THE Odious, Despicable, and Dreadful condition of a Drunkard; drawn to the Life: to deter others, and cause them to decline the ways of Death. OR A hopeful way to cure Drunkenness, (the root of all evil, and rot of all good) in such as are not (by long custom) past cure. Composed, and Published for their good; who (not for want of Ignorance) pride themselves in drunken good-fellowship. Which probably may open their eyes, as the tasting of Honey did Jonathans'; and cause them to say as the Governor to the Bridegroom, John 2.10. The good wine was kept bacl until now. By Junius Florilegus.  
LONDON, Printed by R. Cotes, and are to be sold by Nicholas Bourne at the South entrance of the Royal Exchange, 1649.   

What some Reverend Divines deem of the DRUNKARD'S CHARACTER, out of which Quiver this Arrow is drawn.  
HAving advisedly read over and perused a Treatise, bearing the name of R. Junius, which for some considerations came formerly abroad, vailed under the Title of The Drunkard's Character, and Complete Armour against evil society; we find it to be for generality of discourse; as a large Map of most men's thoughts, words, and actions. For, besides that foul sin of Drunkenness, and many other vices, which commonly accompany the same, very pithily, orderly, and elegantly, with much both sinewous strength of Argument and variety of graceful and delightful illustrations therein discovered, and dealt with; we have further observed in it, such other subject matter, concerning the knowledge, belief, and life, of common Protestants, what too frequently it is, and what in truth it ought to be, (that it may answer to their profession, and the Title that they bear) wherein also all manner of Christian Graces are illustrate, and set out by the foulness, and deformity of their opposite vices; that for the variety of useful matter therein handled, together with the perspicuous, pleasant, and yet powerful manner of expression; we conceive that it may very much conduce, both as a Glass for persons generally, to see the face of their own heart in; and as a Trumpet aloud sounding, to summon sinners to repentance: besides that unto young Scholars also it may be not unuseful, as an help to furnish them with matter concerning those common heads of Virtue and Vice, and most of the usual Subjects aswel of Divinity as Morality: But likewise touching the manifold sleights and advantages of Satan and wicked men, in tempting to sin, and drawing to perdition. In regard whereof we deem it very worthy the reprinting with a fuller and further promising Title.  


Thomas Gataker.  
John Downame.  
George Walker.  
Charles Offspring.  
Samuel Bolton.  
Richard Vines.  
James Cranford.  
John Crodacott.     

To the Reader.  
EXperience teaches that no one thing (be it the Violet) will please every one. That nothing is more easy, then to find a colour of exceptions. That men's censures are as various as their palates; that some are as deeply in love with vice, as others are with virtue. That crossed wickedness proves desperate; and in stead of yielding, seeks for revenge of its own sins, upon others uprightness.  
The Prophet also tells me my wages before hand, Come let us smite him with the Tongue, Jer. 18.18. And Solomon more expressly, He that reproveth a scorner, purchaseth to himself shame, and he that rebuketh the wicked, getteth himself a blot, Prov. 9.7. Shall I then make myself the subject of every opinion wise and weak? Yes, I had rather hazard the censure of some, then hinder the good of others. Yea admit, in stead of their tongues, they should use their swords, (the case of John Baptist for reproving of Herod) God's glory we are bound to redeem, with our own lives.  
Again, if I do ill, no plea can warrant me; if well, I cannot be discouraged with any censures. Nevertheless, that I may satisfy all honest minds, (lest they also should wrest my words beyond the level of my thoughts) that I may free my Reader and myself from mistaking, and being mistaken, (because it is not enough to find our own hearts clear, except also we clear our names, and the consciences of others) I will remove some rubs, levelly the ground, and pave a way to our ensuing matter.  
What will be alleged against this discourse, myself (though I am no Antevorta) foresees; yea I could raise to their hand, all their objections, and as easily answer them. But two only deserve answering, the rest are not worth the repeating.  
First, some will ask why in this Treatise of all the rest, my expressions are so light, and my comparisons so homely? And to these my answer is; that I may kill Goliath with his own Sword; dispute with Drunkards in their own Dialect: For either they understand no other language; or if so, they find no more relish or sweetness in solid Divinity, then in the white of an Egg: because their palates are brought out of taste by the world, and lusts of the flesh.  
Besides, this subject is less serious than any of the rest; And it is not possible with grave and modest words, to express, and paint out their light, vain, and lascivious language and behaviour.  
Secondly, if any that are addicted to this vice, (for whose gain I am content to lose) shall ask why I am so bitter? I would desire them (though in Christ, yea in common equity I might enjoin them) to consider these six ensuing circumstances; and then they will pardon my just vehemency, and only blame the foulness of this sin.  
First, that the medicine is but fitted to the disease, the wedge but proportioned to the timber, which could not be avoided; for the harder, and more knotty our hearts are, the harder and stronger must be the blows and wedges that must rive them. And nothing but a Diamond will cut a Diamond.  
Secondly, without a discovery of our disease, there can be no recovery of our health. The sight of our filthiness, is the first step toward cleanness. And how many may bless the time, that ever they were plainly dealt withal? witness Antiochus, and Antoninus the Emperor, S. Paul Acts 9.3, to 8. and those murderers of the Lord of life, Acts 2.36, to 42.  
Thirdly, they should consider, that I fight not against themselves, but against their sins; not with them, but against their enemies for them; knowing that unless those dye, they cannot live.  
Fourthly, it would also be considered, that the Physician is not to be blamed for the pain of his Patient; but the disease: not the Chirurgeon, but the wound: which he endeavours by all means to cure. And wounds more dangerous, require more dolorous plasters: Yea if Physic be not strong enough to purge out the disease, it increaseth it. Which makes a good Physician give sharp medicines and bitter potions, that he may make short diseases, and procure sound health. And for the most part, those things that are least pleasing, are most wholesome.  
Fiftly, let them consider, that all is done in love, and for their good. And even those pills which are most bitter, will down, when, they are wrapped up in love, and for our healths. Yea we will suffer incisions, even the opening of our veins, and the letting out of our blood, when we know it is done in love, and to save our lives.  
Yea, neither the Physician nor Chirurgeon heals us without pain; and yet we both reward and thank them. Which is our very case; for even those invectives that are most keen, and sharp, do but resemble Jonathans' Arrows, which were not shot to hurt David, but to give him warning, and to occasion his escape from saul's fury. Whereas their scoffs and slanders against us, that will not run with them to the same excess of riot; may fitly be compared to Sanls' spear, which was darted on purpose not to hurt only, but to murder and to destroy.  
Yea let them be read without prejudice, and (by God's blessing) they shall be unto them, as David's harp was to Saul, which frighted away the evil spirit from him, 1 Sam. 16.23. Or as the Cocks crowing to Peter, which occasioned his repentance, Mat. 26.74, 75. Or as those Messengers to Lot, that came to fetch him out of Sodom, that he might not feel the fire and brimstone which followed. Gen. 19 Yea as the Angel was 10 Peter, that opened the Iron gates, loosed his bands, brought him out of prison, and delivered him from the thraldom of his enemies. Acts 12. These things have I said, that they may be saved.  
Sixtly, let them consider, that if these judgements be so dreadful to hear: how terrible will they be to feel? The Law (Waspe-like) stings shrewdly, but Satan that Hornet will sting worse a great deal: but if men will be warned by the former, (as who would not rather be converted then confounded? or who had not rather a Book or Sermon should awaken him, than fire and brimstone?) they may prevent the latter.  
These things premised, (though there needs neither reasons to be given, nor excuse, or apology to be made, where the Word is our warrant, and the glory of God our aim,) most humbly beseeching God, who only hath the key of the heart, and can open the eyes of these poor souls, to see the miserable slavery and danger they are in: to bless this weak means prescribed for their recovery, and others warning. I leave its success to Him, its use to the world; and refer myself to the honest and intelligent Readers judgement: as for others, let them smite me being absent I care not; for their dispraise is a man's honour, their praise his dishonour.  
I. F.   

The Odious, Despicable, and Dreadful Condition of a Drunkard, drawn to the LIFE: to deter others, and cause them to decline the ways of DEATH.  
§ 1.  
A Drunkard (and I take him for such, that drinks more for lust, or pride, or covetousness, or fear, or good fellowship, or to drive away time, or to still conscience, then for thirst;) being one of those Creatures, which God never made in the Creation: (like that spoken of Gen. 36.24.) is half a Man, half a Beast; or one that was borne a Man, lives a Beast; or one that hath a Bestial heart in a Case of humane flesh. For through custom of sin, and a just judgement of God upon it, he hath his heart changed from man's nature, and a beasts heart given him in the stead; as it fared with Nabuchadnezzar, Dan. 4.16.  
Whereas other sins deprive a man of God's Image, this deprives him of man's; and for the present, robs him of himself; leaving him neither the use of reason, nor speech, without which he is no better than a Beast. Nor does he so much surpass a Beast in his shape, as he outstrips a Beast in beastliness, as Hermes well observes. Yea reckon up all the brutish conditions, observable in other Beasts; and you shall find every of them to meet in a Drunkard, as Rivers in the Sea. As produce the very worst qualities, in the very worst o● Beasts, and this Beast will match them all, without being matched by any; as for instance.  
In one beastly quality, he is like the Jerffe, a Beast in the North parts of Swetia, whose property (as Gesner out of Olaus Magnus relates) is, when he hath killed his prey, or found some carcase, to fall a devouring the same, and never leave feeding, until his belly be puffed up, and strouteth like a Bagpipe, and then not being able to hold any more, he goeth between two narrow Trees, and straineth out backward what he hath eaten; and so being made empty, returneth again to the Carcase and filleth himself as before, and then straineth it out the second time; and so continueth filling and emptying himself, until he hath devoured all; which being consumed he hunteth after more; and this is the course of his whole life. In another particular, he is like the Asses of Thuscia: who when they have fed upon Hemlocks, sleep so sound, that they seem to be dead, in so much that the Country men many times, more than flay off half their skins, before they will awake. And so of the rest, which I can but name; for in heart he is a Swine; in head a Shafalus; in tongue an Asp; in belly a Lump; in appetite a Leech; in sloth an Ignavus; a Goat for lust; a Siren for flattery; a Hyena for subtlety; a Panther for cruelty; in envying a Basilisk; in antipathy to all good, a Lexus; in hindering others from good, a Remora; in life a Salamander; in conscience an Ostrich, etc.  
And what saith chrysostom to such an one? shall I think thee a Man, when thou hast all the qualities of a Beast? swillest like a Swine? kickest like an Ass? neighest after women like a Horse? ragest in lust like a Bull? ravenest like a Bear? stingest like a Scorpion? rakest like a Wolf? art as fierce as a Tiger? as subtle as a Fox? as impudent, and shameless as a Dog? no, I see nothing of Man in thee, save thy shape: and that affrights me the more, when I see a Beast in the likeness of a Man.  
§ 2. And yet poor souls, they like their condition so well, that they would not change upon any terms; for as those Beasts spoken of by Plutarch, renounced the benefit of Circe's grant, and desired Ulysses that he would not press them with the reaccepting of reason; so call Drunkards from their brutish sensuality, they will reject the offer: what, make them men? no, they thank you as much as if you did, they had rather be beasts still. As the have no reason, so they will hear none. Yea, they are more brutish than those beasts: for whereas Christ by us would reconcile them to God; as Joab did Absalon to David, by the woman of Tekoah: they cry we come to torment them. Their case being like his in the Gospel, that called himself Legion: who having been possessed with Devils a long time, was at length very loath to part with his guests. Yea he thought himself tormented, when Christ came to cast out them, and save him. Mark 1.24. Luke 8.28. And the reason is, Drunkenness bestiates the heart, and spoils the brain, overthrows the faculties and organs of repentance, and resolution; turns reason into exile, and poisoneth the very soul of a man: As how doth it dam up the head and spirits with mud? how doth it infatuate the understanding? blind the judgement, pervert the will, and corrupt all the affections? how doth it surprise the thoughts, entrap the desires, and bring all the powers and faculties of the soul out of order? as experience proves and the Word also; which informs us, that the excess of wine takes away the heart; makes men mad, feelish, and outrageous; makes them forget God and his Laws. Prov. 20.1. and 31.3, 4, 5. Yea that it makes men utterly to fall away from God, until they are uncapable of returning, Prov. 23.35. Esay 5.11, 12. and 56.12. For by this sin the heart is hardened, the spirit quenched, and the body of sin with all its lusts so strengthened, that it keeps them in final impenitency, Esay 22.12, 13, 14. and 28.7, 8. Rom. 13.13, 14. Gal. 5.21. 1 Cor. 6.10. Eph. 5.18. 1 Pet. 2.11. Yea the soul by it, is made like a City broken down, and without walls, Prov. 25.28. By all which it appears, that these unclean beasts which wallow in the mire of sensuality; these brutish Drunkards; which transform themselves through excess; are even those swing whom the Legion carries headlong to the Sea, or pit of Perdition, Mat. 8.32. for otherwise the worst of Beasts will be found in a far better condition.  
§ 3. And indeed to give beasts their due, it is a wrong to Beasts to call drunkenness their sin; for generally they are sober, keep within the bounds of moderation, and know when they have drunk enough. Beasts also keep the prerogative of their Creation, whereas Drunkards lose (yea shame) theirs. Nor do Beasts like Drunkards, prove cruel to themselves &c. so that in many particulars a beast is a man, to such men. But see this proved also.  
Such is the power of sin, that it made God become Man, Angels become D●vils, and Men become Beasts. But this sin, this vile, and odious sin of drunkenness, hath a more superlative power; for wine bereaves the Drunkard, not only of reason and speech, (which two things distinguish Beast and Man;) but likewise of sense and motion, wherein beasts excel stocks and stones. For it so blockifies them for the present, that they may fitly be compared to the Idols of the Heathen; which have eyes and see not, ears and hear not, tongues and speak not, noses and smell not, (no not their own vomit) hands and handle not, feet and walk not, being as dead men that can neither sit, stand, nor go.  
§ 4. Or if they will (notwithstanding all this) be taken for men; yea admit as men, they have some advantage above beasts, or stocks: it is a miserable advantage, that only makes them apt to evil, yea the worst of evils; and capable of an Hell: which is all the advantage they have; for to what men may they be likened? they are but like that lunatic man mentioned Mat. 17.15, 16. who being sore vexed with an evil spirit, fell ofttimes into the fire, and ofttimes into the water: whom all the Disciples could nor cure, until the Master himself came. Or like that man spoken of Mark 5.2, to 6. who being possessed with the Devil, lived amongst the graves, and cut himself with stones: and whom no man could tame. For they love none but base company, base places, and base courses. And what does their frequent and horrible oaths but cut them deeper, than those stones did him? Nor is Moses or Aaron, Cesar or Paul, Minister of the Word, or Minister of the Sword, able to restrain or tame them.  
You may think it an hard saying, as the Disciples did that of our Saviour John 6.53, to 61. But let me tell you from God's Word, that the ●●●porall possession of evil spirits, is not so rare; as the spiritual is rife. For no natural man is free: as for instance, one hath the spirit of error, 1 Tim. 4.1. another the spirit of fear, 2 Tim. 1.7. another the spirit of fornication, Hos. 4.12. another the spirit of falsehood, Mat. 24.11. another the spirit of blasphemy, Rev. 2.9. and 13.1, 5, 6. another the spirit of slumber, Rom. 11.8. another the spirit of giddiness, Esay 29.9, to 15. another the spirit of pride; all have the spirit of the world, 1 Cor. 2.12. But Drunkards for the most part are possessed with more evil spirits, or Devils, than Mary Magdalen was, for every reigning sin (whereof each Drunkard hath more than a good many) is a Devil; as Augustine, Basil, and Gregory, affirm.  
Besides, other Scriptures make plain that they are as truly, though spiritually, carried by evil spirits into the deeps of their known wickedness; and consequently are posting Helwards; as ever the Gadarean Hogs were carried by them down the precipice into the Sea. For they are the Devil's captives, at his command, and ready to do his will, as is evident by 2 Tim. 2.26. Eph. 2.2. 2 Cor. 4.4. Yea he is their Father, Gen. 3.15. John 8.44. Their King, John 12.31. and 14.30. And their God, 2 Cor. 4.4. Even ruling over, and working in them his pleasure, Eph. 2.2, 3. 2 Tim. 2.26. For he enters into them, and puts it into their hearts what he will have them to do; as he did formerly into Judas, John 13.2. Ananias and Saphira, Acts 5.3. and David, 1 Chron. 21.1. Yea he opens their mouths and speaks in, and by them as he did by the Serpent, Gen. 3.1, to 6. Ahabs' 400 Prophets, 1 Kings 22.22. and Peter, Mat. 16.22, 23. stretcheth forth their hands, and acts by them, as he did by Herod, Acts. 12.1, 2, etc. and still does by Magistrates, when they cast the servants of God into prison, Revel. 2.10. So that as Paul, being guided by the good spirit of God, could say, I live not, but Christ lives in me, Gal. 2.20. So may Drunkards say, we live not, but the Devil lives in us, 2 Cor. 4.4. John 14.30. Eph. 2.2. 2 Tim. 2.26.  
Not that the mind of man is capable of a violation, either from Satan, or any else: nor can the wickedest man tax any for his yielding but himself. Only this is the difference; Drunkards are driven as free Horses; that need only the shaking of the hand to the Tavern, to the Sives, to this or that evil company, or wicked action. Yea, they are so at the Devil's beck, that he needs no more but hold up his finger, (suggest the thought, or say the word) and 'tis done: As if he appoint them to lie, they will lie: if he command them to deceive, they will deceive: if he bid them slander, they will slander, and that as falsely as he: if he persuade them to revenge, to persecute, etc. they will do it as spitefully and fully as he could do them himself. And so of every other sin. If he but say to them, let there be an oath, a quarrel, or the like; instantly they obey him. Yea, they are so greedy of sin, that were there no Devil to do his office, they would beget destruction on themselves. If Satan should not feed them with temptations, they would tempt him for them, and snatch their own bane.  
§ 5. It's true, the Drunkard may seem to be in a better condition: as first he may have a name to live, but indeed he is dead, as S. John speaks. Secondly, he may have the appearance of a man, but indeed he is a beast, as Jeremiah speaks. Thirdly, he may be thought a sound man; but indeed he is demonaicall; obsessed, or rather possessed with a Devil, (yea many Devils) and more miserable than such an one, because it is a Devil of his own choosing, as Basill speaks. Yea they may most fitly be compared to the Devil himself; whom they most of all resemble,  

1 In Surpassing others in sin,  
2 In Tempting others to sin,  
3 In Drawing others to perdition.   
So that it were well for them, if their condition were not worse than the Beasts that perish; for their misery is determined with their lives. Or those dead images, for they can do neither good nor ill; but Drunkards are dead to all goodness whatsoever; but alive, yea, very active to all wickedness. Or such as are really, and corporeally possessed: for Satan carries not such but against their wills: as he did that man in the Gospel into the fire and water, so using violence to their bodies; which makes them Satan's own sins, and not theirs: whereas these are carried willingly, and so become Agents in what they do; and as guilty of the sins they commit, as the Tempter himself, when he makes them abuse their eyes to wantonness, their mouths to filthiness, and makes their feet swift to shed blood. So that though their bodies are usually free from that possessive power, yet Satan hath a fare greater power in the voluntary motions of their bodies and souls. So that a Drunkard is the the most despicable piece of all humanity; and not worthy to be reckoned amongst either men, or beasts, or any other terrestrial creatures. Indeed in their want of reason, they are but transformed into beasts; and in their want of sense, and motion, but into stocks: but in their abuse of reason, in the delight they take in sin, and in their mischievous tempting others to sin, and drawing others to perdition, they are transformed into Devils. As will appear when I have cut up and anatomised this Chimaera, (for hitherto I have only presented him whole and entire) wherein that I may be brief, let a few of his ill qualities in stead of many, serve to be rehearsed, or spoken of; and that sparingly: and by them you may guess at the residue; for as huge as the Sea is, we may taste the saltness thereof in a drop. Only that you may find it a short cut, a sure and easy way to make you loath drunkenness and love sobriety: seriously consider as you go along, what a woeful slavery it is, to be possessed with a drunken Devil.  
§ 6. One base quality denoting the Drunkards slavish condition, and which first offers itself, is this; Every hour seems a day, and every day a month to him, which is not spent in a Taphouse; and therefore where ever his house is, his dwelling is at the Alehouse, except all his money be spent or he in bed. Yea they seem to have nailed their ears to a Tavern, or Alehouse, Esay 5.11. and to have agreed with Satan, Master it is good being here, let us build, etc. For as they rise up early to follow Drunkenness, Esay 5.11. so their first flight is from their beds to the Taphouse, or Tavern: those common quagmires of all filthiness, where too many drawing their Patrimonies through their throats, exhaust and lavish out their substance; and lay plots and devises how to get more. For hence they fall either to open courses of violence, or secret mischief; till at last the Jail prepares them for the Jibbet; for lightly they sing through a red Lettuce, before they cry through a Grate.  
But this is the work of many months; do but follow them step by step, and you shall observe, that so soon as they are upon the Alebench, up comes every man's pot uncalled for, upon pain of losing their custom for a month after: which being doffed are filled again; for it is the waiter's office to see that the pots be either always full or empty.  
§ 7. Now if you will know the reason, why every morning their first sacrifice is offered to Bacchus; it is this; First, they are sick in the morning, until they have qualified the old heat with a new; and so they cure sin with sin; which yet is no other, then to heal an Ulcer by deading the flesh: which indeed doth not make a man whole, but insensible of pain.  
Secondly, by a long and desperate custom, they have turned delight, and infirmity, into necessity; so that without wine they cannot live: as having by a kind of frequency, made other men's physic their natural food; whereby they bring upon themselves such an unsatiable thirst; that they will as willingly leave to live, as leave their excessive drinking. For let them be convinced by their Physician, that it will even kill them if they continue it, their answer shall be, as good be buried, as so much debarred of their appetites. Neither is it possible, the appetites of these Leeches should ever be satisfied.  
Or in case thirst doth not provoke them, they will drink before they a●e dry, drink until they become dry, so that thirst overtakes drunkenness, as fools run into the River to avoid a shower of rain. Yea while they are in the drinking School, they are bound by their saw of good fellowship, (and would be so, were there no such law) to be pouring in at their mouths, or whiffing out at their noses; one serving as a shooing-horn to the other: for Tobacco being hot and dry, must have a qualifier of cold and moist from the pot; and that again being cold and moist, must have a qualifier of hot and dry, from the pipe: which makes them like Rats baned Rats, drink and vent, vent and drink; Sellinger's round and the same again. Besides they drink one liquor to draw on another; not to quench, but to increase thirst; not to qualify, but to enkindle heat. In which their swinish swilling, they resemble so many frogs in a puddle, or water snakes in a pond: for their whole exercise, yea religion, is to drink; they even drown themselves on the dry land. As O the deluges of wine, and strong drink, that one true Drunkard devours, and causeth to be devoured! who never drinks but double, for he must be pledged. Yea, if there be ten in company, every one must drink as much as he; and he will drink until his eyes stare like two blazing Stars, so that they drink more spirits in a night, than their flesh and brains be worth.  
But in the mean time; how many thousands which are hard driven with poverty, or the exigents of war, might be relieved, with that which these men spend like beasts? while that is thrown out of one Swine's nose, and mouth, and guts, which would refresh a whole family? And doth not the very echo of this sin, this excessive devouring the good creatures of God, together with the tears of the poor; daily cry in his ears for vengeance on all that use it? if not for a famine upon the whole land for their sakes, (who turn the Sanctuary of life, into the shambles of death,) and because they are suffered? Yes undoubtedly. Yea O Lord, it is thy unspeakable mercy, that our Land (which hath been so long sick of this drunken disease, and so long surfeited of this sin) doth not spew us all out, which are the inhabitants.  
§ 8. Now by that these gut mongers have doubled their morning's draught, or gulped down so many quarts, as they can well overcome, (for I will tie myself, to the Drunkard's method) their hearts come up as easily as some of their drink. For wine, saith Plato, is the daughter of verity; the glass of the mind, saith Euripides: Yea let him get but a cup or two more in his pate, his limitless tongue shall clatter like a window lose in the wind; and you may assoon persuade a stone to speak, as him to be silent. For than it fares with his clapper, as with a sick man's pulse; which always beats, but ever out of order. Yea one Drunkard hath tongue enough for twenty men: it being like that clapper at Roan, which is so big, that it is said to weigh without the Bell, more than six hundred pounds. And what is their discourse?  
First, they discover all secrets; for like as when the wine purgeth, saith Plutarch, that which is in the bottom cometh up to the brim, and swimmeth aloft; or else it breaketh the vessel, and runneth all abroad: Even so drunkenness discovers the secrets of the heart. And indeed, if discretion, and moderation be as hoops to a vessel; how should these hogsheads keep their liquor, if ye take away those hoops? It is the property of a drunkard to disgorge his bosom with his stomach, to empty his mind with his maw: he can ill rule his hands, but worse his tongue; fat cups oil that so, that it cannot stick, and makes it so laskative, that it cannot hold. And whatsoever is in the heart of a sober man, is found in the tongue of a Drunkard. Drink disapparels the soul, and is the betrayer of the mind: it turns the key of the tongue, and makes it unlock that counsel, which before wisdom had in keeping. And experience shows, that when a man is drunk, you may thrust your hand into him like an Eel skin, and strip his inside outwards.  
Or suppose you urge him not, the wine having set his tongue at liberty, it shall resemble Bacchus his Liber pater, and go like the sail of a Windmill: for as a great gale of wind whirleth the sails about; so abundance of wine whirleth his tongue about, and keeps it in perpetual motion. For now he rails, now he scoffs, now he lies, now he slanders, now he seduces, talks bawdy, swears, bannes, foams; and cannot be quiet until his tongue be wormed. Nor is he more lewd than loud; for commonly a lewd tongue is a loud one; and a loud tongue a lewd one. Impudent speakers are like gaping oysters; which being opened either stink, or there is nothing in them.  
§ 9 But to keep close to Drunkards, this Cacodemons' discourse is all quarrelling, scoffing, or scurrilous: for as he hath a spiteful tongue in his anger, so he hath a beastly tongue in his mirth; as these two inseparably attend each other.  
First, a spiteful tongue in his anger; for if you mark him then, as having more rage than reason; he enterlaceth all his discourse, either with reviling the present, or backbiting the absent. Now all his prayers are curses, and all his relations lies: as talkative, and lying, are two birds which always fly out of one nest. To be short, hear him when he is in this vein, and but seriously consider his condition, you would think, that by a just judgement of God he were metamorphosed, like Hecuba the wife of Priamus, into a dog; for without question their wits are shorter, and their tongues longer than to demonstrate them rational creatures.  
Secondly, the Drunkard's communication is ever filthy, and beastly, full of all ribaldry, and baudinesse: no filthy talk, or rotten speech whatsoever, comes amiss to a Drunkard. Yea no word savours well with them, that is not unsavoury: their only music (and so it fares with all the rude rabble) is ribaldry; modesty, and sober merriment with them is dulness. So that from the beginning to the end, he belcheth forth nothing, but what is as fare from truth, piety, reaso●, modesty; as that the moon came down from Heaven, to visit Mahomet.  
O the beastliness which burns in their unchaste, and impure minds! that smokes out of their polluted mouths! a man would think that even the Devil himself should blush, to hear his child so talk; as how doth his mouth run over with falsehoods, against both Christians, and Preachers? what speaks he less than Whoredoms, Adulteries, incests at every word? Yea, hear two or three of them talk, you will change the Lycaomans' language, and say, Devils are come up in the likeness of men.  
And because it is a small matter with them, to meddle with their equals, or to sit upon their parish Priest, (as those Hogsheads term him) in such meetings they will visit a whole Drocesse, and Province; nay, the sagest Judge and gravest Counsellor, and greatest Peer in the land; must do service to their Court, and be summoned before the Alebench: according to that in the Psalms, They set their mouths against Heaven, and their tongues walk through the earth, Psal. 73.9. And having huft their smoke into the face of these, they will have a health to King Charles; and what not, for the honour of England.  
§ 10. Thirdly, from wicked talking, he proceeds to cursed, and impious swearing, blaspheming, etc. as you shall rarely see a Drunkard, but he is a great swearer: and not of petty oaths, but those proditious, and fearful ones, of wounds and blood; the damned language of Ruffians, and Monsters of the earth: together with God danne me, which words many of them use superficially, if they repent not. Yea they swear and curse, as if Heaven were deaf to their noise. O the numberless number of oaths and blasphemies, that one black-mouthed Drunkard spits out in defiance as it were of God, and all prohibitions to the contrary! I dare affirm it, had some one of them three thousand pounds per annum, his means would scarce hold out, to pay those small twelve penny mulcts, which our Statute Law imposes upon swearers, were it duly executed; and if so, to what number will the oaths and curses amount, which are sworn, and uttered through the whole Land? Yea in some one Alehouse, or Tavern; where they fit all day in Troops, doing that in earnest, which we have seen boys do in sport; stand on their heads and shake their heels against Heaven. Where even to hear, how the name of the Lord Jesus is pierced, and Gods name blasphemed, would make a dumb man speak, a dead man almost to quake: in which they resemble a mad dog that flieth in his Master's face that keeps him. But how they swear away their salvation, curse away their blessing: I have shown at large, in another Tract.  
§ 11. Now after the pots for a while have stopped all their mouths, (though every man had his share before) and they forgot what was formerly spoken; You shall have one for very pure love, and want of other expression, weep in his fellow's bosom: another sit kissing of his companion, not without some short sentence, nothing to the purpose. A third setting his mouth on the rack with laughter, (wise were the man that could tell at what.) A fourth swaggering, and swearing, because the wine was brought him no sooner. A fift (for I pass him that sits there in a corner nodding, and slavouring) falls down upon his marrow bones, in devotion to Bacchus, and up with the pot handsmooth. After which every one that is awake sings his song, seasoning the same with many a goodly belch: their one in stead of a Harp, takes a knife and a quart pot; with which he will make fine music. Another in his song commends his mistress; another the goodness of the wine; another being better skilled in prose then meeter, relates all the passages between him and his wife at home. Where to hear how they all lay their heads together; plot and consult how to charm and tame their poor wives: would make a discreet Maid resolve never to marry so long as she is able to work with a knitting needle. Another tells how many quarts, he and so many more drank at such a meeting; another begins to argue of Religion, and matters of State; another (for wine descending, causeth words still to ascend) brags of his lying with such a woman, into whose company he could never yet be admitted; another again boasts how he jeered such a Roundhead or Puritan: (for so are all abstemious men, in the Epicures words, or a beasts language) and the drink having bitten him, he runs up and down like a mad dog, snapping at every body; and many a good man may say with David, I became a song of the drunkards. Another quarrels with his friend, that after the third health refuseth to drink any more: and being at length delivered of their company, they dispute the case about his departure; and are so vexed, that they gnaw their own tongues for spite; and call him the basest names their blockheads can think of; every one stoutly affirming, that he can be no honest man who refuseth to pledge them. For as the utmost of a Drunkard's honesty is good fellowship, so it is an unpardonable crime, not to drink equal with the rest, or to departed while they are able to speak sense. Whence many have lost their lives, because they would not drink. Another sals a rhyming all in Satire against the rest that are absent; and perhaps steeps his jest in his own laughter; which being liked, and laughed at, they all fall a rhyming; then every one in his order must play the Poet out of the inspiration of Bacchus only; for Sibylla like, they never yield any Oracle, except they are first possessed with a fury: and the Muses may go hang for any room they have here.  
Their Library is a large room, ranked full of Pots, Cannes, Glasses, Tobacco pipes, rashers on the coals, red herrings, a gammon of Bacon, Caviar, Anchovis, or such like shooing-hornes to whet on their appetites, (I mean to more drink; for that they are no Trencher men, is all their boast, and all they have to be proud of,) together with a Jordane for their urine on the one side, and a bowl for their vomit on the other. For they will vomit, as if they were so many live Whales spewing up the Ocean: which done, they can drink again afresh.  
§ 12. Now although the wisest of them cannot make two true verses in his mother tongue, in three hours: yea although they be the veriest lack-latins, and the most unalphabetical raggabasha's that ever lived: yet notwithstanding (for stand well they cannot) they will one with a coal, another with a candle, fill all the walls and ceilings with Epithalamiums, Elegies, and Epitaphs; which done are expounded to the rest of the company, if any be awake to hear them. Your ears would blister to read them; though it would do a deaf man's heart good to hear them, or a blind man's to see them.  
And yet poor souls they think themselves wiser than Solomon; for being bribed with self conceit, what cannot they do, what do they not know, what will they not say? Whence it is their speech is much though little to the purpose: and what ever the question be, the truth is on their side: all is spoken in print that is spoken by them, though their phrase (the apparel of their speech) hath a rash outside, and fustian linings. Yea all the Drunkards Geese are Swans; and all their virtues ten foot long. As for faults they have none; for poor souls they see neither their slips, nor wants. In a word, they hold all the world Dunces, besides themselves and will swear they are but shallow fellows, that do not drink sack.  
Alas, if they can but break a jest (as many of them are like Sarmantius a gentleman of Rome; who was famous only for his scoffing;) then they conceit of themselves as Menecrates did, who (although not worthy to be Aesculapius his Apothecary's boy) would needs be Jupiter; and to speak rightly, the bean of all their honour, lies in scoffs, and jeers; for take from these Asps but their poison and sting, you utterly undo them; they have nothing left of any use. All their worth lies in wit-crackers, as some in the Netherlands have their wealth in squibs, and fireworks, though it were happy for them, if they wanted this wit too; and Satan should do them a greater pleasure, if he did not so prompt them in scoffs: for like Absaloms' hair, it proves but an ornament to hang themselves with all; and the best office their wit does them, is either to spit out friends with their tongues, or laugh them into enemies.  
§ 13. But are they so wise, because they think themselves so? No, no more than Simon Magus was great, because he called himself a great man. For what ever they think, by the rule of scripture every Drunkard is a fool, Prov. 9.6. And experience shows, that the greatest bowzars are the greatest buzzards in the world: that they have most leaden conceits, dull understandings, drossy wits, gross and muddy affections. A fool's voice (saith Solomon) is known by a multitude of words, Ecclesiastes 10.14. and babbling drunkards can better afford you a Sea of words, than a drop of wit. As mark whether their discourse be not more sound than substance; wind then matter; as ever where is least brain, there is most tongue, and loudest, saith Socrates: even as a Brewer's Cart upon the stones, makes most noise, when his vessels are emptiest; the full vessel gives you a soft answer, but sound liquor: so a knowing, and solid man will either be silent, or his words shall be better than silence; whereas they that speak much, seldom speak well. I might proceed to his knowledge in the best things; and show you that whereas some are like the Moon at full, have all their light towards Earth, none towards Heaven: others like the Moon at wane, or change; have all their light to Heaven wards, none to the Earth: Drunkards are like the Moon in Eclipse, as having no light in itself; neither towards Earth, nor towards Heaven. Though they are apt to think themselves Giants for wit, and E●gles for light and judgement even in divinity also: which makes them so put themselves forward: as how oft have I seen a Case of Leather stuffed with wind, (as he in Marcellus Donatus thought himself) A very beef brained fellow, that hath had only impudence enough to show himself a fool; thrust into discourses of Religion, thinking to get esteem; when all that he hath purchased thereby, hath been only the hiss of the wise, and a just derision from the abler judgements. Not unlike that Germane Clown, who undertook to be very ready in the Ten Commandments; but being asked by the Minister which was the first? he answered, Thou shalt not eat. If you doubt of it, do but ask the Drunkard a reason of his faith; and you shall see that he can no more tell you, than the Wind can tell which last blowed off my Hat.  
Yea the Drunkard is such a fool, that he would be begged for a fool: I would feign know whether is wisest, the prodigal waster, or the covetous griper? he that with a wanton eye, a liquorish tongue, and a gamesome hand, indiscreetly ravels out his Ancestors fair possessions, it may be an hundreth pounds per annum in three years: and then leads the rest of his days in prison, there to repent at leisure; having for his attendants sorrow, grief, derision, beggary, contempt, etc. Or he that to get an hundred pounds per annum, and only possess, not use the same after he hath got it, perhaps three years: is content to be weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth in the prison of hell for evermore? without question these two are both fools alike. But that Drunkards are none of the wisest, I shall show in the effects of drunkenness: In the mean time I'll acquaint you with the causes, And  
§ 14. First, one main cause why their heaven is the Tavern, whence they never departed until they have cast up the reckoning: why like horses they are only guided by the mouth, is this; the pot is no sooner from their lips, but they are melancholy; and their hearts as heavy, as if a millstone lay upon it; resembling the fly Pyrausta, which dies if out of the fire. I call it melancholy, because they call it so; but the truth is, they are vexed like Saul with an evil spirit; which nothing will drive away but drink, and tobacco; which is to them, as David's Harp was to him, 1 Sam. 16.23.  
They so wound their consciences with oaths, intentional murders, rapes, and other the like actual uncleanness; and so exceedingly provoke God; that they are even in this life rewarded with the strappadoes of an humane soul; wracked in conscience, and tortured with the very flashes of hell fire: which makes them many times to lay violent hands upon themselves; being never well, nor in their own place till they be in hell, Acts 1.25.  
When the horror of their oaths, blasphemies, thesis, whoredoms, and other prodigious uncleanness hath caused a dejection of spirit, and the worm of conscience to sting them; (as it fared with Cain, when he had murdered his brother Abel) how should they remedy it? but (as if Satan alone could expel Satan) strait to the Tavern, and drink sorrow, and care away. Or perhaps there is a factor for hell present, that cheers him up as Jezebel did Ahab; when he was sick for want of Naboths vineyard, 1 Kings 21.7. crying, Come, you are melancholy; let us both to the Tavern, and Brothel-house; and so cures all his sadness for that time with a charm: wherein nevertheless the principal ingredient is drink; the common refuge of melancholy sinners, their constant and never failing friend; to which also they are as constant: for when did the Sun ever see some of them sober; and how are our Cities, and Towns pestered, and our streets strewed with these filths? And this is the main ground of all; for as they that have cursed and shrewish wives at home, love to stray abroad: so these men being molested with a scolding conscience, are feign continually to drink, play, riot, go to bed with their heads full of wine, and no sooner awake but to it again. So that their consciences must knock at the door a thousand times, and they are never at home, or at leisure to be spoke withal. Indeed at last they must be met, and found by this enemy, even as Ahab was by Eliah; stay they never so long, and stray they never so far, they must home at last, sickness will waken them, conscience must speak with them as a Master with his Truant Scholar, after a long absence; and then there are no men under Heaven, who more need that prayer Lord have mercy upon them. For a wicked man's peace will not always last; at the end his guilt will gnaw him, with so much a sharper tooth. Neither are they more jocund in prosperity, then in dysasters they are amazed.  
Whereas they should eat, and drink, and do all things to the glory of God; they drink to this end only, that they may the easier forget God; forget him in his threats, which stick in their souls after some Sermon: forget him in his judgements, which have taken hold of some of their companions; they drink to the end they may drown conscience, and put off all thoughts of death and Hell; and to hearten and harden themselves against all the messages of God, and threats of the Law. Whereas if they had wit, and were not past grace; they would both invite, and welcome this Angel or Messenger of the Lord, so soon as the waters be troubled. But many a time is poor Christ (offering to be new borne in thee) thrust into the stable, while lewd companions, by their drinking, music, and jests take up all the best rooms in the Inn of thine heart; which yet are but miserable comforters, Physicians of no value: Yea let ten consorts of music be added, all shall not drown the clamorous cries of conscience: nor can the whole world afford an expurgation of this melancholy. Yea I'll appeal from yourselves in drink, to yourselves in your sober fits; whether it fares not with you, as it did with Menippus; who went down into Hell to seek content; for what is this other in mitigating the pangs of conscience, then as a saddle of gold to a gauled horse? or a draught of poison to quench a man's thirst?  
Alas, they which strive to cure their present misery (in this case) with present mirth; have not their misery so much taken away, as changed; and of temporal made eternal. Thou hast taken thy pleasure (saith Abraham to that belly-god frying in Hell flames) therefore art thou now tormented, Luke 16.25. Little do drunkards consider, that the Devil is a fisher, sin his hook, pleasure his bait, fools his fish; or the danger they are in, even making a recreation of misery, sporting themselves in their sins, round about the pits brink without fear: when as they are every hour ready to tople into hell, that bottomless gulf of easeless, and everlasting flames. They spend their days in mirth, saith Job, and suddenly they go down into hell, job 21.13.  
Indeed, your charms may with their pleasantness, bring conscience into some short slumbers: but it waketh eftsoons, and in spite of all your spells rageth as before. Yea, if but sickness come, these carnal delights will run from you affrighted, like Rats from an house on fire. Pleasure like Orpah, kisses, but parts: only grief like Ruth, weeps and tarries with you. No joy will down, till there be hope of a pardon, as it fares with condemned persons.  
So that no hand can heal you, but the very same which wounded you; the wounds of the mind can only be cured by the word of God: which teacheth what is to be said, what to be known, what to be believed, what to be avoided, and what not.  
Thus in stead of repenting, and labouring in a lawful calling: which (saith Fulgentius) is the only cure of melancholy, and destruction of all vices: they add sin to sin, leaving Gods remedies, to seek remedy of the Devil; whose office is not to quench fire, but to kindle it; even the fire of lust, with the fire of drunkenness here; and with those two, the fire of hell hereafter. But  
§ 15. Secondly, to this may be added the Drunkard's idleness as another cause; yea, idleness is the cause both of drunkenness, melancholy, and all the residue of evils which accompany the same. For as idleness is the Devils only opportunity: so it is the most corrupting fly that can blow in any humane mind: we learn to do ill, by doing what is next it, nothing: an idle person is good for nothing, but to propagate sin; as ground unoccupied produces nothing but noisome, and unprofitable things. The soul is like a River, that is always in progression: the heart like a Wherry, either goes forward or backward. If the mind be not busied with good thoughts, it will fill with evil cogitations: the death of the one, is but the birth of the other.  
Now drunkards generally, either do nothing, or that which is worse than nothing; all the drunkards labour, is to satisfy his lusts, and all his life nought else but a vicissitude of devouring, and venting: as how many of them make it their whole trade and employment to keep company, to go from their beds to the Taphouse, (for the drunkard thinks no wine good, that is brought over two thresholds) from the Taphouse to the Playhouse, where they make a match for the Brothel-house, and from thence bacl to the Tavern, and so to bed again. Or else they spend the whole day, yea, every day in howsing, and bowling, and taking Tobacco: for they only sit to eat, and drink, lie down to sleep, and rise up to play: this is all their exercise, herein lies all their worth; and no marvel, for if the world be a man's God, pleasure must needs be his Religion. The company-keeper is the barrenest piece of earth in all the Orb: the Commonwealth hath no more use of him, than Jerchoam had of his withered hand. He is like the dumb Jack in a Virginal; for he hath not so much as a voice in the commonwealth.  
What is recorded of Margites, namely that he never ploughed nor digged, nor did any thing all his life long, that might tend to any good: is truly verified in him, he is not more nimble tongued, then lazy handed, as Julian confessed of himself. Drunkards are like so many Gnats, for as Gnats do nothing but play up and down in the warm Sun and sing; and when they have done sit down and sting the next hand or face they can seize upon: so drunkards miserably spend their good hours in wicked, or unprofitable pastime; sit down and backbite their neighbours. And so much of the second cause.  
§ 16. Thirdly, sottish fear, and base cowardliness is another main cause; men dare not forsooth, refuse to go to the Tavern, when the motion is made, (and they seldom meet one another, but they make the motion) nor refuse when they come there, to do as the rest; that is, to drink drunk, be it to the wounding of conscience, hazard of health, life, soul, etc. for fear of seeming singular. Yea he shall be scofft at, and called Round-head, or Puritan, if he will not revel it with them in a shoarlesse excess, and the coward had rather go to hell, then be so reputed; so that not God, not their consciences come into any regard with them; but they shall be mocked, the case of Zedekiah, jer. 38.19. of Saul, who stood more upon the praise of men, than the favour of God, 1 Sam. 15.30. and of Herod, when he cut off john Baptists head; for he did it full sore against his will, and only to answer the expectation of the standers by, Mat. 14.8, 9 Whence we may gather, that too much modesty, and want of courage to deny the requests of a seeming friend, hath lost millions of souls; that this is one notable means to fill hell, loathness to displease. And certainly there is something in it, that the fearful are placed by the holy Ghost, in the forefront of that damned crew; who shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, Rev. 21.8. they are ashamed of Christ, and of holiness before men on earth; therefore Christ will be ashamed of them, and not own them before his Father, and his holy Angels in heaven. And indeed it is a damnable plausibility, so to regard the vain approbation, or censure of the beholders: as in the mean time to neglect the allowance or judgement of God. A good heart will rather fall out with all the world, then with his maker, then with his conscience. Nor is he more wicked than foolish, that will gain the world's favour, and lose Gods; escape derision, to meet with confusion.  
§ 17. Again, other reasons and causes there be of it (though indeed there is no reason in it) which I must be forced to pass over with only naming them, as first, pride, or reputation of good fellowship is one special cause; covetousness another; evil company a third, etc. for they will by no means grant, that they drink for the love of drink. No, will these swilbowles say, yea swear that is the basest thing in the world, they are Epicures indeed that will do so; though they love it (as they should do God) above all, above health, wealth, credit, child, wife, life, heaven, salvation, all: calling for it, as the Pope once for his dish; even in despite of heaven. For is not their gullet, their God? do they not sacrifice more to their God Belly, than those Babylonians did to their God Bel? Alas, they no more care for wine, than Esau did for his pottage, for which he sold his birthright: then Lysimachus did, who made away a whole Kingdom for drink: then Philoxenus, and Melanthius did, who, that the drink might yield them the more pleasure in going down to their stomaches, wished the one a Swans throat, the other a Crane's neck. For let them say or swear what they will, i'll believe the Prophet Esay, who makes us privy to their heart and thoughts, Esay 56.12. where they confess as much; and that other scripture 1 Sam. 1.16. & 2.12. where Drunkards are called the sons of belial, that is, all belly, and for the belly.  
Yea let some good fellow or other tell me, whether it would not make his teeth water, and his guts grumble; yea whether in envy he would not feed upon his own heart to see his companions drink their healths round, while he sat by only to see and hear them? And if so, confess that you drink not to please others, but yourselves; (as Canus played upon his harp) not for your friend's sake, but for the drinks sake; that you drink not out of need, but lust; not for health, but for delight.  
§ 18. But to go on, (for I may seem to have left them) what hath been spoken proves them much worse than beasts: but this is a small evil with them; this is but to work out their own damnations: their chief care, industry, and delight is to infect others: the serpent's special venom, wherewith these his elves be intoxicated, is, to make others more beasts than themselves. Yea Drunkards being the Devils deputies, to turn others into beasts, will make themselves Devils. Wherein they have a notable dexterity, making the Al●house, or Tavern, their study; their circle the Pot, themselves the conjurers, men's souls the hire, reputation of good fellowship the charm, the characters healths, the Goblin raised, is the spirit of the buttery; and to drink God out of their bearts, health out of their bodies, wit out of their heads, strength out of their joints, all the money out of their purses, all the drink out of the Brewer's barrels, wife and children out of doors, the land out of quiet, plenty out of the Kingdom, is all their business.  
These Agents for the Devil, Drunkards, practise nothing but the art of d● bauching men; for they will take no pains, unless the Devil sets them on work: but being set like beasts to draw in the Devil's Teeme; they will l●ad captive unstable souls to sin, with cords of vanity, as it were with a Cart rep●, Esay 5.18. For to sin, these pernicious seducers, Devils in the shape of men, are no niggards of their pains. As o how much is hell beholding to them 〈◊〉 for as the Pharisees would take great pains, compass Sea and Land, to make one the child of Hell, like themselves: so what will not some Drunkards do, or spend; to make a sober man a Drunkard, or to drink another drunkard under the table?  
§ 19 Now for the effecting of this, what comparable to drinking of Lealths? which Antisthenes calls the only occasion, and means of surfeiting, and disorder. Another very fitly, the palley or shooing-horn to all drunkenness and excess. For their drinking and beginning of healths is purposely, and serves to no other end, but to draw men on to drink more liberally, then else they would or should do.  
As le● a sober, and religious man fall into their company; as a purse of money may fall into a stinking privy: O how they will conspire to provoke his unwilling appetite, with drunken healths! and if they can (like the Baby●●●ish harlot) make him taste poison in a golden cup: O than they will sing, and rejoice as in the division of a spoil! and brag that they have drenched sobriety, and blinded the light, and ever after be a snussing of this Taper, Psal. 13.4. and the like to every one they light upon, which is a most woeful glory: yea, how will they wind men in, by drinking first a health to such a man, then to such a woman my mistress, then to every one's mistress, then to such a great person; naming some Lord or Lady, or near friend; their Magistrates, their Captains, Commanders, Parents, Kindred's, or Companions health; and that not seldom upon their knees: so making Gods of others, Beasts of themselves. Or rather doing homage to Satan, for health-drinking upon their knees was first invented, and used as the Devils drinke-offering; or as a part of that honour, and adoration which the Pagan Idolaters, sorcerers, and witches, consecrated, and gave to Beelzeb●b the Prince of Devils, and those other Devill-gods which they used to worship: as Basil and Augustine affirm: so that it's most rank, and devilish Idolatry.  
And last of all, they will drink the Kings or the Queen's health: as taking it for granted, that none dare refuse to pledge their healths, be they willing or unwilling, able or amable; and by this means they will wind men in to drink, even till their brains, their wits, their tongues, their eyes, their feet, their senses, and all their members fail them. For commonly when these friends fall a drinking of healths; it is as enemies fall to fight with weapons, to show their valour, and to get the mastery; for he is of most reputation with them, that is able to drink most; and he gets the greatest honour, that can drink the rest off their legs. Yea, if they but meet with a man that can gulp down wine through the channel of his throat without interspiration between gulps, (as the Crocodile cats, without moving of her nether jaw) they think he deserves some great preferment. As Tiberius the Emperor preferred many to honours in his time, because they were famous whoremasters, and sturdy drinkers. Yea if they might have their wills, none should refuse to be drunk unpunished; or be drunk unrewarded at the common charge. Yea, they not only think excessive drinking worthy all honour during life; but they look their associates should not cease to honour them being dead; by mentioning their rare exploits herein.  
§ 20. But O you sottish sensualists! how hath the Devil bewitched you, to magnify, honour, and applaud all that are enthralled to this worse than swinish swilling? and on the otherside, to vilify, reproach and undervalue, all that hate and loathe it in their judgements; or else renounce it in their practice? Is it possible that the reasonable soul of man (not professedly barbarous) should be capable of such a monster? certainly if I had not known the truth and probate of it by ocular and experimental demonstration from day to day; I could hardly bring my understanding to believe, that men, that Christians should be of such a reprobate judgement, as to affect, admire, adore etc. so foul, so base, so beastly, so unamiable, so unfruitful, unprofitable, unpleasant, unnatural a vice as this is in most men's judgements, and experience. Nay I cannot believe what I have both seen, and lieard in this case 〈◊〉 for it is not possible for the most corrupted heart, to think that any should be honoured for villainy, and for honesty to be contemned. But rather that every drunkard in his more serious cogitations, thinks of his fellow dying in this sin without repentance, a fit Saint to be canonised for the Devil. For not seldom are wicked men's judgements forced to yield unto that truth, against which their affections maintain a rebellion.  
But it is admirable to think, and incredible to believe, how the Devil blinds them in this particular; which makes them that they care not what they spend, nor how much they drink for popular applause, and to have others commend them for jovial; to be reputed generous, and brave blades. For opinion is all they stand upon, and that from men more gallant than wise, that have more heart than brain; yea more lust, pride, and ignorance then either. The same and reputation of good fellowship with them; is more sweet than life, than salvation; for they had rather go to hell, then be counted Puritans for shaking hands with their drunken associates. So p●oud are they of baseness, yea of shame; for let one commend the drunkard for a notable good fellow; another more wise, will reply, the better the worse.  
And no less sottish is their opinion of victory: when even in conquering they are most overcome; for whilst they triumph in a drunken victory, or conquest over their friends; Satan gets the victory over them. In excessive drinking they have overcome all their companions: this they see and boast of; but they see not how they are overcome, shamefully foiled, and utterly overthrown by the Devil their chief enemy; under whose lash they are like to be everlastingly.  
Besides, what office so base? the hangman's is bad enough; but to be a Tempter, todestroy souls, to wear the livery of Satan, to be a pensioner of ●el, at the command of that malignant and degenerous spirit, this is the most ignominious, and dishonourable name and shame, that can be. To be the hangman's servant is an honour to it: for to seduce, and draw others to destruction, is the only proper part of a Fiend or Devil.  
§ 21. I grant the Devil so blinds, and bewitches them, that they think the reputation of good fellowship the only name, and fame, and themselves the only men alive; brave, generous, free, and bountiful blades: and all others but base, and covetous hoggrubbers'. But all that are wise, or sober wound, account them the very scum of the nation; and good for nought but to stand in the midst of a breach, when the Ordinance play, and bullets fly thick about their cares. And certainly there is nothing in the world more ●pitifull; an Ape carrier is honourable compared with a Drunkard: and hear but their wives speak, you will grant that his of the two is fare more happy in her choice.  
Yea, Drunkards are so unworthy the meanest repute, that by the law, they ought to be stoved to death, Deut. 21.20, 21. and by the Gospel, to be spurned or spewed out of other men's company; I mean separated from all Christian society, and like dirt thrown out of the Church into the street, by excommunication, as is commanded, 1 Cor. 5.11. And until that rule be observed, we shall have but a sorry reformation. For are they not as excrements and had humours in man's body; which is never at ease till it be thereof disburdened? as Augustine speaks do they not infect all that converse with them? Is not the Gospel and the name of God blasphemed among the Gentiles? and an evil scandal raised upon the whole Church through their superlative wickedness? Rom. 2.24. does not their unchristianlike behaviour cause the very Turks even to detest the true religion, and protest against their own conversion? thinking it impossible that he should be a good God, who hath such evil sons.  
And sure I am, that in the Primitive times, the Church would have de●●ied her blessing to such sons of Belial as these are, who make a trade of sin; as though there were no God to judge, nor hell to punish, nor heaven to reward; and live as if they had no souls to save. Such as have shaken out of their hearts the fear of Ged, the shame of the world, the love of heaven, and the dread of ●el; not caring what is thought, or spoken of them here; or what becomes of them hereafter. Yea such amonstrous menstruous brood, that (like a certain mountain in Ar●bia) breed, and bring forth nothing but monsters; whose deeds are too foul for my words to express; being such as ought not to be once named amongst Christians, Ephesians 5.3, 4.  
Now the good husbandman weeds his field of burtfull plants; that they may not spoil the good corn; and when fire hath taken a house, we use to pull it down, lest it should fire also the neighbour's houses: Yea the good Chirurgeon cuts off a rotten member betimes, that the sound may not be ●●dangered.  
§ 22. And thus I have made it good, that Drunkards drink not for strength, but lust, and pride; to show how full of Satan they be, and how near to Swine. And that their chief delight, is to make men drink these healths till they vomit up their shame again li●●e a filthy dog, or lie wallowing in their beastliness like a brutish swine, and make it their only glory; which is the most sad, and woeful spectacle to a rectified understanding, that can be. Yea they will brag of the conquest, when with the weapons of full charged cups, they have overcome the rest: which is the basest office, and lamentablest overthrow to themselves that can possibly be imagined. For what a barbarous, graceless, and unchristianlike practice is this? to take pleasure in making others drunk, as if it were their glory and pastime to see God dishonoured, his spirit grieved, his name blasphemed, his creatures abused, themselves and their friends souls damned. But surely to glory in giving weak brains a drench, to see them wallow in their filthiness, i● but to brag how far they are become the Devils children. Yea, such men climb the highest step of the ladder of wickedness; thinking their own fin● will not press them deep enough into hell, except they also load themselves with other men's; for this is no other than the setting a man's own house 〈◊〉 fire, it burns many of his neighbours, and he shall answer for all the ruins.  
§ 23. But see their cunning, and industry in tempting to sin, and drawing to perdition. A drunkard (as if his brains were fired with all the plots, projects, and cunning stratagems that hell can yield) is as rarely gifted in drawing to sin, as the Devil himself; and is become the child of hell by as proper a right: so that if Satan would change his office, or were to surrender his place to any man alive, it should be to some good fellow or other; who hath learned to handle a man so sweetly, that one would think it a pleasure to be seduced. For to take away all suspicion, they will so mollify the stifness of a man's prejudice, so temper and fit him to their own mould; that once to doith● the● would require the spirit of discerning. As how many are there that hate their other enemies, yea and their friends too; and yet embrace this enemy, because he kisseth when he betrayeth? As what fence for the Pist●● that is charged with the Bulle● of friendship? Hilary compares it to a Razo● in the hand of a counterfeit Barber. And indeed he so confirmeth the profession of his love, with vows, protestations, and promises, (as a large compliment for the most part ushers in a close craft) that you would think Jonathans' love to David, was nothing in comparison (as no faces look lovelier than the painred) but accept of gain from him, and you are lost for ever. For with Sisera, you can no sooner taste of this Jaels' milk, but you shall feel a nail in your Temples. So that the very wickedness of one which feareth God, is better than the good entreaty of a Drunkard. His proffers are like the Fowler's shrape, when he casts meat to Birds: which is not out of charity to relieve, but out of treachery to ensnare them.  
Or like Traps we set for vermin; which seem charitable when they intent to kill. They lay wait, saith jeremy, as he that setteth snares; and make a pit to catch men, jer. 5.26. and thou mayest answer these cursed tempters which delight in the murder of souls, as the woman of Endor did Saul, wherefore seekest thou to take me ●in a snare, to cause me to die? 1 Sam. 28.9. Or as a Godly woman (spoken of by Ambrose) did one that solicited her to incontinency, professing how infinitely he loved her: who answered him, If you love me so well as you profess, or seem to do, hold your finger in this flame until the flesh be burnt off; and when he answered that was no part of love in her to require it: she replied yes, if yours be love to cause both my body and soul to burn in hell fire for ever; which by consequence will follow if I yield to your request, and follow your counsel. And to speak rightly, this is the depth of a Drunkard's love; and yet never such abject, and servile prostitutions of presentations: as life, soul, devotion, adoration, servant, stave etc. as there is among. Drunkards. Oh will one drunkard say, (yea swear) to another, I love thee as well as myself, and therein speak truth: for what said Augustine to such an one? Thou lovest thyself so, as thou wilt destroy thyself; and thou wilt destroy him, whom thou lovest as thyself. To sum up all, in brief, A drunkard for kindness is another julian, who was often times b● untifull, but how? he never did a man a good turn, but it was to dainne his soul. He is another Absalon, who made a feast for Amnen, whom he meant to kill.  
§ 24. Which is the sole cause, that drunkards swarm so in every corner of the Land; as where shall a man come, and not find one of these seducers? Yea whole herds of them? as were I enjoined to take up a ragged Regiment, I should think it no hard task, to muster up a thousand men, (admit but drunkards to be men) out of the very Suburbs, that in shear drink, spend all they can get, borrow, or embezzle. Indeed heretofore they were as ●are as Wolves, but now they are as common as Hogs. Heretofore it was the sin of Tinkers, Ostlers, Beggars, etc. now of Farmers, Citizens, Esquires, Knights, etc. Heretofore wine was sold only in Apothecary's shops, and drunk rather in time of sickness, then in health: now it's vented in Taverns, as if it grew in the Thames. There was a street in Rome called Vicus ●obrius, Sober street; because there was never a drinking house in it. Find ●uch a street in any City, or populous Town in England, and some good man or other, will put it in the Chronicle. Yea woe is me! how is the world turned Beast? what bousing, and quaffing, and whiffing, and healthing, is there on every bench? and what reeling, and staggering in our streets? what drinking by the yard, the die, the dozen? what forcing of pledges? what quarrels for measure and form? how is that become an excuse of villainy, which any villainy might rather excuse I was drunk? how hath this torrent, yea this deluge of excess in drink, drowned the face of the earth, and risen many cubits above the highest Mountains of Religion and good Laws? Yea would to God I might not say (that which I fear, and shame, and grieve to say) that even some of them which square the Ark for others, inwardly drown themselves, and discover their nakedness hereby. That other inundation scoured the world, this impures it: and what but a deluge of fire and brimstone, can wash it from so abominable filthiness?  
O the drunkenness that is in one day in this Land! yea in this City! yea at some fair or market to be seen! for go but to the Towns end where a Fair is kept; and there they lie as if some field had been fought; here lies one man, there another; yea alas for woe, a womannay aswine with a woman's face. Or go into the back lanes, and there you shall have them among Frogs and Toads, their fit matches. To be short, it is a disease whereof this Nation and Generation is sick at the very heart; and which is worse, in all prebability this infectious vice of drunken good-fellowship is like to stick by this Nation: for so long as the mulutude of offenders, benumbs the sense of offending; a common blor is held no stain.  
§ 25. Increase it may, as how can it other? when each Drunkard is like the bramble, judg. 9.15. which first set itself on fire, and then fired all the wood. Or like one sick of the Plague, who (as they say) is carried with an itching desire to infect others that are clear. Or like an house on fire in the midst of a City; which (if the wind blows vehemently) stayeth not in the burning of an house or two, but sets on fire all adjoining: neither doth it cease there, but every one which it hath set on fire kindles as many more, and so one another till it may be half, or all the whole City be consumed. For this is the Drunkard's case directly, who is the bane of many poor souls besides his own. It is Basils' observation, that one whore makes many fornicators: but experience shows, that one drunkard makes ten times as many drunkards.  
As what a multitude of drunkards, will one true drunkard make; especially if he be well accomplished with ingenuity, and gifts of nature? As when Achitophel's head stands upon Simon Magus his shoulders, there is a world of mischief towards. A will ●ent to do harm, and a wit able to prosecute it, like Cannon shot, makes a lane where it goes.  
All which considered, vi●. the number of seducers, together with their skill, will, and industry in sea●●●ng: we may with reverence, and love, wonder at the mercy of God in our delivery. For as our Saviour saith, Blessed is the man that is not offended at their scoffs, Mat. 11.6. so blessed is the man, that is not taken with their wills. For herein alone consists the difference; He whom the Lord loves, shall be delivered from their meretricious allurements, Eccles. 2.26. and he whom the Lord abhors, shall fall into their snares, Prov. 22.14. And so much of the Drunkard's subtlety in seducing.  
§ 26. Now if they cannot allure and persuade men to pledge them in their wicked customs; and so work their wills by subtlety and fair means; they will seek to compel and enforce them to do as they do: that so they may have their company here in sin, and hereafter in torment. At least that they may discourage us in the way to heaven; flout us out of our faith; and draw us bacl to the world: when they can no longer seduce us, they will envy, bate, censure, scoff at, revile, rail on, nickname, slander falsely, accuse, curse, threaten, undermine, and combine together against us: Yea did not the Law manacle their hands, they would even strike, hurt, and slay us; in case we would not yet yield to associate them in their evil do, nor conform to their lewd and wicked customs; If we would not for company grievously sin against God, wrong our own bodies, destroy our souls, and wilfully leap into Hell fire with them. They would make us either bow, or break; they would kill our bodies, if they could not corrupt our souls. If we would not part with our innocency, we should part with our lives: as it fared with those numberless Martyrs, whose souls 8. john saw under the Altar, Rev. 6. who were killed because they would not do and say at the rest; yea even for the word of God, and for the testimony which they maintained, ver. 9 And why fares it not so with us? why do not the same drunkards, vicious livers, and other enemies of holiness, which now envy, hate, censure, scoff at, nickname, rail on, and slander us; even strike, maim, and kill us? but because their hands are tied by the Law. Why are not our Sanctuaries turned into shambles, and our beds made to swim with our bloods, in London (as it fares with them in Ireland, and in many parts of this kingdom) long before this? but that the God of Israel hath crossed the confederacy of Balak. It is no thanks to wicked men, that their wickedness doth not prosper: they have laid a world of plots, ever since there was a purpose of Reformation, to cut all the Roundheads throats, had not justice and an overruling providence prevented them. The world would soon be over-runne with evils, if men might be so devilish as they would. Alas if it were not for the Parliament and Army, (for all they are so hated, scorned, and contemned,) it would be otherwise then it is with the People of God; as the Word of God, and both former and late experience do witness. But of this, see more in the Drunkard's Character: for I must be brief. I pass therefore from the drunkards qualities, carriage, and behaviour, with the method he useth in drinking, to the fruits and effects of their drunkenness, which are many. I'll mention some only. And  
§ 27. First, I will say open the Drunkards outward bodily deformities; which are sundry, and those odious: for commonly he hath (Vertumnus-like) a Brasill nose, a swollen and inflamed face; beset with goodly chowles and rubies, as if it were both roast and sodde; swimming, running, glaring, goggle eyes, bleered, rolling, and red; a mouth nasty, with offensive fumes, always foaming or drivelling; a feverish body, a sick and giddy brain, a mind dispersed, a boiling stomach, rotten teeth, a stinking breath, a drumming ear, a palsied hand, gouty, staggering legs, that feign would go, but cannot: a drawling, stammering; temulentive tongue, claimed to the roof and gums: In fine (not to speak of his odious gestures, loathsome nastiness, or beastly behaviour; his belching, hiccocks, vomitings; his ridiculous pestures, and how easily he is knocked down, whose hamstrings Bacchus hath already cut in two: nor of the unmeasurable grosseness of such, whose only Element is Ale; especially your Alewives, who like the German Froes are all cheeks to the belly, and all belly to the knees; whose dugs and chins meet without any forcing of either: because you may daily see such fustilugs walking in the streets, like so many Tons, each moving upon two pottle pots) His essential parts are so obscured; his sense so dulled, his eyes so dazelled, his face so distorted, his countenance so deformed, his joints so enfeebled, and his whole body and mind so transformed; that he is become the child of folly, the derision of the world, a laughing stock to fools, a laothing stock to the godly, ridiculous to all. Yea questionless, had they a glass presented them, they could hardly be brought again to love their own faces. Much more should they read a true Character of their odious conditions; would they run besides their wits, if they had any to lose; or go and dispatch themselves as Bepalus did upon view of Hipponax his letter. For (Thersites-like) many are their bodily deformities; but fare more, and worse are those of their souls.  
§ 28. Neither are his diseases and infirmities fewer than his deformities: for excessive and intemperate drinking, hath brought upon him a world of diseases and infirmities which shorten his life; as who can recount, or recite the crudities, rheums, gowtes, dropsies, aches, imposthumes, apoplexies, inflammations, pleurisies, consumptions, (for though he devours much, yet he is the leaner every way) with the falling sickness, and innumerable other distempers hence ensuing; which drunkards better know by experience, than I how to reckon up?  
To whom are pearled faces, palsies, headaches, but to Drunkards? what so much as swilling, blows up the cheeks with wind; fills the nose and eyes with fire; loads the hands and legs with water; and in short plagues the whole man with the diseases of an Horse, the belly of a Cow, the head of an Ass, etc. almost turning him into a very walking dunghill? Believe a man in his own art, the distempered body, the more it is filled, the more it is spilt, saith Hypocrates; and to it the Prophet sets his seal, Hosea 7.5. so that the Drunkard draws death out of that which preserves other men's lives; and the reason is, the natural, and vital heat of men is hereby drowned, and extinguished before it be near spent; like a candle cast into the water, before it be half burnt. Yea wine, and strong drink hath drowned more men than the Sea hath devoured; and more die of surfeits then by the sword. Yea as drunkenness hath drowned more souls than all the sins of Sodoms so it hath drowned more bodies, than were drowned in the general deluge of Noabs' flood: But you have not heard all; for,  
§ 29. Thirdly, as if the drunkard scorned to go to his grave in peace, he strives to do execution upon himself: either by drinking until his skin and guts crack again: As how many have drank themselves dead? how many have even burst themselves with drinking, and so died? being taken away in God's just wrath, etc. Or secondly, by a frequent exposing himself in the dark, to divers fearful and lamentable accidents: whereby he oft breaks his limbs, or neck; drowns or burns himself. Yea how oft have snakes been known to creep down their throats into their bellies, as they lay asleep in the fields? And how should it be otherwise? for when he is drunk, he is like a running Coach without a Coachman to guide it, as Pittacus makes the comparison. Or thirdly, by running into quarress when he is drunk; whereby he either murders others, or is stabbed, and murdered by others. For while the wine works, they resemble those fishes which love to be in violent streams, and flood gates; but do die in still waters. As who will sooner kill and slay then Cowards, when once they are pot valiant? I deny not, but such a ones discourse may sometimes sound big, and yet mean nothing: Cowards being most forward both in giving charge with the tongue, and recoiling back with the foot. Yea you shall see a drunkard look like the four winds in painting; as if he would blow away the enemy; and yet at the very first onset, suffer fear, and trembling to d●ess themselves in his face apparently. And commonly where is least heart, there is most tongue: swelling words being like the report of great Ordnance; which doth only blaze, and crack, and smoke, and stink, and vanish.  
But this holds not always, for sure I am, many do that in a Tavern, which they repent at Tyburn; and nothing more common then for drunkards to kiss when they meet, and kill when they part. For when they have lost the stern of reason, it shall go hard, but they will either give offence, or take it. A drunken man you know, will make a fray with his own shadow; or suppose he but nods his head against some Post or Table, (for they will even fall asleep as they sit) he is so stupefied, that in revenge he will strike his opposite for the wrong, and then call for drink to make himself friends again: which friendly cup, giveth occasion of a second quarrel; for whether he laughs or chafes, he is alike apt to quarrel. Or let but a friend admonish him, he were as good take a Bear by the tooth.  
This sin scorns reproof, admonition to it were like goads to them that are mad already: or like pouring oil down the chimney, which may set the house on fire, but never abate the heat; it may move them to choler, never to amendment. I am loath to trouble you with the multitude of examples which are recorded of those, that having made up the measure of their wickedness; have Amnon-like died, and been slain in Drink, as it were with the weapon in their belly, being taken away in God's just wrath: it faring with them as it did with that Pope, whom the Devil is said to have slain in the very instant of his adultery, and carry him quick to hell. And what can be more fearful, then when their heads are merry, and their wits drowned with wine, to be suddenly stricken with death: as if the exccution were no less intended to the school, then to the body? or what can be more just, then that they which in many years' impunity, will find no leisure of repentance, should at last receive a punishment, without possibility of repentance? But  
§ 30. Fourthly, as drunkenness is the cause of murder, so it is no less the cause of Adultery: You shall rarely (saith Augustine) see a man continent that is not abstinent. Yea (saith Ambrose) the first evil of drunkenness, is danger of chastity; for Bacchus is but a pandar to Venus; as one Devil is ready to help another in mischief. He that tarrieth long at the wine, saith Solomon, his eyes shall look upon strange women, and his heart shall speak lewd things. Prov. 23.33. And Saint Paul witnesseth that the fruits of gluttony and drunkenness, is chambering and wantonness, Rom. 13.13. And the example of Lot, more than proves it, who being sober, abhorred all filthiness; but being drunk he was easily drawn to commit incest with his own daughters; not once perceiving when he lay down, or when he risen up. Gen. 19.32. to 36. Which being rightly considered, methinks a man had need to be drunk before hand, that shall admit of more wine then enough; that shall for one hours mad mirth, hazard a whole age of grief and shame; together with his displeasure, that is able to destroy both body and soul in hell.  
You know when Iron is hot, the Smith can fashion it to his pleasure; and wine tempers the heart like wax for the Devil's impression. When a man is drunk, Satan may stamp in his heart the foulest sin; but lust will admit no denial. That heat which is taken at the Tavern must be allayed at the Brothel house. And the blood which is fired with Bacchus, must be cooled with Venus. Yea the Devil should forget both his office, and malice, if he did not play the Pander to concupiscence this way: for idleness makes way for lose compa●● lose company makes way for wine, wine makes way for lust, and lust 〈◊〉 work for the Devil: Venus comes out of the froth of this Sea. Nor d●chastity ever sleep in a Drunkard's bed.  
The Drunkard is like a Salamander stone, which fires at the sight of every flame. Yea if he but see a whore, and she him; like the Weesle, and the Basilisk, they poison each o●her with their sight, Prev. 7.  
Wine and high diet, is adultery's nurse: They risen up in the morning like fed ●orses (saith the Prophet) and what follows? Every man neighed after his neighbours wise; jer. 5.8. which is more than true with our Drunkards; who like the Horse & Mule, that have no understanding, no shame, no conscience, etc. especially your brazen brained, and flinty foreheaded clowns; can no sooner spy a woman or maid even in the open streets, but they will fall to embracing and tempting her with ribaldry, scurrility, and turning every word she speaks, to some lascivious and obscene sense; whereof they are not a little proud; though it would make a wise and modest man even spew to hear them.  
Now what hath been said of Murder and Adultery, may also be averred of every other sin that can be named: for what sin was there ever committed, which wine hath not proved the occasion of? as our reverend Judges, in their several circuits, find by continued experience? but I must pass over many things  
§ 31. Fiftly, as the drunkard deforms his body, impairs his health, shortens his life, etc. by his excessive drinking: so he consumes his estate, and brings himself to poverty, and want, as Solomon shows, Prov. 23.21. And I could largely demonstrate how they consume their wealth at the wine, even until they have swallowed down their whole estates: and then rather than not satisfy their guts, that they will spend in shear drink, all the  on their beds and backs. Yea they will drink the very blood of their wives and children; who are not only impoverished, but even parched with famine, and burnt up with thirst, to satisfy his throat; in which he is worse than an Infidel, 1 Tim. 5.8. But I will pass this, as of least consequence. Only observe how he is paid in his own coin. The Drunkard having spent all in superfluities, in the end he wants necessaries; and because in his youth he will drink nothing but wine, in his old age he is constrained to drink water. Yea how oft are Vermine seen to suck his blood, as fast as he doth that of the grape and mauli? And lastly, how he throws his house so long out at windows, that at last his house throws him out at doors: and when all is gone, glad would he be to be a Swineherd like the prodigal son: but knowing himself unworthy of any man's entertainment, he grows weary of his life, and is ready to make himself away; like Peter the Cardinal, base son to Sixtus the fourth, that monstrous Epicure, the shame of the later times; or like Apicius, the shame of the ancient age wherein he lived. Neither stays he here, for the tiplers progress is commonly from luxury to beggary; from beggary to thievery; from the Tavern to Tyburn; from the Alehouse to the Gallows.  
§ 32. Again, sixthly, another effect of drunkenness is, it not only caufeth a world of vain babbling, scurilous jesting, wicked talking, impious swearing, etc. as I have already shown; but over and above, it mightily decays the brain; for if it finds them not fools, it makes them fools that follow it. Indeed for the most part it finds men fools; for excess is a true argument of folly; as who more foolish than those profane Esau's, that will sell their birthright, reason, and the blessing of grace here, and glory hereafter, for a mess of pottage; a little sensual delight: and with Adam part with their salvations for an Apple? What greater folly, and madness, saith Gregory, then for a little tickling of the , a kind of running banquet: to lose an eternal Kingdom, and expose one's self to a devouring fire, an everlasting burning? Esay 33.14. Surely in this case, if a man were not either foolish, or drunk before hand, he could never yield to be made drunk. But secondly, if they have wit, and other good natural parts before, yet this vice makes them become fools. Yea, it is the funeral of all a man's good parts. For drunkenness banisheth wit; reason is so clouded with those fogs, and mists, which ascend up out of the kitchen of the stomach to the brain, that their wits run a woolgathering, as the Proverb is.  
A full belly makes an empty brain, when a mass of moisture (like the first Chaos) is in the stomach; all the faculties of the soul are void, and without form; and darkness is upon the face of it; until there be another Fiat even a voice from heaven commanding a new light.  
Yea drunkenness besots the strongest brain, and bestiates even the bravest spirits: when the Grecians that sage Nation, fell to this vice, they mightily decayed in brain. And take this for a rule, while Bacchus is a man's chief God, Apollo will never keep him company. I name not these counterfeit deities to grace, but rather to disgrace them.  
Neither are men robbed by it of their natural parts only, but drunkenness darkens the light both of nature, and grace; and so yields men over unto Satan, to be led by him, as it were blindfold into all manner of sin, and wickedness. And which is most remarkable, this may seem to be the drunkards aim: for being at it, he will never give over drinking, till he hath laid Reason his keeper to sleep, and blown out that little light which is left in him, and desperately drowned the voice, and cry of Conscience.  
§ 33. And the like touching Memory; for the abundance of wine hath drowned and mudded that noble Recorder. The drunkard first speaks he knows not what; nor after can he remember what that was he spoke. A Drunkard's mind, and stomach are alike: neither can retain what they receive; deep drinkers have shallow me mories. Yea drunkenness takes from men wit, memory, and all other their good parts: as how many of these quagmirists, have lost their souls sight by overmuch drinking; as Dionysius did his bodily? How many through a long custom in this vice, are grown sottish, and stupid, as if their brains were buried in tar? I speak not of the present time only, when they are in drink; for than I should tell you of one drunkard, that sought all the Inns in the Town for his ho●se, when indeed he came thither on foot: of another that having laid his breeches under his bed, for the more safety of his purse; challenged the Chamberlain that he had stolen them away: of a third, that stuffed his pillow (a brass pot) with straw to make it soft: of a fourth, that fell to cussing of a post, for not giving him the wall; and being told that it was a post, made reply, he might have blown his horn then. I might also tell you, how a Tavern was by the fancy and imagination of a drunken crew, turned into a Galley: who having a tempest in their heads, caused by a Sea of drink within; verily thought this Taphouse on land, a Pinnace at Sea; and the present storm so vehement, that they unloaded the Ship, throwing the goods out at window, instead of overboard; calling the Constable Neptune, and the Officers Tritons: Whereupon some got under the Table, as if they lay under Hatches, another holding a great pot for the Mast; all crying out that so many brave gentlemen should be cast away, as Atheneus relates; with abundance of the like, did they not tend rather to laughter, then godly edifying: but I speak of habituated drunkards, when they are at the best.  
I confess, it is the better for them that they are fools, the case being rightly considered; for what Owen speaks in the Epigram, may be applied to sundry Drunkards;  
Good wine they say makes vinegar most tart:  
Thou the more witty, the more wicked art.  
Yea had they been borne mere naturals, they had either been in no fault, or in a great deal less fault than they are. And so you see that drunkards are strangely stupendious, and forgetful; that drunkenness deprives men both of wit and memory: and yet they madly pursue this vice, as the kindler of them. But no wonder, when the forbidden Tree, which promised our first Parent's knowledge, took their knowledge from them; the same Devil having a hand in both.  
§ 34. Thus having got through the principal stages of the drunkard's progress; before we go any further, let us look bacl upon what we have passed. As how they imitate their Father the Devil, in tempting, and in forcing to sin, and in drawing to perdition: after a review taken, let any slander by say, whether Satan be so much beholding to any men alive, as to them; whether he hath any servants, that do him such faithful service; any Factors that make him a better return of souls; any Generals, that subdue so many soldiers to him; any advocates, that plead so hard for him, as the true drunkard. I presume you cannot nominate one: I confess a beautiful whorish woman, (another of the Devils lime-twigs) who hath a flattering tongue, Prov. 6.24. smooth and enticing words, Prov. 7.5. lips which drop like an honey comb; and a mouth more soft than oil, Prov. 5.3. does the Devil singular service in the business of tempting, for infinite are the souls which these artificial Paradises have beguiled; for as through an Hell upon Earth, God brings many to Heaven; so through an Heaven upon Earth many bring themselves too Hell. And she hath a privilege above other tempters; for Cockatrice-like, she killeth with her very sight: yea she is able to take a man with her very eyelids, Prov. 6.25. which makes the Wise man say, that many have perished by the beauty of women, Eccles. 9.8. Yet nevertheless, let her bid welcome to all comers; so that any base fellow may ride her post to the Devil, with a golden bit: thee shall never be able to fill hell, (her body will not hold out) nor help to people that infernal Kingdom, as some Drunkards do, that are gifted thereafter.  
The which considered, together with his other sins of idleness, epicurism, adultery, murder, his vain babbling, scurrilous jesting, wicked talking, impious swearing, atheism, and the like: (for he hath triple heads to Ce●berus, that ugly porter o● Hell) proves him the King or chiefe of sinners; as the Basilisk is called the King of Serpents. And not only shows them to be children of the Devil, as all unregenerate men are; but to be really metamorphosed into Devils: as Lot's wife was really metamorphosed into a Pillar of Salt, and Ulysses' companions into hogs and dogs; and Cadmus with his wife into Serpents, as Poets feign. Yea certainly, if the Devil would change his properties, he would put himself into the person, and appropriate to himself the very qualities of some drunken good fellow: as what think you? Is not drunkenness the root of all evil, and the rot of all good? yea is not this a sin, which turns a man wholly into sin? and as Ahab sold himself to work wickedness, so doth not the drunkard wholly dedicated, resign, surrender, and give himself up to serve sin, and Satan? his whole employment is only to drink, drab, quarrel, swear, scoff, slander, and seduce, as if to sin were his trade, and he could do nothing else. Like the Devil who was a sinner from the beginning, a sinner to the end. Yea he is sin in the abstract, as Augustine speaks. Neither is that man of sin (2 Thess 2.3.) fuller of sin then such an one; for if these be their words and actions, what think you are the secrets of their hearts? certainly if all their thoughts did but break forth into action, they would not come far short of the Devils themselves. Yea if half so much were known to man, as God knows of them: how would all drunkards hang down their heads with shame? as what strange monsters would appear? what ugly, odious, hideous fiends would represent themselves? O what swarms, what litters, what legions of noisome lusts are couched in the stinking sty of a drunkard's heart! which God only hath reserved as a prerogative royal to himself, exactly to search to the bottom, Jer. 17.9, 10.  
You may marvel at this which hath been discovered, but you would marvel much more if all should be told. As I could carry you a great way farther, and yet leave more of him before then behind. For he is like some putrid Grave, the deeper you dig, the fuller you shall find him both of stench and horror. But I am enjoined to contract him in a sheet or two of paper, lest it should cause many to make an end before they begin; as not seldom doth a little more writ, cause a great deal less to be read. Besides, he who hath a long journey to go, and but a little time allowed him, must make but short baits by the way, and cannot stand to take e●ery acquaintance he meets by the hand. And they that are to paint or print a pitched field, within the compass of a small table; can make but few soldiers whole, and complete; but are feign to set down for the most, their heads only, or their helmets.  
§ 35. Wherefore, as drunkards have seen their sin laid open; so let them now hearken to their punishment: for both by Gods, and man's Law; next after indictment and conviction, follows sentence; and after sentence is passed comes execution; if a reprieve or pardon be not sued out in the interim.  
If there be any of these Antipodes to God and his kingdom, who like Trees have rooted both head and heart into the earth, and set heaven at their heels: That have in this Treatise as in a picture taken a full view of his own horrid and detestable condition; and with Bupalus the Painter read the lively character of his odious, and deformed demeanour; and after he hath seen as in a clear Glass, the ugly face of his foul heart, with those spots and wrinkles, which otherwise he could not have espied, or confessed in himself: and further seen, how miserably Satan hath deluded him, and shall notwithstanding persever in this his brutish sensuality; and resolve against yielding; and prefer the humouring of his soul, before the saving of it; and shall think it a disparagement to repent him of his errors: and would rather obstinately continue in them, then disclaim them; so shutting his eyes that he may not see, and stopping his ears that ●e may not hear, and hardening his heart that he may not consider; presumptuously as Pharaoh did, maliciously as Cain did, desperately as Ahab did, and blasphemously as Julian did, jet him know that he shall surely perish. The reason of it is taken out of the Proverbs; an Arrow drawn out of Solomon's sententious Quiver. Read the words and tremble; A man that hardeneth his neck when he is rebuked, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy, Prov. 29.1. Yea the Lord himself saith, Prov. 1.24, 25, 26, etc. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out mine hand, and ye would not regard, but despised all my counsel: I will also laugh at your destruction, and mock when your fear cometh.  
And of this we have sundry instances; The sons of Ely would not hearken unto, nor obey the voice of their Father, why? because (saith the Text) the Lord was determined to destroy them, 1 Sam. 2.25. Their hearts must be hardened, that they may be destroyed; I know (saith the Prophet to Amaziah) that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou host done this, and host not obeyed my counsel, 2 Chron. 25.16, 20.  
O remember, I beseech you! that there is a day of account, a day of death, a day of judgement coming; wherein the Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in slaming fire, to render vengeance unto them which obey not his Gospel, and to punish them with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, 2 Thess. 1.7, 8, 9 Judas 15. at which time thou shalt hear him pronounce this fearful doom, Depart from me ye cursed, Mat. 25.41. which is an everlasting departure; not for a day, nor for years of days, nor for millions of years; but for eternity; and that from Christ, into those scorching flames of fire and brimstone, which are prepared for the Devil and his Angels.  
More particularly, consider how many woes the word of God pronounceth against drunkards. As woe to Drunkards (saith Esay) that are mighty to drink wine; and unto them that are strong to pour in strong drink; that continue drinking until the wine doth inflame them. Woe, saith Habakkuk, unto him that giveth his neighbour drink till he be drunken. Woe, saith Solomon, to them that tarry long at the wine, to them that go and seek mixed wine: Woe to his body, which is a temporal woe; woe to his soul, which is a spiritual woe; we to both body and soul, which is an eternal woe. Howle ye drunkards, saith Joe●; weep ye, saith S. James. Esay 5.22. Habakkuk 2.15. Joel 1.5. James 5.1, 5. Yea, which of God's servants hath not a woe in his mouth, to throw at this sin? and every title of this word shall be accomplished: God will one day hold the cup of vengeance to their lips, and bid them drink their fills. Yea as drunkards are Satan's Eldest sons; so they shall have a double portion of vengeance. Whereas riot in the forenoon hath been merry, in the afternoon drunk, at night gone to bed stark mad; in the morning of their resurrection, it shall rise sober into everlasting sorrow: they find not the beginning and progress so sweet, as the farewell of it shall be bitter. For as sure as God is in heaven, if they forsake not their swilling (which they are no more able to do, than they are able to eat a Rock, the Devil hath so besotted them) they shall once pay dear for it, even in a bed of unquenchable flames.  
I speak not of the many temporal judgements which God brings upon them in this life; though to mention them alone were omni-sufficient, if they thirsted not after their own ruin. As I could tell them from Levit. 26. and Deut. 28. that all curses threatened, all temporal plagues and judgements which befall men in this life, are inflicted upon them for sin, and disobedience. But I speak of those torments which are both intolerable, and interminable; which can neither be endured, nor avoided when once entered into.  
If I say you persevere in this your brutish sensuality, and will needs Dives-like, drink here without thirst; you shall thirst hereafter without drink. Yea though that fire be hot; the thirst great, and a drop of water be but a little; yet in this hot fire, and great thirst, that little drop shall be denied you, Luk. 16. For know this, that without repentance Paul will be found a true Prophet; who saith that No drunkard shall ever inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. And Esay no less, who saith that Hell enlargeth itself for drunkards, and openeth her mouth without measure; that all those may descend into it, who follow drunkenness, and prefer the pleasing of their palates; before the saving of their souls, Esay 5.11, 14. As they make their belly their God, and their shame their glory; so damnation shall be their end. Phil. 3.19. Yea their end is a damnation without end; wickedness hath but a time, but the punishment of it is beyond all time.  
Neither is the extremity of the pain, inferior to the perpetuity of it; for the pains and suffering of the damned are ten thousand times more than can be imagined by any heart as deep as the Sea; and can rather be endured then expressed. It is a death never to be painted to the life; no pen nor pencil, nor art, nor heart can comprehend it. Yea if all the Land were Paper, and all the water Ink; every Plant a Pen, and every other Creature a ready writer; yet they could not set down the least piece of the pains of Hell fire: for should we first burn off one hand, then another, after that each arm, and so all the parts of the body, it were intolerable; yet it is nothing to the burning of body and soul in Hell: should we endure ten thousand years torments in hell, it were much; but nothing to eternity: should we suffer one pain, it were enough, but if we come there, our pains for number and kinds, shall be infinitely various, as our pleasures have been here. Every sense, and member, every power and faculty, both of soul and body, shall have their several objects of wretchedness; and that without intermission, or end, or ease, or patience to endure it.  
O that I could give you but a glimpse of it! that you did but see it, to the end you might never feel it; that so you might be won, if not out of faith, yet out of fear: for certainly this were the hopefullest means of prevention; for though divers Thiefs have rob Passengers within sight of the Gallows: yet if a sinner could see but one glimpse of Hell, or be suffered to look one moment into that fiery lake, he would rather choose to die ten thousand deaths, then commit one sin. And indeed therefore are we dissolute, because we do not think what a judgement there is after our dissolution, because we make it the least, and last thing we think on. Something you have heard of it, but alas I may as well with a Coal paint out the Sun in his splendour; as with my pen, or tongue express the joys of Heaven (which they willingly part withal) or those torments of Hell (which they strive to purchase:) for as one said, that nothing but the eloquence of Tully, could sufficiently set forth Tully's eloquence: so none can express those everlasting torments, but he that is from everlasting to everlasting. And should either man or Angel go about the work, when (with that Philosopher) he had taken a sevennights' time to consider of it; he might ask a fortnight more, and at the fortnight's end, a month more; and be at his wits end at the world's end, before he could make a satisfying answer, other then his was, that the longer he thought of it, the more difficult he found it. Alas the pain of the body, is but the body of pain; the anguish of the soul, is the soul of anguish.  
But to be everlastingly in hell, to lie for ever in a bed of quenchless flames, is not all: for as thy sins have exceeded, so shall thy sufferings exceed. As thou hast had a double portion of sin, to other men here, so thou shalt have a double portion of torment to them hereafter. The number and measure of Torments, shall be according to the multitude and magnitude of offences: mighty sinners shall be mightily punished. For God will reward every man according to his works, Rev. 20.12, 13. and 22.12. As our works are better or worse; so shall our joys in heaven, our pains in hell be more or less. As every one hath been more wicked, so he shall be more wretched. Capernaum exceeding Sodom and Gomorrah in sin, shall feel also an excess of punishment. And the wilful servant shall receive more stripes than the ignorant, Luke 12.47, 48. Matth. 10 15. Which being so, viz. that every man shall be punished according to merit; what will become of thee? surely thy sins are so prodigious, that they scorn any proportion, under a whole volume of plagues. If thou wilt see the particular circumstances, which greaten, aggravate, and add weight to thy sins, and make them above measure sinful; turn to pag. 465. in the Drunkard's Character, and read to the 142 Section. Or in case thou objectest, that God is merciful, and that the Thief was heard by our Saviour at the last hour; read the answer to that Plea, from pag. 542. to the 154. Section, for I cannot stand upon them here.  
Neither let drunkards ever hope to escape this punishment, except in due time they forsake this sin; for if every transgression without repentance, deserves the wages of death eternal, as a just recompense of reward, Heb. 2.2. Rom. 6.23. how much more this accursed, and damnable sin of drunkenness? which both causeth, and is attended upon, by almost all other sins, ashath been proved.  
§ 36. And yet if thou canst after all this, but truly repent, and lay hold upon Christ by a lively faith; which ever manifesteth itself by the fruits of a godly life and conversation: know withal that though thy sins have been never so many for multitude, never so great for magnitude; God is very ready to forgive them; and this I can assure thee of; yea I can show thee thy pardon from the great King of Heaven for all that is past: the Tenure whereof is, Let the wick●d forsake his ways, and the unrighteous his own imaginati●us, and turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon, Isa. 55.7. And that we should not doubt of this, he redoubles the promise, Ezek. 18. and confirms the same with an oath, chap. 33.11. Yea sins upon repentance, are so remitted, as if they had never been committed; I have put away thy transgression as a cloud, and thy sins as a mist. Esay 44.22. and what by corruption hath been done, by repentance is undone, as abundance of examples witness. He pardoned David's adultery, Solomon's Idolatry, Peter's Apostasy; Paul did not only deny Christ, but persecuted him in his members as thou dost; yet he obtained mercy upon his repentance. Yea amongst the worst of God's enemies, some are singled out for mercy; witness Manasses, Mary Magdalen, the Thief, etc. many of the Jews did not only deny Christ, the holy one and the just, but crucified him: yet were they pricked in heart at Peter's Sermon, gladly received the word, and were baptised, Acts 2.41.  
Yea I can show thee this very case in a precedent, 1 Cor. 6.10, 11. where ●●e read of certain Corinthians, that had been given to this sin of drunkenness: ●ho upon their repentance, were both washed, sanctified, and justified. And S. Ambrose tells of one, that being a spectacle of drunkenness; proved after his conversion, a pattern of sobriety. Yea know this, that God's mercy is greater than thy sin, what ever it be: thou canst not be so infinite in sinning, as he is infinite in pardoning if thou repent. Let us change our sins, and God will change his sentence. The seed of the Woman, is able to bruise this Serpent's head. Wherefore if you prefer not hell to heaven; abandon this vice.  
But withal know, that if it shall come to pass, that the drunkard (when he heareth the words of this curse, namely these threaten before rehearsed) shall Pharaoh-like harden his heart, and bless himself in his wickedness, saying, I shall have peace, although I walk according to the stubbornness of mine own ●eart; so adding drunkenness to thirst: the Lord will not be merciful to that man, ●ut then his wrath and jealousy shall smoak against him; and every curse that is ●ritten in his law shall light upon him; and the Lord shall put out his name from under heaven; as himself speaks Deut. 29.19, 20. which chapter, together with the former, I wish thee to read, if thou wilt know thyself, and foreknow thy judgement.  
§ 37. But will some Titormus say, being it may be stronger to drink, and aller to tipple, than Milo himself was to eat; who devoured a whole Ox at a meal, as Poets pretend) I was never so gone yet, but I knew th● way home, I could tell what I did, what I said, etc. Yea no man ever sa● me so much as wheel in the streets; I am therefore no drunkard, neither d● these threats appertain to me.  
To whom I answer; Perhaps thou art no drunkard in thine own, or th● world's account; but in God's account, (whose Law extends even to the hea●● and affections, Mat. 5.28.) he is one that is mighty to drink wine, and of strength to pour down strong drink. Esay 5.22. He that goes often to the drink, or tha● tarriteth too long as it; Prov. 23.30. He that will be drawn to the Tavern● or Alehouse by every idle solicitor, and there be detained whole hours i● drinking against his stomach and constitution of body, against his judgement, the checks of his own conscience, the motions of God's spirit, the ea●nes● dehortation of his godly friends, and many woes to the contrary: to the spending of his money, wasting of his precious time, neglect of his calling, abusing 〈◊〉 the creatures, (which thousands better than he want) wounding of his go●● name, impairing of his health, prejudice of his peace, discredit of the Gospel, an● professors thereof; the stumbling of weak ones, the encouraging of indifferent and unresolved ones; the fore-staling, and hardening of his associates, and all other enemies who know, or hear of it. Briefly, he that drinks more fo● lust, or pride, or covetousness, or fear, or good fellowship, or to drive awa● time, or to still conscience, then for thirst, is a drunkard in Solomon's dialect● he is the party to whom those many Woes before rehearsed do belong. Fo● drink is not only abused, when it turns up a man's heels, and makes th● house turn round: but when it steals away the affections so fare, tha● a man can neither buy, nor sell, nor meet any friend, or customer, bu● strait to the Tavern, or Alehouse. Perhaps six times in a day, as is th● common but base custom of most Tradesmen. And what ever they think 〈◊〉 if I have any skill in scripture, they are to be ranked with drunkards. A● for those that truly fear God, though they may use their Christian liberty, and sometimes drink a little for delight; yet ordinarily they drink a● other creatures drink, only to satisfy and quench their thirst. Nor can those formal and titular Christians deny, but in cases of this nature, things are rather measured by the intention, and affection of the doer, then by the issue and event. And why should not a man be deemed a drunkard for his immoderate, and inordinate affection to drink or drunken Company; as well as an adulterer for the like affection to his neighbour's wife, Mat. 5.28? And so much of the reward and punishment of this sin.  
§ 38. I should now proceed to the remedies, at least if there were hope of reclaiming them; but to speak ingenuously, I never intended it for their sakes; as considering that habituated drunkards, will be sure to turn their backs upon this bright shining truth, Jer. 38.15 Sore eyes cannot abide the light of the Sun; nor Bankrupts, of their Counting books; nor deformed faces, of the Looking-glass, as our Saviour shows, John 3.19, 20, 21.  
Neither had Satan any brains, if he s●ou●d suffer them. A Falconer, you know, will carry divers Hawks hooded quietly; which he could not do if they had the use of their sight; or admit they should read it, I have not the least hope of their yielding: for these lines to them, would be but as so many characters written in the water, which leave no impression behind them, James 1.23, 24. 2 Kings 8.12, to 16. Prov. 23.35. Nor will all the water in the Sea, make one of these Black moors white. The drunkard hath been too long sick of this disease to be recovered. Besides, it is a sin that increaseth with age; a Gamester will hold out so long as his purse lasts; an Adulterer so long as his loins last; but a Drunkard so long as his lungs and life lasts. It is like a desperate Plague that knows no cure. It may be called the King's Evil of the soul, that none except God himself can heal: whence Augustine compares it to the pit of Hell, out of which there is no hope of redemption. I speak of drunkards, not of one drunken; (such who rarely and casually have Noah-like been surprised, and overtaken at unawares) but once a custom, and ever a necessity. As for instance, let them be told by any minister the heinousness of this sin, and what a fearful reckoning of vengeance will come in the end; it is to no more purpose, then if he should speak to lifeless stones, or senseless plants, or witless beasts. For they will never fear any thing, till they be in Hell fire. They have no faith in the Scriptures, they will not believe what is written, therefore they shall feel what is written.  
Or secondly, let God send never so heavy judgements upon the land; as Plague, Famine, War, or the like; these warped, wicked, wretched men, neither fear, nor cease to roar, drink, drab, swear, etc. so little are they moved with God's displeasure, and those grievous judgements. Yea when the fire of God's wrath is kindled amongst us for their sakes; they do but warm themselves at the flame, even sinning so much the more freely, and merrily: even living as if they were neither beholding to God, nor afraid of him; both out of his debt and danger. Yea as if the judgement were not only welcome unto them, but they would fall to courting of their own destruction: as if with Calanus, they hated to die a natural death.  
Yea thirdly, suppose the Drunkard hath every day purposes to forsake his sin; suppose he strives against it; yea detests and bewails it in himself, and others; and thereupon indents with himself and his friends for the relinquishing of it: yet let him but meet with a companion that holds but up his finger; he follows him as a fool to the stocks, and as a Ox to the slaughter-house: having no power to withstand the temptation; but in he goes with him to the tippling house, and there he continues as one bewitched, or conjured with a Spell; out of which he returns not, till he hath emptied his purse of money, his head of ●eason, and his heart of all his former seeming grace. O this is a difficult Devil to be cast out! and I wish men would beware of it in time; for when a man is once possessed with this evil spirit, a drunken Devil; it is a miracle if ever he become his own man after. And indeed it is much to be feared, that the Lord hath done by them, as by Jeremiah; he threatneth the Babylonians, even given them over to a perpetual drunkenness, Jer. 51.39. And is it not just with God that he who will put out his natural light, should have his spiritual extinguished? he that will deprive himself of reason, should lose also the guide, and pilot of reason God's spirit, and grace? he that will wittingly and willingly make himself an habitation of unclean spirits, should not dispossess them at his pleasure?  
Alas the flesh, unto them that shall perish, will be stronger than all my reasons. The sound of the pot with them, will drown all reprehension, all admonition. They will rather be confounded then reform; and nothing will confute them, but fire and brimstone.  
All those beasts which went into the Ark unclean, came likewise out unclean: and a brute Beast is as capable of good counsel, as a drunkard once become a scorner: yea as Basil speaks, we were as good round a dead man in the ear, as admonish a drunkard. And indeed he is dead in sin, (only his sin is alive;) and not only dead as Jairus daughter was, Mat. 9.25. nor only dead, laid out, and coffined, as the Widows sone of Naum was, Luke 7.14. but even dead, coffined, and buried, with a Stone upon the Graves mouth to keep him in, by reason of long custom, as Lazarus was, John 11.39. even till he stinks in the nostrils of God, and all good men. And what rubbing can fetch heat in such a dead body? as appears by the exemples of Pharaod, Exod. 7. chap. to 14. The Sodomites, Gen. 19 Hazael, 2 Kings 8.12, to 16. Ahab, 1 Kings 22.16, to 53. Balaam, Num. 22.30. etc. The Scribes and Pharisees, Mat. 27.51, etc. Prov. 27.22, etc. Yea to expect that this unmasking their faces, should humble and reclaim them; were to imitate the Fool, that carried his saddle to shame his horse; or to tell them what is denounced in the Word against this sin, were almost as ridiculous, as that Ceremony which the Mahometans use, of flinging stones to stone the Devil with. Wherefore I have no other message to deliver unto such an one, then that which the vigilant Captain delivered, together with a death's wound to his sleeping Watchman, Dead I found thee, and dead I leave thee.  
Only thou O Father, (to whom nothing is hard) if it be thy good pleasure, (as why not? seeing it will make much for the glory of thy great name, to save such a mighty sinner; who Manasses-like, hath multiplied offences above the number of the sand of the Sea; and is bound down with many iron bands) say unto his soul, Live: It is true, thy angry threatening toward sinners is importable; but thy merciful promise, is unmeasurable, and unsearchable: Thou therefore that art able to quicken the dead, and make even of Stones, children to Abraham, mollify these stony and dead hearts with the blood of the Lamb; and make of these children of the Devil, members of thy son Jesus Christ.  
§ 39 But here some hastily, (peradventure over hastily) will say; this is a strange course, to discourse against drunkenness; when you have no expectation that drunkards should give it the hearing. For, as Christ said, They that are whole need not the Physician, but they that are sick.  
To which I answer; what though these deaf Adders will not be charmed? (as that music loseth both its sound and grace, which is bestowed upon the deaf.) What though none of this herd of habituated drunkards will be cured? yet some young ones may be deterred, some Novices reclaimed, some Parents, Masters, and Magistrates awakened, to prevent and suppress the spreading of this Gangrene: and we are no less commanded to used the means. I have done it also for their sakes, who are not yet infected with this drunken good fellowship, to increase their detestation of evil company, and that the others purpose may be infatuated. For vices true picture makes us vice detest. And what though every plant that is watered, proveth not fruitful? yet if God (who it may be hath bidden me speak) but accompany his Word to the hearts of some; if but a few, if but one be persuaded, in stead of loving this vice, to hate it; the labour is not in vain, the gain of one soul, is greater than the Indies.  
Now Physicians say, if the Disease be once known, the Cure is half done. Here you have drunkenness disapparelled of her robes, and her face so unvailed, that possibly the sight of it may cause such a loathing, and that loathing, such a forsaking; that hundreds of others may both know, abhor, and beware their allurements; strive against the sin, eat all occasions of it, bewail their cases that are led captive to it; neglect their censures, labour their recovery, and pray for their salvation.  
§ 40. Now if any of them shall ask, how they may use and apply this remedy for their best advantage? I answer, upon every occasion let them examine what the drunkard (herein set forth) does; an● do the contrary: for he is the most sober and honest man, that resembles this drunkard least. Do but con this lesson, 'tis enough. Nevertheless, lest I should imitate those, who kindle a fire under green wood, and leave it so soon as it gins to flame; read also Complete Armour against evil Society: for as in this Treatise, I have showed what drunkards do, so in that I have showed them, and others what they should do.  
Only I will add a word of advice; If any would escape this snare of the Devil, and Drunkards: let them have a special care, to refrain the company of this drunken rout, Prov. 23.20. who not only make a sport of drunkenness, but delight also to make others drunk.  
There are some Vices of that nature, that they cannot be vanquished, but by avoiding, 1 Cor. 6.18. such is this: bid a man consort a while with Drunkards, and departed from them innocent; you may as well put a match to dry powder, and forbidden it to take fire. It is not sat to commit a little Wherry to the Seas violence. A stick that hath once been in the fire, will soon take fire again; and corruption, like a candle new put out, is soon ●ighted again: if Satan but blow upon it, the own heat is enough to inflame it. It is not safe venturing into evil company, in confidence of our own strength; no more than it is to consort with Cheaters in hope that they will not consen us. They were emingled among the Heathen (saith the Psalmist,) and what follows? they learned their works, Psal. 106.35. Yea how soon was Peter himself changed, with but coming into the High-priests Hall? Nor had he ever denied, and forsworn his Master, if he had not been in company with Christ's enemies. Nor had David ever so dissembled, if he had not been among the Philistims. Which made him say, so soon as he had considered it, Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity, for I will keep the commandments of my God, Psal. 119.115. As knowing that the one could not be without the other. And indeed it is rare, if with Peter w● deny not Christ in Caiaphas his house: with Solomon we shall find it hard having the Egyptian without her Idols. Yea how many thousand of these drunkards have confessed at the Gallows: I had never come to this, but for evil company which drew me to these courses? And indeed, why do we pray not to be led into temptation; if we lead ourselves into temptation? if we will not keep ourselves from the occasion, God will not keep us from the sin: and if God do not keep us, we cannot be kept; we cannot, we will not choose but fall. Wherefore as Joseph no sooner heard his Mistress say, come let us lie together, but he left her and fled away; so if you but hear good fellows say, come let us drink together, be sure to leave them, though without taking your leave of them. Satan and his instruments like a flattering Host, may promise good cheer, but the reckoning pays for all; and he that compares the welcome with the farewell, shall find he had better have fasted; for if we swallow the bait, the hook will choke us. Wherefore be as wary, and as wife as a Serpent, to keep out, or at least to get out of their company; but as innocent as a Dove if it be possible, while thou art in i● and canst not choose. Remembering always, that they are but the Devil's deputies; yea human Devils, as once our Saviour called Peter (being instrumental to Satan) Satan himself, Mat. 16.23. Change no words with them, for there is no disputing with Satan or his Agents; as you may see by his success in Paradise; when he so easily persuaded Eve by himself, and Adam by her; to believe what he spoke, though they had heard God himself say the contrary immediately before. When Castles once come to a parley, there is great fear they will yield, and Gates that are always open, will sometimes admit an enemy.  
Neither will the complaint of our first parents be taken for a good answer, or plea another day, it will be fruitless to say such and such a friend deceived me: Eve was persuaded by the Serpent to eat the forbidden fruit, and Adam by Eve; yet each had a several curse; both tempters, and tempted.  
§ 41. Now by observing, or not observing this rule; it will appear whether there be any hope of thy holding out, for all depends upon this; yea could the most infatuated, habituated, incorrigible, cauterised drunkard, that is even dead in this sin; but forsake his ill company, I should not once doubt of his recovery; for do but drive away these unclean birds from the Carcase, a million to amity, the Lord may be pleased to breath into his nostrils again, the breath of life, and he become a living soul. O that all drunkards were driven to the Barbadoss, there to drink water and work, until some divine Ulysses could procure them their reason, and persuade ●hem once again to become men, sober men, yea sound Christians: so ●hould our Nation flourish again, and be better provided with honest men ●or places of trust, both in Church and State, than now it is, where so few have public spirits, and prove faithful. And what justerpunishment can there ●e devised, then that they shall be debarred both of the blood of the Grape, ●nd the spirit of Barley; for consuming the Country's fat? Were not ●leare Rocke-water good enough for such Gormondizers? Or if authority ●hinkes not this fit; I could wish there were Pesthouses provided for them ●n all places, as there are for infected persons. Or that they were put by themselves in some City, (if any were big enough to receive them all) as Philip King of Macedon, built a City of purpose; and peopled it with the most wicked, graceless, and irregular persons of all his subjects; and ha●ing so done, called it Poneropolis, that is, the City of wicked persons.  
And certainly if it were well considered, how many of these Brokers of cillany, which live only upon the spoils of young hopes, every populous ●lace affords: and what evil they do by their seducing some, and giving ill examples to others, by devouring the good Creatures of God which they ne●er sweat for, by disturbing the peace of Church and Commonwealth, by ●ulling down heavy judgements upon the Land, and considering the little good they do (being as so many lose Teeth in the mandable of the Commonwealth, which were better out then in) and what small hope there is ●f their amendment, if any at all: the like means of prevention would ●e thought profitable for our times. I do not wish them stoned to death, as God commanded such rioters, and drunkards to be, under the Law, Deut. 21.20, 21. Nor bamshed the Land, as the Romans did all vicious, and voluptuous persons, that the rest might not be endangered. And Lycurgus all inventors of new fashions, lest these things should effeminate all their young men: for than I fear the land would be much unpeopled. And so much for ●he avoiding of drunken company.  
§ 42. Secondly, be careful to abstain from drinking places, which are e●en the nurseries of all riot, excess, and idleness; making our land another Sodom, and furnishing yearly our Jails, and Gallows. Far be it from me to ●lame a good calling, to accuse the innocent in that calling; I know the Lord ●ath many in the world in these houses; but sure I am, too many of them ●re even the dens, and shops, yea the thrones of Satan; very sinks of sin, which like so many common-shoares, or receptacles, refuse not to welcome, ●nd encourage any in the most loathsome pollutions they are able to invent, ●nd put in practice.  
Who if there were any hope of prevailing, would be minded of their wickedness, in entertaining into their houses, encouraging, and complying with ●hese Traitors against God; and of their danger in suffering so much impiety, to rest within their Gates. For if one sin of Theft, or of perjury is enough to rot the Rafters, to grind the stones, to level the walls, and roof of any house, with the ground, as is laid down Zach. 5.4. what are the oaths, the lies, the thefts, the whoredoms, the murders, the numberless, and nameless abominations, that are committed there? But should I speak to these, I should but speed as Paul at Ephesus; I should be cried down with Great is Diana, after some one Demetrius had told the rest of this occupation, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Surely if fear of having their Signs pulled down, their licenses called in, &c. cannot prevail, it little boots me to speak.  
§ 43. Only to you Churchwardens, Constables, and other Officers, that love the Lord, the Church, the State, yourselves, and people; Help the Lord, the King and his Laws, against this mighty sin; present it, indict it, smite it, every one shoot at it as a common enemy, do what you can to suppress and prevent it.  
Tell me not he is a friend, a gentleman, such an one's kinsman that offends, for he is better, and greater, and nearer to you, that is offended. Learn to fear, to love, and obey your Maker, and Saviour, your Sovereign and Protector. Yea learn this Norman distinction; when William the first, censured one that was both Bishop of Bajeux, and Earl of Kent; his Apology to the plaintiff popeling was, that he meddled not with the Bishop, but the Earl do you the like, let the gentleman escape, but stock the drunkard; meddle not with your friend, and kinsman, but for all that pay the drunkard, and make his Host pay that suffers him to be drunk. O● if you do not to your power, you shall have Ahabs' wages, his faults shall be beaten upon your backs. 1 King. 20.42.  
§ 44. But most of all are they to be desired, who are within the commission of Peace in God's name, whose servants they profess themselves to be, to remember him, themselves, their country, their oaths, and to bend their strength and power against this manyheaded Monster; that they will purge their Country, much more their own houses, of this pernicious and viperous brood. Yea if there be any love of God, any hatred of sin, any zeal, any courage, any conscience of an oath: away with drunkenness out of your Houses, Towns, Liberties; balk none, bear with none that offend: say they be poor in whose houses the sin is practised; it is better one or two should lose their gain, than Towns of men should lose their wits, their wealths, their souls. O beloved, did you hear, and see, and smell, and know, what is done in some one Tavern, or Alehouse (hell-house I might call it) in this land; you would wonder that the earth could bear the house, or the Sun endure to look upon it. But alas how many of these Houses be there in some one Town? how many of these Towns in some one Shire, and so upward?  
You often complain of Bastardies, Sheep stealers, robbers, quarrellers, and the like, will you be eased of these diseases? believe it, these gather into the Alehouse, as the humours do into the stomach against an Ague fit; take them there, drive them thence, with some strong physic; and you heal our land at once of infinite distempers.  
Here I might also mind you, of most prisons: Just Lot was vexed with the uncleanly conversation of his wicked neighbours; Sodom was worse than a Jail, to his righteous soul; and report lies, if our Jails be not much like to Sodom; the very dens of mischief, the schools of wickedness; a malefactor, or broken Shopkeeper, learns more villainy there, then ever he knew before. Drunkenness, and blasphemy, usurp the places of Mortification and Humility, though most unfit it should be so.  
Such as would know more of this, and other subjects more serious; let them read Sin Stigmatised, from which I have plucked this, as a Bunch of Grapes from a large Vine.   

POSTSCRIPT.  
THE Spartans' and Lacedæmonians, used to show their Slaves in their drunkenness unto their children, thinking that their ugly deformity both in body and mind, would be an effectual argument to make them loathe this vice, which even at the first view seemed so horrid. The Persians and Parthians also, to the same end kept always in their houses the like ugly, and deformed descriptions lively painted out; and found it by experience, the most operative and effectual course to keep theirs from excess. And nothing, as Anacharsis holds, will sooner reclaim a man from Drunkenness, than the seeing and remembering of a drunkards odious condition, and beastly behaviour.  
Would we then that are Christians have our children and servants decline this bewitching, besotting, infectious, and incurable sin; this wasteful, insatiable, unreasonable, unnatural sin; this base, brutish, atheistical, execrable, prodigious, and infernal sin; this transcendent sin, which is the cause of all other sins; yea a confluence or collection of every sin; even turning a man wholly into sin: this sin that is the Funeral of all a man's good parts, and indisposeth him to all grace and godliness; yea to all the means thereof? 〈◊〉 use we them, and that often, to read over in our families, this description of a drunkard: and for aught we know, ours and after generations, may by God's blessing, be less enamoured with this loathsome, and worse than beastly abomination.  
FINIS.   

Imprimatur  
John Downam.