Sin Stigmatized, Part 2 · Section 177
§ 177.
SEcondly, 16 Abſtaire from o…unken company, for all depends upon this.if thou vvouldſt reclaime thy ſelfe from this vice, have a ſpeciall care to refraine the company of this drunken Route, Pro. 23.20. 1 Cor. 5 11. who not only make a ſport of drunkenneſſe, but delight alſo to make others drunke: I ſay (as Chriſt ſaid) beware of men, Matth. 10.17. for he that goes into wicked company, will come wicked out, at leaſt worſe then he went in. It is rare, if wee denie not Chriſt, with Peter, in Caiaphas his houſe: with Salomon, it is hard having the Egyptian, without her Idolls: whereupon, the Fuller, in the Fable, would not have the Colliar to live in his houſe, leaſt what he had made white, the other ſhould ſmut and collow: yea, be as wary, and as wiſe as a Serpent, to keepe out and get out of their company, but as innocent as a Dove, if it be poſſible, while thou art in it, and canſt not chooſe; remembring alwayes, that they are but the Devills deputies, yea, humane Devills, as once our Saviour called Peter (being inſtrumentall to Sathan) Sathan himſelfe, get thee behind me, Sathan, Matth. 16.23. they that will have his trade, muſt have his name too. Now by thy obſerving, or not obſerving this Rule, it will appeare, whether there be any hope of thy reclaiming, for all depends upon this; yea, could the moſt habituated, incorrigible, cauterized drunkard, that is even dead in this ſinne, but forſake his ill company, I ſhould not once doubt of his recovery; for doe but drive away theſe uncleane birds from the carkaſſe, a million to a mite the Lord hath breathed into his nosthrills againe the breath of life, and he is become a living ſoule.
Thirdly and laſtly, 17 abſtaine from drunken places.abſtaine from drunken places, which are even the nurſeries of all ryot, exceſſe, and idleneſſe, making our land another Sodom, and furniſhing yearely our Jayles and Gallouſes (farre be it from me, to blame a good calling, to accuſe the innocent in that calling, I know the Lord hath many in the world in theſe houſes, but) ſure I am, too many of them are even the dens and ſhops, yea, thrones of Sathan, very ſinkes of ſinne, which, like ſo many common-ſhores, or receptacles, refuſe not to welcome and encourage any in the moſt lothſome pollutions they are able to invent, and put in practiſe, Admonition to ſellers of dr…nke, Churchwardens, Constables &c.who (if there were any hope of prevailing) would be minded of their wickedneſſe, in entertaining into their houſes, encouraging and complying with theſe traitors againſt God, and of their danger in ſuffering ſo much impiety to reſt within their gates: for if one ſinne of theft or of perjury, is enough to rot the rafters, to grind the ſtones, to levell the walls and roof of any houſe with the ground, Zac. 5.4. what are the oathes, the lyes, the thefts the whoredomes, the murthers, the numberleſſe and nameleſſe abominations, that are committed there? But ſhould I ſpeake to theſe, I ſhould but ſpeed as Paul at Epheſus, I ſhould be cryed downe, 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 feare of having their Signes pulled downe, their Licences called in, &c. cannot prevaile, it little boo…es me to ſpeake.
Only to you Church-wardens, Conſtables, and other Officers, that love the Lord, the Church, the State, your ſelves, and people, helpe the Lord, the King, and his lawes againſt this mighty ſinne; duplicate page duplicate page Preſent it, indite it, ſmite it, every one ſhoote at it, as a common enemy, doe what you can to ſuppreſſe and prevent it.
Tell me not, he is a friend, a Gentleman, ſuch an ones kinſman that offends; for he is better, and greater, and nearer to you that is offended; learn to feare, to love, and obey your Maker and Saviour, your gracious Protector; yea, learne this Normane diſtinction, when William the firſt cenſured one that was both Biſhop of Baieux and Earle of Kent, his Apologie to the plaintife popeling was, that he did not meddle with the Biſhop, but the Earle: doe you the like, let the Gentleman eſcape, but ſtocke the drunkard; meddle not with your friend and kinſman, but for all that, pay the drunkard; or if you doe not to your power, you ſhall have Ahab's wages, his faults ſhall be beaten upon your backes, 1 King. 20.42.
But moſt of all are they to be deſired, who are within the commiſſion of peace, in God's name, whoſe ſervants they profeſſe themſelves to be, to remember him, themſelves, their countrey, their oathes; & to bend their ſtrength & power againſt this many headed monſter, that they will purge the 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 zeale, any courage, any conſcience of an oath, away with drunkenneſſe out of your houſes, Towns, Liberties, balk none, beare with none that offend: ſay they be poore, in whoſe houſes the ſinne is practiſed; it is better one or two ſhould looſe their gaine, than Towns of men ſhould looſe their wits, their wealths, their ſoules. Oh beloved, did you heare, and ſee, and ſmell, and know what is done in ſome one Tavern, or Ale-houſe in the Land; you would wonder that the earth could beare the houſe, or the Sunne endure to looke upon it. But alaſſe! how many of theſe houſes bee there, in ſome one Towne! how many of theſe Townes, in ſome one Shiere: and ſo upward!
You often complaine 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 doe into the ſtomack, againſt an Ague-fit; take them ther, drive them thence with ſome ſtrong Phyſick, and you heale our Land, at once of infinite diſtempers.