek the Lord, and have a promise, that if they seek God, they shall live. Amos 5.6, 7. Seek ye the Lord, and ye shall live— ye that turn judgement to Wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the Earth.  
Obj. 2. But I have such inclinations to drinking, and have been so long addicted to this sin, and am so enslaved to it, that I think it is in vain to pray for help against it, for I fear there is no hope that I should ever be made able to leave off this sin.  
A. 1. There is nothing too hard for God. Jer. 32.17. He that form the Heavens and the Earth out of nothing, that brought light out of darkness, there is nothing too hard for him. He can enlighten those that are under the greatest ignorance and blindness, he can make those that have carnal and vile hearts to become Heavenly and Spiritual. He can make the chief of sinners to become the greatest Saints. There is a possibility, yea, a probability that God may give repentance to such as are the greatest Slaves to Sin and Satan, that Satan leads them Captive at his pleasure, and doth with them, even what he will, and oppose the means of their recovery; yet such as these may be recovered out of the Devil's snare. 2 Tim. 2.25, 26. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, if God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth, and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.  
2. We have examples of God's Mercy and Grace in recovering other sinners that have been as much enslaved to their sins as you are, and their hearts have been as much glued to their sins as yours are, and have continued as long in their evil courses as you have done. The Apostle tells us of some that were Servants to their sins, and served divers Lusts and Pleasures, that were saved by the washing of Regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Tit. 3.3, 5. The Israelites were exceedingly given and addicted to the sin of Idolatry. Their hearts went after their Idols, and were glued to them. Ezek. 20.16. Their heart went after their Idols. Hos. 4.17. Ephraim is joined to Idols. Yet when they bemoaned their sins, and prayed to God to turn them from their sins, God gave them grace to forsake their Idols. Jer. 31.18, 20. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself— Turn thou me and I shall be turned— I will surely have mercy upon him— compared with Hos. 14.8. Ephraim shall say, what have I to do any more with Idols.  
Obj. 3. I have prayed to God often to give me Grace to leave off this sin of drunkenness, but God doth not regard my prayers, this sin prevails over me as ever it did, I find no help against this sin by praying to God.  

1. Do you not dissemble in your hearts with God, when you pray for grace to leave this sin; though you pray against this sin, yet possibly you have no desire, no mind, no intention to leave it, and this is a dissembling with God. As the Jews dissembled in their hearts when they sent to the Prophet Jeremiah to pray for them, when they had no mind to do that which they desired him to pray for. Jer. 42.20. Ye dissembled in your hearts when ye sent me unto the Lord your God, saying, Pray for us unto the Lord our God, and according unto all that the Lord our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it. So men may pray for themselves, they may pray against their sins, as if they had a mind to leave their sins, and yet but dissemble in their hearts with God, and not be really willing to break off their sins. The Lord is nigh to all them that call upon him in truth. Ps. 145.18. If you would obtain what you pray for, you must hearty desire what you pray for, else you do not pray in truth.  
2. Do you watch against the Temptations and Occasions that may draw you to this sin? This you must do as well as pray against it, if you would have God keep you from it. Matth. 26.41. Watch and Pray that you enter not into temptation. To pray against drunkenness, and yet to run yourselves needlessly upon temptations, to go into idle and vain company, and to Taverns and Alehouses this is but a mocking of God.  
3. Do you strive against this sin, and use means to avoid it, as well as pray against it. If not, that may be the reason why the Lord doth not answer your prayers. For we must strive against sin, as well as pray against it. Heb. 12.4. Striving against sin. When any evil Motions or evil Lusts arise into our hearts, and solicit us to gratify them, we must not yield to them, but must deny the solicitations of sin. Tit. 2.12. Denying ungodliness and worldly Lusts. 1. Pet. 2.11. I beseech you abstain from fleshly Lusts.  
4. You must wait as well as pray, if you would have your prayers answered. Psal. 40.1, 2. I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined his Ear and heard my cry, He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry Clay. By the horrible Pit and miry Clay out of which the Lord brought David upon his crying and waiting on the Lord, some understand his exceeding great afflictions and troubles out of which he obtained deliverance by Prayer. 
† de profundo iniquitatum, ex vitijs carnalibus, Aug.  Others interpret this Pit and miry Clay out of which David was delivered of his sins, that defiled him like the mire, and cleaved and stuck fast to him as the Clay; And to warrant this interpretation we shall find, that sinful Lusts are compared to a pit. Prov. 22.14. Prov. 23, 27. And to the mire, Isa. 57, 20. 2 Pet. 2.22. Such as find their feet stick fast in the miry Clay of their sins, if they cry unto the Lord, and wait patiently upon him, he will bring them out of the miry Clay, and establish their go in his ways, so as they shall not return to their sins again.   
§. Consideration of the evil and danger of this sin, will help us to forsake it.  
2. Consider seriously with yourselves the evil and horrible Nature of this sin of drunkenness, and what the latter end of it will be. It offends and displeaseth God, it is a trampling under foot the blood of Christ, who shed his blood to redeem us from our vain conversations, it makes a man like a Beast, yea, worse than a beast, it ruins your Bodies, destroys your Souls, wastes your Estates, blemisheth your reputations, will undo your Families, it is the Nursery of all manner of wickedness, though it be pleasant for a while, at the last it will by't like an Addar, and sting like a Serpent, It will most certainly shut you out of Heaven, and plunge you in the depths of Hell. A serious consideration of their ways is useful and beneficial for all sorts of persons. Good men by pondering their ways, may reform what is amiss in them. Ps. 119.59. I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. And such as are wicked, and graceless persons, by considering their ways, may be led and brought to repentance. Ezek. 18.27, 28. When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed— he shall save his soul alive. Because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Mark those words, because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions. A serious consideration of our ways will help us to turn from all our transgressions. The want of a due consideration of our ways, is the reason why men commit and continue in abominable impieties. Hos. 7.1, 2. They commit falsehood, and the Thief cometh in, and the troop of Robbers spoileth without, and they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness.  
§. Reading, Hearing, and Meditating on God's word, a great help against Drunkenness, and all other sins.  
3, Read the Scriptures diligently, attend on the Preaching of God's word, Meditate on what you read and hear, this will be a means to reclaim you from drunkenness, and all other sinful and destructive courses. The Word of God hath a converting power in it, and when it is set home by the Spirit of God, it will convert a sinner from the error of his ways. Psal. 19.7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul. It was by God's word that David was kept from sinning against God. Psal. 119.11. Thy word have I hid in mineheart that I might not sin against thee. It was by God's word that he was kept from sinful and destructive courses. Psal. 17.4. By the word of thy lips, I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. The reading of the Scriptures is a great help to bring men to the knowledge and the fear of the Lord, and to make them leave and forsake their sins. Deut. 31.11.12. Thou shalt read this Law before all Israel in their hearing,— that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this Law. And as reading the Scriptures, so hearing the word of God preached is a powerful means to reclaim men from their sins, and bringing them to Salvation. 1 Cor. 1.21. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. Rom 10.17. So then Faith cometh by hearing. Meditation also on what we read and hear out of God's Word, is a special means to incline our hearts to shun those ways that are forbidden, and walk in those ways that are commanded in God's Word. Psal. 119.15. I will meditate in thy Precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.  
§. The belief of the truth of those things which the Scriptures speak concerning this sin, is an help to our forsaking it.  
4. Lay to heart and believe the truth of those things which the Scriptures speak concerning drunkards and drunkenness. As namely, that drunkenness is a manifest work of the flesh, concerning which the Lord tells again and again, that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. Gal. 5.19, 20.21. It will as certainly exclude a man out of Heaven as Murder and Adultery, or any other sin. We are told plainly in God's word, that drunkards shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Be not deceived, neither Fornicators, nor Drunkards shall inherit the Kingdom of God. And that Hell is prepared for drunkards, and doth as it were open its mouth to receive them, and that such as follow after strong drink, and inflame themselves with wine, though there be multitudes of them, and some of them very jolly men, and live in great pomp and splendour, their pomp and their multitude, and their glory, shall descend into Hell. Isa. 5.11, 14. The Scriptures tell us plainly, that such as drink till they are drunken, the Lord will cut them asunder, and give them their portion with unbelievers. Luk. 12.45, 46. And where shall unbelievers have their portion? In Hell fire. Rev. 21.8. The unbelieved shall have their part in the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone. So that it is evident from the Scriptures, that drunkards shall most certainly be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven, and be cast into Hell fire; For nothing is more certainly true than what God hath revealed in the Scriptures; And therefore let me reason a little with all those drunkards, into whose hands this discourse shall come, about the certainty of their damnation, if they persist in their drunken and sottish courses.  
Suppose all the Ministers that are this day upon the face of the earth, and all the knowing and wise men in the World, should come to thee, and tell thee if thou dost not leave off thy drunkenness, thou wilt certainly be shut out of Heaven, and be cast into Hell, would this startle thee? That which the Lord tells us in his Holy Word, is more certainly true than what is told us by all the men of the world: For all men are fallible and subject to mistakes, and may be overtaken with a lie, but God is infallible, and is a God that cannot lie. Rom. 3.4. Let God be true, and every man a liar.  
Suppose one of thy drunken companions that died in his sins, and is now in Hell, should be permitted to come from the dead, and should tell thee, Hell fire is an intolerable torment, for I have been in it, and I am sent by God to thee, to tell thee except thou dost repent of thy sins, and leave of thy drunkenness, thou shalt as certainly go to Hell as I, or any other sinner, would this make thee leave thy sin? Or suppose one of thy Godly Friends or Acquaintance that is now in Heaven, should come to thee from Heaven and say, I am sent from God to tell thee, that except thou dost repent and leave off thy drunkenness, thou shalt surely be cast into Hell; would this startle thee? wouldst thou believe this Message, would this make thee repent: God's word is more to be credited, and a more forcible means to persuade men to repent, than a message brought by a Saint or Sinner risen from the dead. Luk. 16.30, 31. If one went from the dead, they will repent; And he said unto him, if they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one risen from the dead.  
Suppose an Angel should call to thee out of Heaven, when thou art at a Tavern or an Alehouse, and say, O thou drunkard, except thou dost repent thou shalt surely go to Hell! Or suppose an Angel should bring thee a List of the names of those that shall be condemned at the day of judgement, would this startle thee to see thy name in that List? When the Scripture tells thee that no drunkard shall inherit the Kingdom of God, but they shall all without Repentance be cast into Hell-fire, that is more certain, than if thou heardest a voice from Heaven, telling thee thou art a damned creature, or then if thou sawest thy name in the List of those that are to be damned, for there is as great, or a greater certainty in what we read in the Scriptures, than in what we hear spoken by a voice from Heaven. 2 Pet. 1.18.19. And this voice which came from Heaven we heard— We have also a more sure word of Prophecy.  
Suppose the Lord himself should come and speak to thee in a dream, as he did to Abimelech. Gen. 20.3. God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said unto him, behold thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken, for she is a man's wife, Suppose I say, the Lord himself should say to thee in a dream, or a vision: Behold thou art a damned creature, for the evil courses that thou takest, if thou dost not break off thy drunkenness, I will cast thee into Hell-fire; would not this make thee leave off thy drunkenness? The Lord tells thee in his Word, that drunkards shall not inherit his Kingdom, but shall be cast into that Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone; And what God saith to thee in the Scriptures is as much to be regarded, is as true and certain as what he saith to us in a dream or vision; or by an audible voice from Heaven.  
What the Scripture saith, God saith, for the Scriptures are God's Word, and therefore what the Scripiure saith shall be, is as certain to come to pass as if it were already done. What the Scripture saith is more sure and certain than what we see with our eyes, or hear with our ears, or feel with our hands, for our senses are fallible. When Isaac's eyes were dim, he mistook Jacob for Esau, though he heard him speak, and felt him with his hands, but what the Scripture saith is infallible— For all Scripture was given by inspiration of God, and God is an infallible God. And therefore know O drunkard, whosoever thou art that readest these lines, that if thou dost not leave off thy drunkenness, thy damnation is more certain than any thing that thou seest with thy eyes, or hearest with thy ears, or feelest with thy hands. Thou art as sure to go into Hell-fire, as if thou wert there already; Thou art as sure to be shut out of Heaven, and cast into Hell, as if thou heardest a voice from Heaven, telling thee thou art a damned creature.  
As the Apostle said to the Galathians. Gal. 3.1. O foolish Galathians, who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, Crucified among you; In like manner may I speak to drunkards; Oh foolish drunkards, who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the Commandment of God, who commands you to leave off your drunkenness, when as it is evidently set forth in the Scriptures, that no drunkards shall inherit the Kingdom of God. Surely drunkards either do not read the Scriptures, or if they do read them, they do not believe what they read, or if they believe the truth of the Scriptures, they slip out of their minds, and they do not lay them to heart, for if they did really believe that their drunkenness would shut them out of Heaven, and cast them into Hell, they would break of this damnable sin. And this may be one reason, why Drunkards shall have their portion with Unbelievers. Luk. 12.45, 46. Because whatever they may profess outwardly, they are inwardly, and in heart Unbelievers.  
§. They that would avoid drunkenness, must shun the occasions of this sin.  
5. They that would get rid of this sin of drunkenness must avoid and shun the occasions of this sin. What is said of the wild ass, Jer. 2.24. In her occasion who can turn her away? may be applied to the vile and sinful heart of man. It is an hard matter to turn the heart away from sin, when a man hath a fit, convenient, and enticing occasion for the commission of sin. We must be careful that we do not put an occasion of falling in our Brother's way, Rom. 14.13. Judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. And if we must not put an occasion of falling in our Brother's way, then surely we must remove all occasions of falling into sin out of our own way. If any say, what are the occasions of this sin of drunkenness which you would have us to avoid.  
A. 1. Do not keep Company with drunkards, be not amongst them when they have their drinking bouts, for the being in their company when they are drinking together, may prove a snare to you, and occasions your being overtaken with the sin of drunkenness. There is so much evil and danger in being among drunkards, that sober men that have any regard to the Commandments of God, and to their own welfare, should avoid as much as they can coming into their company. Prov. 23.20, 21. Be not amongst Winebibbers— For the Drunkard shall come to poverty. Here are two things observable, 1. A Command from God not to come amongst Winebibbers. 2. The reason of this command, for a drunkard shall come to poverty— As much as to say, To be amongst Winebibbers is the way to become drunkards, and by becoming Drunkards, Men are brought to poverty. As keeping company with angry and furious men, we shall learn their ways, and become furious like unto them. Prov. 22.24, 25. Make no Friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man thou shalt not go, lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy Soul. So by keeping Company with Drunkards, we are in danger to learn their ways, and to get a snare to our Souls.  
2. Avoid going to Alehouses and Taverns, if you would avoid drunkenness. For by being in such Places you are under a temptation to sin by excess of wine and strong Drink. Solomon adviseth those that would shun the sin of uncleanness, not to come near the door of an Harlot's house, lest being near her door, they should be drawn to go into her house, and bring dishonour to them by committing that shameful sin of uncleanness, Prov. 5.8, 9 Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house, lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel. The like a dvice may I give to such as are inclined to the sin of drunkenness. Keep from Taverns and Alehouses, come not near such Places, lest you be tempted by Satan and your own hearts, to go in and be overcome with Wine and strong drink.  
3. Avoid laying Wagers, or playing at Cards or Dice, or any such like Games for Wine or strong Drink, for this is an occasion of much evil, and very frequently draws persons to drink unto uncess.  
4. Avoid drinking healths, which though it be a common practice amongst many persons, yet it is condemned by many sole and judicious persons for a great evil; See Voetius. Tom. 3. p. 1217. who gives several reasons against this practice. If any say, I can refuse any health, but the King's, and if the King's health be put upon me, my loyalty shall be questioned. It was a wise Speech of a Lord Chancellor oft noted by Mr. Harris. I will pray for the King's Health, and drink for my own. This can be no test of loyalty, for prohibited by the King's Proclamation.  
§. Temptations to this sin to be watched and resisted.  
6. If you would not be overcome with wine or strong drink, watch and pray against, and resist the temptations that you meet with to this Sin. It is our blessed Saviour's counsel. Watch and Pray that you enter not into temptation. Matth. 26.41. And we had need watch and pray that we enter not into temptation, because our corrupt natures are easily drawn to sin when we meet with temptations to sin. And therefore we had need watch and strive, and resist temptations, and besides, our own endeavours to pray for God's Grace to assist us. I will instance in some times of temptation, wherein we had need be very watchful that we fall not into this sin.  

1. When we are at Feasts, or in the Houses, or in the Company of great persons, where there is great plenty of Wine and strong Drink, that a man may take his fill of free cost and he is called upon to eat and drink abundantly, if a man be not very watchful and careful of himself at such a time, he is in danger to fall into excess. Prov. 23.1, 2. When thou sittest to eat with a Ruler, consider diligently what is before thee, and put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to thy appetite. Ruler's Tables are furnished with variety of the choicest meats, and plenty of all sorts of wine. Neh. 5.18. And therefore such as eat with Rulers, should consider diligently what is before them, that is, they should consider, and that diligently what snares and temptations are before them, and what danger they are in to offend God by excess of eating and drinking, when they have such variety and plenty before them of those things that may entice them to excess. And besides that caution, consider diligently what is before thee. There is another awakening expression. Put a knife to thy Throat, if thou be a man given to thine appetite, that is, 1. Stand in as much awe, and be in as great fear of offending God by thine excess in eating or drinking, as a man is in fear of offending that hath a knife put to his Throat 2. Look upon thy Soul to be in as great danger of perishing by intemperance when thou art at a great man's table, as thy body is in danger of perishing when thou hast a knife at thy Throat. Or, 3. Put a knife to thy Throat, that is, use all means possible to mortify and restrain thine inordinate appetite, 'tis like the expression, Ps. 39.1. I will keep my Mouth with a bridle. that is, I will force myself to be silent, I will refrain from speaking, I will keep in such words as are unseemly, though they would be breaking out. So put a knife to thy Throat, that is, restrain thine inordinate affections, force thyself to be temperate in eating and drinking. Many think that it is a desirable thing to be invited to feasts with great men, to eat at a Ruler's Table, and they have a longing mind after such things, but let them hear what Solomon saith in this case. Prov. 23.3. Be not desirous of his dainties, for they are deceitful meat. The greater dainties are on the Table, the greater is the danger. The Daintier our Meat and Drink is, the more deceitful. For while dainties please the Palate, if they allure us to intemperance, they kill the Soul. And is not that deceitful, that comes with an appearance of pleasure, and destroys both Body and Soul.  
2. You are under a temptation to this sin, when sensual Lusts arise in your hearts, or evil motions are put into your minds by Satan, whereby you are enticed and inclined to go to Taverns and Alehouses, to be merry among your jovial Companions. James. 1.14. Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his lust, and enticed. Now when such Lusts or inordinate desires after wine or strong drink arise in your hearts, do not gratify them, do not make any provision for their satisfaction. Rom. 13.14. Make no provision for the Flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. But withstand, resist, and deny their solicitations, harken not to their entice, but list your heart to God to subdue your evil inclinations, and attend the the works of your callings. When the lusts of our hearts solicit us to evil, we may give a double reply to them, Non licet. How shall I do this great wickedness, and sin against God. And Non vacat. I am not at leisure. We may reply as Nehemiah, Neh. 6.3. When we are employed and diligent in our callings, we have a great advantage against the lusts of our own heart, and the temptations of Satan by not being at leisure to attend their motions. When we are idle, and out of employment, our own sins, and Satan's temptations have a great advantage on us, and will easily prevail over us.  
3. You are under a temptation to this sin, when your drunken companions entice and call you to go to the Alehouse, or when being there they urge and importune you to drink more than is meet. In this case remember what the Lord saith, Prov. 1.10, 15, 18. My Son if sinners entice thee consent not— my son walk not thou in the way with them, refrain thy foot from their path. They lay wait for their own blood, they lurk privily for their own lives. If one should entice you to an Alehouse, to murder you when he comes there, if you knew this before hand, would you go with him. They that entice you to Alehouses, and make you drunk when you come there, do a worse thing than murder your Bodies, for they draw you to that sin which will damn your Body and Soul for ever, and that is a worse hurt than murder. What Solomon saith of such as yield to the enticing of an Harlot. Prov. 7.21, 22, 23. With much fair speech she caused him to yield.— He goeth after her straightway, as an Ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks, till a Dart striketh through his Liver, as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his Life. The same is applicable to those that yield to the enticing of drunkards, or other sins. When they yield to their entice, and go along with them, they go as an Ox to the slaughter, that they follow them to their own destruction, as surely, though they consider it as little, as the Ox that goeth to the slaughter; they go as a Fool to the correction of the stocks, when once they are got in, they can as hardly get out, as a man can get his feet out of the Stocks. Till a dart strike through his Liver; that is, till he be certainly ruined, body, and Soul. If a dart go through the Arm or Thigh, that wound may be cured, but if it strike through the Liver, it is certain death, there is no cure for such a wound. As a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. A snare taketh suddenly, and holdeth surely. Such is the case of those that follow the enticing of Sinners, they as little consider that they are doing that which will destroy their Souls, that their lives lie at stake, as the bird doth that hasteneth to the snare, she looks for meat, but looseth her life, so doth the Drunkard that is taken in the snare of evil Company, he looketh for pleasure, but looseth his Soul.  
4. You are under a temptation to excess of drinking, when you meet with brisk and pleasant Wine, or other pleasant drink, that which is pleasant to the Eye, or pleasant to the Taste. The most pleasing Wine, or other drink it taken excessively, will by't like a Serpent, and sting like an Addar, Prov. 23.31, 32.   
§. Inordinate affection to Wine and strong drink, to be mortified by such as would avoid drunkenness.  
7. Let such as would avoid drunkenness, mortify their inordinate affection to Wine and strong Drink. This is necessary, because the inordinacy of the affections to Wine, or strong Drink, is is sinful and offensive to God, as well as the act of Drunkenness. It is evil to have the mind and heart hanging after Taverns and Alehouses, as well as to be a frequenter of those places. He is a Drunkard in his heart, that hath an inordinate Affection to Wine or strong Drink, as well as he committeth Adultery with a Woman in his heart, that lusteth after her in his heart. Besides this inordinate affection to Wine or strong Drink is the root of this sin of drunkenness. We do not lay the Axe to the root of Drunkenness, if we only endeavour to forbear the actual Commission of this sin, and do not endeavour to mortify our inordinate affections. A man may purpose, and make vows, and use other means to break off this sin, but if there be in his heart an inordinate affection to Wine or strong drink, he will not be able to leave off his drunkenness. But here some may say,  
How shall we get our inordinate affections to wine and strong drink mortified.  

1, Seek after Union with Jesus Christ. It is through Union with Christ that we receive virtue from him for the crucifying of our sinful Lusts, and inordinate affections, Gal. 5.24. They that are Christ's, have crucified the Flesh with the affections and Lusts. The affections cleave so fast to sin, and are carried out so inordinately after the Creatures, that nothing less than Grace given to us from Jesus Christ, can turn the heart from sin, and place the affections on right objects. We may think ourselves free, but we shall never be free indeed from the slavery of sin and inordinate affections, till Jesus Christ makes us free. John. 8.36. If the Son shall make you free, then shall ye be free indeed.  
2. Be convinced and persuaded in your judgements of the great evil that is in setting your Affections inordinately on Wine, or strong Drink, or any other Creature. When man was in his state of Innocency, his judgements ruled his affections, and when God recovers man out of his fallen Estate, he works upon and regulates his affections, by enlightening, and renewing the Mind. Col. 3.10. And have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge. Knowledge hath a great influence on renewing the Man, that is, all the Faculties of the Soul. Understand therefore, and be persuaded in your Judgements and Consciences, that there is much evil in setting your affections inordinately on Wine and strong Drink, or any other Creatures. I will instance in some of those evils. 1. Such as love wine or strong drink inordinately make not the Lord their God, but make Bacchus their God. What a man loves most and best, that is his God. They that have such a love for wine and strong drink, that they value not the transgressing of the Command of God to take their fill of their drink, they love their drink more and better than they love God, and so make their drink their God. 2. Sinful Lusts, and inordinate affections tend to the Soul's ruin and destruction. They are the banes, the poison of our immortal Souls. 1 Pet. 2.11. Abstain from fleshly Lusts which war against the Soul. By fleshly lusts, understand all the evil desires and inordinate affections of our corrupt natures. And shall we cherish and embrace that which is and will be the destruction of our Souls? 3. Weigh well the evils and mischiefs that arise from the love and following after strong drink, and from excessive drinking, which are set down Sect. 4.  
3. The way to mortify inordinate affections to Earthly things, is to set our affections on things which be above, and to get a well-grounded hope of our enjoying the Glory and Pleasures of the World to come. Col. 3.2, 4, 5. Set your affections on things above— When Christ who is our Life shall appear, then shall ye appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your Members which are upon the Earth— inordinate affection. As it is in case of excessive bleeding, by opening a Vein, the course of the blood is turned, and thereby immoderate bleeding at the Nose is stayed. So here when our affections run out inordinately to Earthly things, the setting our affections on things above, will turn the stream of our affections, that they will not as formerly run out after the world. We shall taste such sweetness in Heavenly things by setting our affections on them, that we shall not desire the delights and vanities of the world; Psal. 63.5, 6. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness— When I remember thee on my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. The Psalmist found such sweetness and delight in God, that he had what he could desire, he was satisfied, and did not desire the delights and pleasures of the world, he was abundantly pleased and satisfied in his enjoyment of God.   
§. The right use of eating and drinking, a means to prevent drunkenness.  
8. Learn the right use of eating and drinking, for that will be a means to prevent the abusing yourselves, and abusing God's good creatures by surfeiting and drunkenness, and to this end observe these Rules.  

1. Eat and Drink to the glory of God. 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Eat and drink as in God's sight, seeking his Blessing, and giving him praise, being careful that you do not offend or displease him in eating or drinking.  
2. Eat and drink for strength, to fit you for the service of God and your Generation. Eccl. 10.17. Blessed art thou O Land, when thy Princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness.  
3. Eat and drink for the preservation of your health, not to the prejudice of your health. Act. 27.34. I pray you to take some meat, for this is for your health.  
4. There is a Lawful delight in eating and drinking, so it be used with moderation. Judg. 19.5. Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, Psal. 104.15. Wine that maketh glad the heart of man. Eccl. 9.7. Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God now accepteth thy work. Only here be careful, that your delight in eating and drinking do not transport you to excess therein, either to the dishonour of God, or the unfitting yourselves for the service of God, or the service of your Generation, or the prejudice of health, for than it is sinful.   
The observing these Rules will prevent your being overcharged with surfitting and drunkenness.  
§. Being filled with the Spirit will prevent drunkenness; How we may be filled with the Spirit?  
9 Seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit, that will be a special help to keep you from this sin of drunkenness. Eph. 5.18. Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit. The Apostle gives this direction to prevent drunkenness, to be filled with the Spirit; Whereas he might have said, thou bidst us not to be drunk with wine, but how shall we help it, he adds, be ye filled with the Spirit. Temperance is a fruit of the Spirit. Gal. 5.22.23. The fruit of the Spirit is Love, Meekness, Temperance.— Such as are filled with the spirit, the spirit will teach and help them to be very temperate in eating and drinking. Intemperance and other sins stick so close to us, and have gotten such power over us, that they cannot be mortified but by the spirit of God. Rom. 8.13. If ye through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live. There is no mortifying any sin but by the help of the spirit, and with the help of the spirit we may be able to mortify all sin. Gal. 5.16. This I say then, walk in the spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. Some might inquire what course shall we take that we may subdue the lusts of the flesh, the Apostle directs to a ready way for getting power over all lusts, and it is this, that we get and walk in the spirit; But some may say,  
How shall we come to be filled with the spirit?  
A. 1. By earnest long, and servant Prayers to God to give us, yea to fill us with his Holy Spirit. Luk. 11.13. Your Heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him. Psal. 81.10. Open thy mouth, and I will fill it. Psal. 107.9. He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry with goodness.  
2. By acting Faith on God's Promises, where he hath promised to give his spirit in an abundant and plentiful measure to us. The more full we are of Faith, the greater fullness we shall have of the spirit. Act. 6, 5. They choose Stephen, a man full of Faith, and of the Holy Ghost. Now we have divers promises, wherein the Lord hath promised to pour out his spirit richly and abundantly upon us. Isa. 44.3. I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground. By water and floods, we are to understand a plentiful effusion of the spirit, as the words following show us. I will pour my spirit on thy seed— See also Joh. 7.38, 39  
3. Be careful you do not quench nor grieve the Holy Spirit, after the Lord hath given any measure of it to you, either by the Omission of known duties, or the Commission of known sins; For thereby you will hinder farther Communications of the spirit.  
But some may say, I am afraid God will not fill me with his Holy Spirit, because I have been such a vile and sinful creature, though I should seek unto him.  
A. God through, and for the sake of Jesus Christ, will shed abroad his spirit abundantly on those that have been vile and great sinners, if they turn to the Lord, and make their supplication to him. Prov. 1.23. Turn you at my reproof, behold I will pour out my spirit unto you. This promise is made to such as have been very great sinners, to such as loved simplicity, hated knowledge, delighted in scorning, as we may see in the foregoing verse, yet even to these upon their turning, God promiseth to pour out his spirit. See also Tit. 3.5, 6. According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. These persons on whom God through Jesus Christ, did shed abroad his spirit abundantly, had been great sinners, as we may see, ver. 3. They were sometime foolish, disobedient, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another, yet on them for Christ's sake the Lord did shed abroad his spirit abundantly.  
§. Putting on the Lord Jesus is a special help against drunkenness, and all other sins; How we are to put on Christ.  
10. If you would cast off this sin of drunkenness, put on the Lord Jesus Christ for the putting on Christ, will help you to put off your drunkenness and all your other sins. Rom. 13.12, 13. Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying, but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle doth not bid us put on temperance that we escape rioting and drunkenness, or put on chastity as a remedy against wantonness, or put on love and peace as a remedy against strife and envying, but as a remedy against drunkenness, and all the other sins, he bids us put on the Lord Jesus Christ. The putting on Christ will help us to put off drunkenness and all other vicious courses. But some may say what is it to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and how and when may we be said to put on Christ?  
Ans. 1. We put on Christ by faith, when we put on a garment we apply it to our bodies, So we put on the Lord Jesus Christ, when we make application of him, and his saving benefits to our souls Christ is to be put on not only for justification from the guilt, but also for sanctification from the filth and power of sin. For he hath righteousness and holiness, merit and spirit for sinners; wherein all that believe in him do communicate with him. This is absolutely necessary for the mortification of this and all other sins, the power of sin can never be subdued but by the power of Christ. Our old man must be crucified with him, Rom. 6.6. and through the spirit we must mortify the deeds of the body, Rom. 8.13. To him therefore must we look, and upon him we must rely by faith for grace and help, to enable us to forsake and mortify our sins. It is through faith in Christ that we obtain victory over our corruption, 1 Joh. 5.4. This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. By the world which is overcome by faith understand not only th● men of the world, but the lusts and corruptions which we are liable to, whilst we are in the world. Now we have good encouragement to look to Christ and rely on him for grace to help us against our lusts. For, 1. Jesus Christ was sent into the world by the Father on purpose to bless us in turning us from our iniquities, Act. 3.26. And we may warrantably rely on Christ for the giving us those blessings which his Father sent him to beslow upon us. 2. Our Lord Jesus gave himself to death for us that he might redeem us from the guilt and power of all our sins, Tit. 2.14. who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. And we may warrantably rely on Christ for that blessing, which he hath purchased for us with his own blood. 3. Trusting and hoping in Christ is the way to be redeemed from all our iniquities, Psal. 130.7, 8. Let Israel hope in the Lord— And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.  
2. We put on Christ by imitation, when we make him our pattern and example, resolving and endeavouring by the help of his grace to walk as he walked while he was in the world, 1 Joh. 2.6. It was one end of God's sending Christ into the world to set us an example even in our own humane nature, Rom. 8.29. Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. And it is our duty to be followers of Christ, Matth. 11.29. Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart, Joh. 13.15. I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done, 1 Cor. 11.1. Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ. Now Christ did no sin, 1 Pet. 2.21, 22. Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps; who did no sin. The wicked Jews indeed maliciously slandered him, and said, Math. 11.19. Behold a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber. But they laid to his charge things that he knew not. And Christ challenged any of them to prove their charge. Joh. 8.46. Which of you convinceth me of sin? If then we thus put on Jesus Christ by imitation, and warrant our practice by his example, we shall not make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof which is the last direction.  
Now the Lord (in whose hand the hearts of all men are) turn the eyes of concerned sinners upon these lines, convince the guilty of the evil, aggravations, and danger of this shameful, woeful, destroying, damning yet abounding sin, stop the mouth of all pleas in excuse, or extenuation thereof; and effectually persuade to a serious compliance with the counsel of God by speedy repentance, and thorough reformation, that they may never-feel the dreadful execution of the woe denounced.  
[It appeareth by the Author's manuscript that he designed, had not death prevented him, to have added hereto a narrative of the remarkable judgements of God upon drunkards, with the use that ought to be made thereof.]   
FINIS.