The Amendment of Life, Book 2 · Chapter 16
Of Dronkenneſſe. Chap. 16
NOw will wee particularly ſpeake of the two principall kinds of voluptuouſneſſe, namely, dronkenneſſe and fornication. As concerning dronkenneſſe, it is an ancient and pe…tious vice, deeply rooted in ſome, and in ſome countries almoſt paſt remedy. The Grecians in old time were noted to bee mightily giuen therto, and forced each other to drinke by a certaine meaſure,Plutarch in the banquet of the 7. ſages. as Plutarch noteth, alleadging to that purpoſe the authority of Homer, yea, they woulde hauehave no companie wyth thoſe that woulde not frame themſelues thereto, and thereof grew the prouerbe, which to this daie in theyr ſpeech ſignifieth, Either drinke, or be gone. Plinie writeth, that in his time dronkenneſſe bare ſuch ſwaie in Italy,Plut. Simp. l. 4. 5. 6 that they would force theyr mares vnreaſonablye to drinke wine. Which is worſe, the Tartarians, Perſians, and Grecians in theyr principall triumphs dyd celebrate dronkenneſſe, Mithridates preſumed to propound a reward to him that coulde drinke moſt, and carrie it awaie when hee had ouercome the reſt in drinking. Theſe examples do ſhew, that the older that dronkenneſſe is, the more hauehave men beene euermore inclined thereunto, and conſequently, doo admoniſh vsus to beware thereof, yea, this exceſsiue diſorder that hath taken ſuch hold of diuers, ſhould teach vsus both to abhorre and in time to reſiſt this corruption, leaſt by degrees we climbe to the tipe of all iniquitie.
2 Neither is this dronkenneſſe anie whit diminiſhed in theſe daies among ſundrie nations, that beare the title of Chriſtians. Some doo not thinke their gueſts ſufficiently entertained, vntyll they hauehave forced them to drinke themſelues dronke. Of this valiancie and victorie do ſome greatly vaunt, boaſting that they can drinke much, and make their fellowes dronke. In ſome places ſo extreme is the exces, that he which is not diſpoſed to be as dronke as others, muſt ſhun certaine companies. See wee not, euen among thoſe that profeſſe the reformed religion (I cannot report it without ſhame and confuſion) that ſome wil hauehave their glaſſes without feet, to the end there be no waie to ſet them downe vntill all bee dronke? Others, who in ſtead of a foote, will hauehave a bell, that in ringing therof they may teſtifie their valiancie in drinking off all? Others that proceed farther, and in ſtead of a bel hauehave a die cloſed in it, wherewith to binde either himſelfe to drinke againe, or his neighbours, according to the number of the prickes thereof. A moſt deuilliſh inuention, whereby by the hazard applied to dronkennes, to prophane Gods prouidence, and the vſe of wine, a moſt excellent creature. Other curſed inuentions there are, wherewith to binde men to drinke before they thirſt, euen to dronkennes.
3 Yet are the inconueniences that therof doo inſue ſo apparant and griueous, and ſo noted euen by the heathen, that it is wonderfull that Chriſtians ſhould not vtterly abhorre it.Xenoph. in his firſt booke of the inſtit. of Cyrus. When Aſtiages, father in law to Cyrus, asked him why he refuſed to drinke a cup of wine that was offered him, he anſwered: Becauſe I tooke it to bee poiſon: for this other day at a feaſt that thou madeſt to thy frinds, I ſawe that euerie one that drunke of it ſoone after decaied both in bodie and minde, as hauing loſt both ſenſe and vnderſtanding. The ſame did a Lacedemonian note, who beeing demanded why the Lacedemonians drunke ſo ſoberly.Plut. in his Lacon. Apo. To the end, ſaid he, that others ſhould not ſeeke or take counſell for vsus, but wee rather for them: thereby ſhewing, that exceſſe of wine ſo weakneth mans vnderſtanding, that he is vnfit either to giuegive or aske counſell. And in truth there is no vice more repugnant to mans creation, who is endued with vnderſtanding and reaſon: for as by reaſon he is diſcerned from a bruite beaſt, ſo when wine depriueth him of his vnderſtanding and reaſon, it depriueth man of man, and placeth him in the degree of beaſts: and this is well noted in the common prouerbe, That there is ape dronke, hogge dronke, and lyon dronke. For as experience teacheth, ſome beeing dronke, doo growe lyke apes, full of follyes and toyes, ſome doo fall on ſleepe, and wallowe in theyr dennes lyke hogges: and ſome doo fall into quarrelling, brauling, and fighting, therein imitating the cruell nature of lyons. And therefore it were but a iuſt iudgement of God, if beaſts that drink to quench their thirſt, were conuerted into men, and men that drinke ſo farre aboue theyr thyrſt,Seneca in his 84. Ep. to Lucil. as to drowne theyr reaſon, were turned & conuerted into beaſtes. What is dronkenneſſe, ſayth Seneca, other than a voluntarie madneſſe? If thou couldeſt lengthen the eſtate of a dronken man into diuerſe daies, the world would iudge him to bee a foole or a mad man: Such as looſe theyr wits or reaſon by ſickneſſe or anie other inconuenience, are worthie of compaſsion, but the drunkard is the more abhominable, becauſe hee voluntarily depriueth himſelfe of his wits, and wittingly taketh vppon him the perſon of a beaſt and a madde man. And to this purpoſe, ſayth Plutarch, that eueryevery honeſt man that bluſheth and is aſhamed of villanous & infamous actions, muſt beware of dronkenneſſe. For, as ſome ſaie, Choler is in like degree as rage and furie, but dronkenneſſe lodgeth and dwelleth therewith, or rather is furie it ſelfe: leſſe in continuance, but more grieu…us in action, becauſe it is voluntarie, and of our ſelues without compulſion we runne into it.
4 This loſſe of reaſon and vnderſtanding,Plut. of babling & in his Simpoſ. Diſ. 3 engendered by dronkennes, appeareth in many in apiſh behauiour, as is aforeſayde, by fooliſh wordes, and other vanities. In proofe heereof doth Plutarch alleadge this ſaying of Homer: Such is the ſtrength of wine, that it diſtracteth the wiſe man, it maketh the graueſt perſonages to ſing, laugh, toy, and daunce, and to reueale the things which he ſhould eſpeciallye conceale. Where Herodotus doeth ſaie, that wordes ſwimme vponupon wine, hee meaneth, that wine maintaineth pratling, as water beareth vp the bodie that ſwimmeth. This difference doth Plutarch make betweene a pratler and a dronken man, that the one ſpeaketh fooliſhly at the table, and the other in euerie place, yet doth not the dronken mans fooliſh and vaine pratling laſt while he is onelyonly at the table, but ſo long as the wine ſumeth in his head: yea ſometimes it is ſo troubleſome, importunate, and noiſome, that it is an intollerable burthen to bee forced to heare and to aunſwere thereto. And the ſame doeth Plutarch verie fitly note, ſaying: If a dronken man come to viſite a ſicke man, hee troubleth him more than his ſickneſſe. If hee bee in a ſhippe, hee more anoyeth the paſſengers than the ſalte water:Horace in his Odes. his praiſe of anie man is farre more cumberſome than his diſprayſe.
5 In dronkenneſſe reſteth alſo this other folly aboue mentioned, namely, the reuealing of ſecretes. And of this doth ordinarie experience giuegive vsus a note in many at all times.Horace in his Odes. Horace ſayth, that pleaſant wine reuealeth ſecret counſels. The common prouerbe, In wine is truth, ſpeaketh more generally, and is confirmed by this other olde prouerbe, That which the ſober man thinketh, the dronken man ſpeaketh. And in this ſenſe, ſaith an ancient Philoſopher, Children,Plut. of pratling. Eraſmus in his Chiliads. Cicero in the Topicks. Plut. in in his Simpoſ. Diſp. l. 3. fooles, and dronkardes tell truth. And Cicero, among ſuch things as tend to procure credit when a man ſpeaketh truth without diſsimulation or lying, placeth childhood, dreames, impudencie, folly, and dronkenneſſe. And therefore ſayth an auncient wiſe man, there need no torment to procure confeſsion of the truth, for it may with greater facilitie and more certaintie bee gotten by wine.
6 There is alſo Lion dronke, as is aforeſayde, and experience teacheth, that of dronkenneſſe many times ariſe quarrelles, ſtrife, brauling, iniurie, murther, and other lyke inconueniences. Wine, ſayeth Selomon,Prou. 20.1 Plut. of pratling. Auguſt. to a holy virgin. Seneca in his 84. Ep. to Lucill. is a mocker, and ſtrong drinke is raging, and hee that is wiſe will take no pleaſure therein. Dronkenneſſe (ſayth Plutarch) is a paſsion full of tumult, deuoyde of ſenſe and reaſon. Many (ſayth Auguſtine) tranſported with wine, hauehave committed moſt wicked and deteſtable murthers. The example of great Alexander is notable, who in his dronkenneſſe ſlew Clytus, one of his deereſt and moſt faithfull ſeruants, which when he knew, hauing diſgeſted his wine, hee woulde hauehave died for ſorrow. Heereto may wee referre that notable ſaying of Pythagoras, that the vine yeeldeth three grapes, the one of pleaſure, the ſecond of dronkenneſſe, and the laſt of outrage: is alſo the ſaying of Anacharſis, that the firſt draught is for thirſt, the ſecond for ſuſtenance, the third for pleaſure, and the fourth ingendereth wrath. And (which is more) the dronken man is a lyon to himſelfe, in that hee iniureth and waſteth both his bodie and his goods.Baſ. Ser. againſt Dronkards. It is maruell, ſayeth Baſil, that the bodyes of dronkardes, beeing by nature of earth, beeing ſo moiſtned, do not diſſolue into claie and morter.Plut. Sim. diſ. li. 3.4.5 Auguſt. to a holy virgin. To ſuch men (ſayth hee) the ſoule is but ſalt to preſerue the bodie for a time from rotting. Dronkardes (ſayth Plutarch) doo ſoone wax olde, balde, and graie before theyr time. As Alexander, the conqueror of ſo many kingdomes was ouercome by wine,Seneca in his 84. Ep. to Lucil. ſo many townes long time beſieged, hauehave beene taken and burned while the watch men hauehave beene dronke and a ſleepe. Seneca ſpeaketh more largely, What calamities, ſaith hee, hauehave growen of dronkenneſſe? By her hauehave ſtrong and moſt warlyke people beene deliuered to theyr enemies: by it hauehave townes, that hauehave long helde out agaynſt the enemie, beene opened and taken: by it hauehave whole Nations,Iuſt. l. 1 that obſtinately hauehave reiected the yoake of dominion of others, bene ſubdued. To be ſhort, ſuch as in warre hauehave bene inuinſible, hauehave by wine bene ouercome. Iuſtine propoundeth a notable example in the Scithians, of whome he ſaith, that they were ouercome firſt by wine, then by wepons. Neither are we to maruel that it commeth ſo to paſſe, for the dronkard peruerteth all that hee gouerneth, hee maketh his bodie to reele & he along, he ſtoppeth and reuerſeth the principall actions of his ſoule, he drowneth the ſhippe that he guideth, he ouerthroweth the chariot that hee driueth, he looſeth the army that hee leadeth, but, which is the fulneſſe of his miſhap, by dronkennes, becomming twice a childe, hee reiecteth the gouernment of others, but chiefely the couenant of God, and ſo caſteth himſelf headlong into ruine and euerlaſting damnation.
7 As Ieſus Chriſt admoniſheth vsus to amend our liues, ſo truely ſhoulde the conſideration of the premiſes moue vsus to ſhunne this accurſed dronkenneſſe, as a peſtilence, as Aeſchilus in old time called it. But eſpecially the remembrance of the ſpirituall dangers, miſchiefes, and inconueniences, euen of euerlaſting death: the fruites of this dronkenneſſe ought mightily to mooue our heartes wholly to renounce it. Firſt, as there is no exerciſe more profitable for the children of God, for theyr ſaluation, or wherein God is greatlyer glorified, than in prayer, thankeſgiuing, and praiſes to the Lord: ſo is there nothing that ſooner quencheth the vſe of the ſame, than dronkenneſſe. Alſo, if ordinarie ſobrietie, yea, euen extraordinarie faſting bee ſometimes requiſite in praier, that wee may bee the better diſpoſed thereunto: what can the dronkardes praiers bee, but either none, or meere mockeries? And how ſhall we reade Gods worde, or heare anie ſermon, when our heads are fraught with wine or ſtrong drinke? Againe, if the ſober doe many times fal on ſleep therat, what are we to expect of the dronkard but brutiſh ſluggiſhneſſe, which depriueth him of all profite by the word of God? And is there anie greater miſerie, than voluntarilie to depriue our ſelues of the fruite of praier & Gods word? When the Secretarie or Counſeller is to conferre with his prince about matters of great waight or importance, ſhal he make himſelfe dronke, or come dronke into his maſters preſence? If wee ought dayly to praie vntounto almightie God, and by reading, (wherein truely conſiſteth and dependeth mannes great felicitie) heare him ſpeaking vntounto vsus, doo not wee when we are dronke, depriue our ſelues of this ſo familiar, profitable, and moſt comfortable communication with God?
8 Againe, how can a man that is giuen to dronkennes, imploy him ſelfe in his vocation? It is not for kings, O Lemuel, ſayde his mother vntounto him,Prouer. 31.4 It is not for kings to drinke wine, nor for princes ſtrong drinke, leaſt hee drinke and forget the decree, and chaunge the iudgement of all the children of affliction. And in that conſideration the holy Apoſtle Saint Paul ordayneth,1. Tim. 3 3.8 Tit. 1.7 Leuit. 10.9 Num. 6.3 Eſay 5.11 that Biſhoppes, Elders and Deacons, ſhould not bee giuen to wine, to the ende the better to diſcharge theyr offices. Likewiſe in former daies, the Prieſts in their wayting time, and the Nazarites, might drinke no wine. Eſay alſo ſpeaking more generally, declared this inconuenience, thereto adding a threatning of Gods horrible iudgement for the ſame. Woe bee vntounto thē (ſayth he) that riſe vp early to follow dronkenneſſe, and to them that continue vntil night, till the wine doth inflame them. And the harp and violl, timbrell and pipe, and wine are in their feaſts, but they regarde not the Lordes worke, neither conſider the worke of his hands.
Auguſt. in his 231. ſermon of ſhunning dronkenneſſe.9 But let vsus more particularly enter into conſideration of the inconueniences and miſchiefes growing of dronkenneſſe to thoſe that are giuen thereto. Firſt, as a long and ſore raine, ſayeth Saint Auguſtine, moyſtneth the earth, and ſo conuerteth it into mire, that it cannot bee tilled to bring foorth fruit: euen ſo our bodies diſtempered with too much wine, cannot receiue the ſpirituall husbandrie, neyther yeeld anie fruite beſeeming the immortall ſoule.Chriſoſt. ho. 1. vponupon theſe wordes, Modico vino, &c. Wee are, ſayth hee farther, to beware that our bodyes ouer moyſtned with wine, growe not, as it were, into ſaltes or mariſhes, where ther groweth nothing but weeds, frogges, ſerpents, and other lyke beaſtes. The dronkard, ſayth Chriſoſtome, is a voluntarie deuill, deuoid of excuſe for his deſtruction or obloquy with men. Dronkenneſſe, ſayth Saint Auguſtine, is the mother of all wickedneſſe, the argument of all offences, the roote of all tranſgreſsions,Aug. to a holy virgin. diſtemperaunce of the head, deſtruction of the ſenſes, a ſtorme of the tongue, waues of the bodie, ſhipwracke of chaſtitie, loſſe of time, voluntarie madneſſe, infamous languiſhing, corruption of manners, diſhonour to lyfe, reproach to honeſtie, and death of the ſoule. Then hee addeth, Dronkenneſſe is an amiable deuill, a licorous poyſon, and a ſweete ſinne. Hee that hath it, hath not himſelfe, and hee that is dronke, doeth not ſimply ſinne, but is wholy conuerted into ſinne. In a mightie ſtorme ſometime both the ſhippe and the men are ſaued by caſting the goods into the ſea: but the dronken man caſting vp the ſuperfluitie of his wine, for the eaſe of his bodie, produceth a witnes, which cryeth out for vengeance agaynſt both body and ſoul, for ſuch exceſſe & prophanation of Gods good creatures, as wyll ſwallowe him vp in the terrible ſea of Gods heauie wrath and indignation. The dronkard, ſayth Saint Auguſtine, pouring in his wine,Aug. in his booke of repentance. 1. Cor. 6.10 1. Cor. 5.11. is ſwallowed vp of wine, and made an abhomination in the ſight of God, a contempt to the Angels, a ſcorne to men, depriued of vertue, and a confuſion with the deuills. Neither is it in vaine that the Apoſtle Saint Paul denounceth to dronkards, that they ſhall not inherite the kingdome of heauen. And to ſhew how farre wee are to deteſt and abhorre this vice, hee prohibiteth all conuerſation wyth thoſe, who profeſsing the Goſpell, doo giuegive themſelues to dronkenneſſe.
10 Is it not meete, that dronkardes in the daie of iudgement ſhould yeeld account of Gods goods, which they hauehave abuſed by dronkenneſſe, whereby they hauehave made themſelues vnprofitable to the ſeruice of God, through the abuſe and prophanation of his ſo good creatures, whereby they ſhould hauehave bene induced rather to praiſe God: and for deſtroying their bodies with wine, which ſhould hauehave bene to them as phiſicke, by the ſober vſe thereof to preſerue them, as Saint Paul exhorteth Timothie,1. Tim. 5.2… Auguſt. in a certain ſermō to drinke a lyttle in reſpect of his weake ſtomacke and vſuall infirmities? But what ſhall we ſaie to him that forceth another to drinke himſelfe dronke? Saint Auguſtine anſwereth, that in the day of iudgement he ſhall be guiltie both of his owne ſinne, and of his ſinne whome he hath made dronken. Little do we thinke vponupon theſe iudgments of God, yet can we confeſſe with our lips, that ther is nothing more certaine than death, nor more vncertaine than the houre thereof. Againe, what is to be ſayd of ſuch as die in their dronkenneſſe, as we reade of Ela king of Iſrael, Ammon the ſon of Dauid,2. Kin. 16.9 2. Sam. 13. Dan. 5 Luke 21.34. Balthaſar king of Babylon, and others? Doth not wine caſt them, as it were, quicke into the pit of hell? Not without reaſon doeth Ieſus Chriſt admoniſh vsus to beware, ſaying, Take heed to your ſelues, leaſt at anie time your hearts be oppreſsed with ſurfeting and drunkennes, and cares of this life, and least that da e come on you at vnawares. Be not dronke, ſaith S. Paul, with wine, wherein is exceſse, Eph. 5.18but be ye filled with the ſpirit. As if he ſhuld ſaie, that as it is dangerous to be filled with wine, ſo, in as much as we cannot be without filling, he wiſheth vsus that it be, not with wine, but with the holy Ghoſt, to the end we may bee made perfect in all ſpirituall and heauenly graces.
Rom. 13.1311 The ſame Apoſtle admoniſheth vsus, not to walke in gluttony & dronkennes, but ſo as we may be clothed with Ieſus Chriſt: thereby ſhewing, that we muſt not preſume of any vnion or coniunction with Chriſt, but with condition, that we forſake theſe corruptions of the fleſh.1. Theſ. 5.7 They that are dronke (ſaith he) are dronke by night. Thereby teaching, that nothing ſo euill beſeemeth the children of God, whom he tearmeth the children of the day, & children of light, as darknes, which if men, euen vnbeleeuers, were not paſt all ſhame, ſhould not be ſeene in them, but by night, neither then, but vponupon condition to acknowledge the truth of the wordes of Ieſus Chriſt,Iohn 3.20 Senec. Ep. 84. to Lucill. He that doth euill hateth the light. And in deed, how many things, ſaith Seneca, do men in their dronkennes, which when they are ſober, they wil be aſhamed of?
12 This ſole aduertiſement might ſuffice to reſolue vsus, to ſhun dronkenneſſe, and to practiſe the counſell of Pythagoras, who being demanded how a man might auoide it,Pluta. againſt the Sto…kes, & in his Apoth. anſwered: By conſidering what wee hauehave ſayde and done when wee were dronke. But becauſe for the moſt parte our memorie then faileth vsus, the Lacedemonians in their publike bankets vſed to bring in two or three of their Helots (a kind or ſeruants not much differing from ſlaues) dronken, to the end, that by the inſolencie and filthines of theyr dronkennes, theyr youth might learne what a villanous and abhominable vice it is.
13 Anacharſis maruelled at the Grecians, who at the beginning of theyr feaſts drunke in ſmall cuppes, but when theyr thirſt was ouer, in greate ones: thereby declaring, that it is an vnnaturall courſe, as thirſt decreaſeth, to increaſe in drinke. Yet this corruption reprooued by a Heathen man, is in vſe among Chriſtians, yea and ſo, that ſome at the firſt ſitting downe will refraine from drinke, to the end, the better, as they tearme it, to beare the great blowes, that is, to drinke the great cuppes that ſhall come in the end. Men woulde neuer bee ſo greedie and inclinable to this corruption,Eraſ. Apo. li. 3 if they woulde bee content to drinke, as Socrates ſayde, ſuch drinke as woulde not ſtirre vp a deſire to drinke with out thirſt. Yet meane wee not to allowe of the counſell of Lycurgus, who to keepe men from dronkenneſſe, commanded to cut downe the vines. Lycurgus (ſayth Plutarch, was not ſo well aduiſed,Pluta. of hearing of Poets. when ſeeing ſome fall to dronkennes, and ſo to ſinne, he commanded to cut downe the vines. It had beene better, ſayth hee, to hauehave digged wells neere to the vines, & ſo by a ſober God to hauehave bridled and corrected that frantike God, as Plato tearmeth him: hereby noting, that we muſt beware of the ſtrength and licoriſhnes of wine, and a laie and aſſwage it with water.
14 To conclude, let vsus remember the ſaying of Salomon,Prouer. 23.29 To whome is woe, to whome is ſorrowe, to whome is ſtrife, to whome is murmuring, to whome are woundes without cauſe, and to whome is the rednes of the eies? Euen to them that tarrie long at the wine, to them that goe and ſeeke mixt wine. Looke not vponupon the wine when it is redde, or when it ſheweth his colour in the cuppe, or goeth downe pleaſantly. In the ende thereof it will bite like a ſerpent, and hurt lyke a cockatrice. Thine eies ſhall looke vponupon ſtrange women, and thine heart ſhall ſpeake lewde thinges. Let vsus heereunto adde his Oration that defended the ſtrength of wine: Oh yee men, how strong is wine, 1. Eſd. 3.18it deceiueth all men that drinke it, it maketh the minde of the king and of the fatherleſſe all one, of the bond man, & of the free man, of the poore man and of the rich man. It turneth euerie thought into ioy and gladnes, ſo that one remembreth no manner of ſorrowe or debt. It maketh euerie heart rich, ſo that one remembreth neither king nor gouernor, and cauſeth to ſpeak all things by talents. When men are dronke, they hauehave no mind to louelove theyr friends or brethren, and a little after they drawe out ſwoordes. Valerius Maximus writeth,Valer, Max, lib. 3. that in olde time the vſe of wine was vnknowen among the Romane wiues, leaſt they ſhould fall into anie reproch. For wine is the firſt ſteppe to fornication, and the woman that longeth after wine, ſhutteth her gates agaynſt vertue, and openeth them to vice. If wee that profeſſe Chriſtianitie, ſtood in as great feare of offending God & incurring his wrath, or caſting our ſelues headlong into hell, as the Heathen women were carefull and conſtant in defending theyr honour, wee woulde reſolue neuer to drinke anie wine, rather than to incurie the daunger of dronkenneſſe.
15 Some will reply, that albeit they drinke much, yet they do neuer ſo farre exceed, as to ouercome their ſenſes. But let them remember the wo that Eſay denounceth,Eſay 5.22 1, Pet. 4.3. not only againſt thoſe that drinke awaie their ſenſes, but alſo againſt ſuch as be ſtrong to ſwalow ſtrong drinke. S. Peter among our ſins committed in the time of our ignorance, for which he wiſheth vsus to be ſorrie, & hereafter to beware, noteth not onelyonly dronkenneſſe, but alſo all vnneedfull drinking. Wherein both Eſay and S. Peter doo ſhew,1. Cor. 6.10 that where S. Paul hath pronounced,Prouer, 21.20 that dronkards ſhall not inherit the kingdom of heauen▪ vnderunder the name of dronkennes, he cōprehendeth all vnneceſſarie drinkings. And in the ſame ſenſe doeth Salomon warne vsus to ſhun the companie not onelyonly of dronkardes, but of all ſwillers in of wine and ſtrong drinke.
16 Why, ſaie ſome, Is it not lawfull for one to drinke to another? Truely if men were ſo obliuious, as ſitting at the table and beeing thirſty, they could not remember to drinke, it were a deed of charitie & curteſie, by drinking to them to remember them to drinke: but when they remember to drinke before they thirſt, it is no great almes to drinke to them. True, but it is a teſtimonie of good will. Neither are wee ſo ſeuere or rigorous, as that wee will ſimply condemne the cuſtome and vſe thereof: onelyonly wee woulde inforce this condition, that they ſhould abide within the bounds of amitie and ſobrietie, and not vnderunder the pretence of a teſtimonie of good will, to preſſe men to drinke more than they need, neither to force them to that which they falſely tearme, dooing of reaſon. For is there anie reaſon that a man ſhould drinke before he thirſt, or when hee cannot brooke it without his hurt? Is it a reaſonable requeſt, to vrge another to drinke as much as thy ſelfe? No, no more than to vrge him to eate as much as thy ſelfe: or, hauing leſſe feete, to weare as great ſhooes as thy ſelfe: or, to put as much wine in a little veſſell as thou canſt into a great. Others are not aſhamed to ſaie, It is the cuſtome of the Countrie: but do they thinke, that that wil be a ſufficient excuſe in the ſight of God? A cuſtome repugnant to good manners, is no cuſtome, but a corruption and a vice that is to be reiected. Becauſe the Heathen in olde time dyd not account ſimple fornication betweene two vnmarryed perſons a ſinne, is it not therefore a ſinne worthie death and euerlaſting damnation? God wyll not iudge men after the cuſtome of the world and mans opinion, but according to his word.
17 Some wyll replie, that God created wine to reioyce mannes heart: but wyth Salomons mother wee will aunſwere, that it muſt bee giuen to thoſe that faint in ſorrowe,Prou 31.6 whoſe heartes are in bitterneſſe, not to thoſe that are alreadie vnreaſonable, fat and merrie. It muſt (ſayth a certayne Heathen man) bee vſed ſoberly as a medicine. It muſt bee ſo vſed, as out of the ſweetneſſe of the lycour we may take occaſion to praiſe God for his goodneſſe, not to offend him by abuſing it. To bee ſhort, this vſe of wine to reioyce the heart, extendeth not to a brutiſh ioy, to conuert a man into an ape, an hog, or a lyon, as is aforeſayd, but to a ioy that ſtrengthneth both heart and bodie, preparing and diſpoſing euerie man to imploy himſelfe in his vocation.
Gen. 9.21 Gen. 19.18 Finally, ſuch as to excuſe themſelues doo pretend the examples of Noah and Lot, do couer themſelues with a wet ſacke. The one was dronke once, the other twice, both were dronke, but no drunkards. Neither is their example ſet downe for vsus to follow, no more than Dauids adulterie, & the infirmitie of S. Peter,2. Sam. 11. Math. 26 who denied Chriſt, but rather that we ſhould take heed therof. As when we ſee a man fall, wee will not fall as he doeth, but looke better to our ſeet, or els turne out of the waie, leaſt we ſhould fall as he did. Their example is but a repreſentation of mans frailty, that we may thereof gather this inſtruction. If men endued with ſuch holynes and vertue did fall, what ſhall wee doo, euen wee who liue among dronkards, to which ſinne both of our ſelues we are inclined, & by others forced, vnles we ſtand wel vponupon our gard, and do conſtantly reſiſt the allurements and temptations thereof? And therefore let vsus well conſider the curſed fruits of the dronkenneſſe as wel of Noah, who with his owne mouth curſed his owne ſonne Chain, & all his poſteritie, as of Lot, who committed inceſt with his two daughters, to the end, that ſuch as excuſe themſelues by their example, may expect Gods like iudgementes againſt them. To conclude, let vsus alwaies thinke vppon this ſaying of Heraclitus, That ſoule is beſt that is driest, and least wet in wine.