The Whole Duty of Man, Part 8
PARTITION VIII. Of Temperance in DRINKING, False Ends of Drinking, viz. Good Fellowship, putting away Cares, &c.
§. 1. THe second is Temperance in Drinking, Temperance in Drinking.and the ends of eating and drinking being much the same, I can give no other direct rules in this, then what were given in the former, to wit, that we drink neither of such sorts of liquor, nor in such quantities as may not agree with the right ends of drinking, the preserving of our lives and healths: Only in this there will be need of putting in one Caution, for our understandings being in more danger to be hurt by drinking then meat, we must rather care to keep that safe, and rather not drink what we might safely in respect of our healths, if it be in danger to distemper our reason. This I say because it is possible some mens brains may be so weak that their heads cannot bear that ordinary quantity of drink which would do their bodies no harm. And whoever is of this temper must strictly abstain from that degree of drink, or that sort of it which he finds hath that effect, yea, though it do in other respects appear not only safe but useful to his health For though we are to preserve our healths, yet we are not to do it by a sin, as drunkenness most certainly is.
2. But alas! of those multitudes of drunkards False ends of drinking.we have in the world, this is the case but of very few, most of them going far beyond what their health requires, yea, or can bear, even to the utter destruction thereof. And therefore it is plain men have set up to themselves some other ends of drinking then those allowable ones forementioned; it may not be amiss a little to explain what they are, and withal to shew the unreasonableness of them.
3. The first, and most owned, is that which Good Fellowship.they call Good fellowship; one man drinks to keep another company at it. But I would ask such a one, Whether if that man were drinking rank poyson he would pledge him for company? If he say he would not, I must tell him, that by the very same, nay, far greater reason, he is not to do this. For immoderate drinking is that very poyson; perhaps it doth not always work death immediately (yet there want not many instances of its having done even that, very many having died in their drunken fit) but that the custome of it does usually bring men to their ends, is past doubt, and therefore though the poyson work slowly, yet it is still poyson. But however it doth at the present work that which a wise man would more abhor then death; it works madness, and frenzy turns the man into a beast, by drowning that reason which should difference him from one. Certainly the effects of drink are such, that had being drunk been first enjoyned as a punishment, we should have thought him a more then ordinary Tyrant that had invented it.
4. A second end of drinking is said to be the maintaining of friendship and kindness amongst Preserving of kindness.men. But this is strangely unreasonable, that men should do that towards the maintaining of friendship, which is really the greatest mischief that can be done to any man. Did ever any think to befriend a man by helping to destroy his estate, his credit, his life? Yet he that thus drinks with a man does this and much more, he ruines his reason, yea, his soul, and yet this must be called the way of preserving of friendship; this is so ridiculous that one would think none could own it but when he were actually drunk. But besides, alas, experience shews us, that this is fitter to beget quarrels then preserve kindness, as the many drunken brawls we every day see, with the wounds, and sometimes murders that accompany them, do witness.
5. A third end is said to be the chearing of Chearing the spirits.their spirits, making them merry and jolly. But sure if the mirth be such that reason must be turned out of doors before it begin, it will be very little worth; one may say with Solomon, Eccl. 2. 2. The laughter of such fools is madness. And sure they that will be drunk to put themselves in this temper, must by the same reason be glad of a Frenzie, if they could but be sure it would be of the merry sort. But little do these merry folks think what sadness they are all this while heaping up to themselves, often in this world, when by some mad pranks, they play in their jollity, they bring mischief upon themselves, but however certainly in another, where this mirth will be sadly reckon'd for.
6. A fourth end is said to be the putting away Putting away cares.of cares; but I shall ask what those cares are? be they such as should be put away? perhaps they are some checks and remorses of conscience, which must be thus charmed. And I doubt this hath proved too effectual with many to the laying them asleep: But this is the wickedst folly in the world; for if thou thinkest not these checks to have something considerable in them, why do they trouble thee. But if thou do, it is impossible thou canst hope this can long secure thee from them. Thou maist thus stop their mouthes for a while, but they will one day cry the louder for it. Suppose a Thief or a Murderer knew he were pursued to be brought to justice, would he think you to put away the fear of being hanged, fall to drinking, and in the mean time take no care for his escape; or would you not think him desperately mad if he did? Yet this is the very case here, thy conscience tells thee of thy danger, that thou must ere long be brought before Gods Judgement Seat; and is it not madness for thee instead of endeavouring to get thy pardon, to drink away the thought of thy danger. But in the second place, suppose these cares be some worldly ones, and such as are fit to be put away; then for shame do not so disgrace thy Reason, thy Christianity, as not to let them be as forcible to that end as a little drink. Thy Reason will tell thee it is in vain to care, where care will bring no advantage: and thy Christianity will direct thee to one on whom thou mayest safely cast all thy cares, for he careth for thee, 1 Pet. 5. 7. And therefore unless thou meanest to renounce being both a man and a Christian, never betake thee to this pitiful shift to rid thee of thy cares. But besides, this will not do the deed neither; for though it may at the present, whilst thou art in the height of the drunken fit, keep thee from the sense of thy cares, yet when that is over, they will return again with greater violence; and if thou have any conscience, bring a new care with them, even that which ariseth from the guilt of so foul a sin.
7. A fifth end is said to be the passing away of time. This though it be as unreasonable as any of the former, yet by the way it serves to reproach idleness, which is, it seems, so burdensome a thing, that even this vilest employment is preferred before it. But this is in many a very false plea. For they often spend time at the pot not only when they have nothing else to do, but even to the neglect of their most necessary business. However it is in all a most unreasonable one, for there is no man but he may finde somewhat or other to imploy himself in. If he have little worldly business of his own, he may yet do somewhat to the benefit of others; but however there is no man but hath a Soul, and if he will look carefully to that he need not complain for want of business, where there are so many corruptions to mortifie, so many inclinations to watch over, so many temptations (whereof this of drunkenness is not the least) to resist; The Graces of God to improve and stir up, and former neglects of all these to lament, sure there can never want sufficient imployment; for all these require time, and so men at their deaths find; for then those that have all their lives made it their business to drive away their time, would then give all the world to redeem it. And sure where there is much leisure from wordly affairs, God expects to have the more time thus imployed in Spiritual exercises. But it is not likely those meaner sort of persons, to whom this book is intended, will be of the number of those that have much leisure, and therefore I shall no farther insist on it, only I shall say this, that what degrees of leisure they at any time have, it concerns them to imploy to the benefit of their souls, and not to bestow it to the ruine of them, as they do, who spend it in drinking.
8. A sixth end is said to be the preventing of that reproach which is by the world cast Preventing reproach.on those that will in this be stricter then their neighbours; but in answer to this, I shall first ask, What is the harm of such reproach? sure it cannot equal the least of those mischiefs drunkenness betrayes us to. Nay, if we will take our Saviours words it is a happiness, Blessed, saith he, are ye when men shall revile you, and say all manner of evil against you for my sake, Mat. 5. 11. And S. Peter tells us, 1 Peter 4. 14. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye: and sure to be reproached for obedience to any command of Christs, is to be reproached for his Name. Secondly, Let it be remembred that at our Baptism we solemnly renounced the world; and shall we now so far consider it, as for a sew scoffs of it to run our selves on all the temporal evils before mentioned; and which is much worse, the wrath of God and eternal destruction? But Thirdly, If you fear reproach, why do ye do that which will bring reproach upon you from all wise and good men, whose opinion alone is to be regarded? And it is certain drinking is the way to bring it on you from all such. And to comfort thy self against that, by thinking thou art still applauded by the foolish and worst sort of men, is as if all the mad men in the world should agree to count themselves the only sober persons, and all others mad, which yet sure will never make them the less mad, nor others the less sober. Lastly, consider the heavie doom Christ hath pronounc'd on those that are ashamed of him, and so are all those that for fear of reproach shall shrink from their obedience to him, Mat. 8. 38. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of the Father with the holy Angels. There is none but will at that day desire to be owned by Christ: But whoever will not here own him; that is, cleave fast to his commands, notwithstanding all the scornes, nay, persecutions of the world, shall then certainly be cast off by him. And he that will adventure thus to maintain his credit among a company of Fools and Madmen, deserves well to have it befal him: But after all this, it is not sure that even these will despise thee for thy sobriety, it is possible they may seem to do so to fright thee out of it; but if their hearts were searched, it would be found they do even against their wills, bear a secret reverence to sober persons, and none fall more often under their scorn and despising then those that run with them to the same excess of riot; for even he that sticks not to be drunk himself, will yet laugh at another that he sees so.
9. There is a seventh end, which though every man think too base to own, yet it is Pleasure of the drink.too plain it prevails with many. And that is the bare pleasure of the drink; but to these I confess it will not be fit to say much, for he that is come to this lamentable degree of sottishness, is not like to receive benefit by any thing can be said: Yet let me tell even this man, that he of all others hath the most means of discerning his fault, for this being such a ground of drinking as no body will own, he is condemned of himself; yea, and all his fellow drunkards too, for their denying it, is a plain sign they acknowledge it a most abominable thing. And if Esau were called a profane person, Heb. 12. 6. for selling but his birth right for a mess of pottage, and that too when he had the necessity of hunger upon him, what name of reproach can be bad enough for him who sells his health, his reason, his God, his soul, for a cup of drink, and that when he is so far from needing it, that perhaps he hath already more then he can keep? I shall say no more to this sort of persons, but let me warn all those that go on in the sin on any of the former grounds, that a little time will bring them even to this which they profess to loathe; it being daily seen that those which first were drawn into the sin for the love of the company, at last continue in it for love of the drink.
10. I can think but of one end more, that Bargaining.is, that of Bargaining. Men say it is necessary for them to drink in this one respect of trading with their neighbours, bargains being most conveniently to be struck up at such meetings. But this is yet a worse end then all the rest, for the bottom of it is an aim of cheating and defrauding others; We think when men are in drink we shall the better be able to over-reach them; and so this adds the sin of cousenage and defrauding to that of drunkenness. Now that this is indeed the intent, is manifest, for if it were only the dispatch of bargains were aimed at, we should chuse to take men with their wits about them, therefore the taking them when drink hath distempered them can be for nothing but to make advantage of them. Yet this often proves a great folly as well as a sin; for he that drinks with another in hope to over-reach him, doth many times prove the weaker brain'd, and becomes drunk first, and then he gives the other that opportunity of cheating him which he designed for the cheating of the other. Now this end of drinking is so far from becoming an excuse, that it is a huge heightning of the sin; for if we may not drink intemperately upon any occasion, much less upon so wicked a one as is the cousening and defrauding of our brethren.
11. I suppose I have now shewed you the Degrees of this sin.unreasonableness of those Motives, which are ordinarily brought in excuse of this sin. I am yet further to tell you, that it is not only that huge degree of drunkeness which makes men able neither to go nor speak, which is to be lookt on as a sin, but all lower degrees, which do at all work upon the understanding, whether by dulling it and making it less fit for any imployment, or by making it too light and airy, apt to apish and ridiculous mirth, or what is worse, by inflaming men into rage and fury. These, or whatever else make any change in the man, are to be reckoned into this sin of drunkenness: Nay, further, the drinking beyond the natural ends of drinking, that is, beyond moderate refreshment is a sin, though by the strength of a mans brain it makes not the least change in him, and therefore those that are not actually drunk, yet can spend whole days, or any considerable part of them in drinking, are so far from being innocent, that that greater wo belongs to them, which is pronounced, Isa. 5. 22. against those that are mighty to drink. For though such a man may make a shift to preserve his wits, yet that wit serves him to very little purpose when his imployment is still but the same with him that is the most sottishly drunk, that is, to pour down drink.
12. Nay, this man is guilty of the greater waste; First, of the good creatures of God: The great guilt of the strong drinkers.That drink which is by Gods providence intended for the refreshing and relieving of us, is abused and mispent when it is drunk beyond that measure which those ends require, and sure there is not the meanest of these creatures we enjoy, but the abuse of them shall one day be accounted for, and he that drinks longest hath the most of that guilt. But in the second place, this is a wast of that which is much more precious, our time, which is allowed us by God to work out our Salvation in, and must be strictly reckoned for, and therefore ought every minute of it to be most thriftily husbanded to that end in actions of good life; but when it is thus laid out it tends to the direct contrary, even the working out our damnation. Besides, he that thus drinks, though he escape being drunk himself, he is yet guilty of all the drunkenness that any of his company fall under, for he gives them encouragement to drink on by his Example, especially if he be one of any authority, but if he be one whose company the rest are fond of, his company is then a certain ensnaring of them, for then they will drink too, rather then lose him. There is yet a greater fault that many of these stronger brained drinkers are guilty of, that is, the setting themselves purposely to make others drunk, playing, as it were, a prize at it, and counting it matter of triumph and victory to see others fall before them: This is a most horrible wickedness, it is the making our selves the Divels Factors, endeavouring all we can to draw our poor brethren into eternal misery, by betraying them to so grievous a sin; and therefore it may well be reckoned as the highest step of this vice of drinking, as having in it the sin of mischieving others added to the excess in our selves. And though it be lookt upon in the world as a matter onelyonly of jest and merriment to make others drunk, that we may sport our selves with their ridiculous behaviour, yet that mirth will have a sad conclusion, there being a woe expresly threatned by God to this very sin, Hab. 2. 15. W… unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him and makest him drunk that thou mayest look on their nakednesse: And sure he buyes his idle pastime very dear, that takes it with such a Woe attending it.
13. I have now gone through the several The great mischiefs of this sin.motives to, and degrees of this sin of drunkenness, wherein I have been the more particular because it is a sin so strangely reigning amongst us, no Condition, no Age, or scarce Sex free from it, to the great dishonour of God, reproach of Christianity, and ruine not only of our own Souls hereafter, but even of all our present advantages and happiness in this life; there being no sin which betrayes each single committer to more mischiefs in his understanding, his health, his credit, his estate, then this one doth. And we have reason to believe this sin is one of those common crying guilts which have long layen heavy upon this Nation, and pulled down those many sad judgements we have groaned under.
14. Therefore, Christian Reader, let me Exhortation to forsake it.now intreat, nay conjure thee by all that tenderness and love thou oughtest to have to the honour of God, the credit of thy Christian profession, eternal welfare of thine own Soul, the prosperity of the Church and Nation, whereof thou art a member; Nay, by that love which certainly thou hast to thy own temporal welfare, to think sadly of what hath been spoken; And then judge, whether there be any pleasure in this sin, which can be any tolerable recompence for all those mischiefs, it brings with it; I am confident no man in his wits can think there is, and if there be not, then be ashamed to be any longer that fool, which shall make so wretched a bargain, but begin at this instant a firm and a faithful resolution, never once more to be guilty of this swinish sin, how often soever thou hast heretofore fallen into it, and in the fear of God betake thee to a strict temperance, which when thou hast done, thou wilt find thou hast made not only a gainful but a pleasant exchange; for there is no man that hath tryed both courses but his own heart will tell him there is infinitely more pleasant comfort and pleasure in sobriety and temperance then ever all his drunken revellings afforded him.
15. The main difficulty is the first breaking The difficulties of doing …o consideredoff the custome, and that arises partly from our selves, partly from others. That from our selves may be of two sorts; the first is, when by the habit of drinking, we have brought such false thirsts upon our selves, that our bodies seem to require it, and this wants Seeming …essity of drink.nothing but a little patience to overcome. Do but refrain some few days and it will afterwards grow easie; for the hardness arising onelyonly from custome, the breaking of that does the business. If thou say, it is very uneasie to do so, consider, whether if thou hadst some disease which would certainly kill thee if thou didst not for some little time refrain immoderate drinking, thou wouldst not rather forbear then die? if thou wouldst not, thou art so brutish a sot, that it is in vain to perswade thee; but if thou hadst, then consider how unreasonable it is for thee not to do it in this case also; the habit of drinking may well pass for a mortal disease, it proves so very often to the body, but will most certainly to the Soul; and therefore it is madness to stick at that uneasiness in the cure of this which thou wouldst submit to in a less danger. Set therefore but a resolute purpose to endure that little trouble for a small time, and this first difficulty is conquered, for after thou hast a while refrained, it will be perfectly easie to do so still.
16. The second difficulty is that of spending the time, which those that have made Want of imployment.drinking their trade and business, know scarce how to dispose of. But the very naming of this difficulty directs to the cure, get thee some business, somewhat to imploy thy self in, which, as I have already shewed, will be easily found by all sorts of persons, but those meaner to whom I now write, can sure never want it ready at hand, they being generally such as are to be maintained by their labour, and therefore to them I need only give this advice, to be diligent in that business they have, to follow that close as they ought; and they will have little occasion to seek out this way of spending their time.
17. There is another sort of difficulty, Perswasions and reproaches of men.which I told you arises from others, and that is either from their perswasions, or reproaches. It is very likely if thy old companions see thee begin to fall off, they will set hard to thee, to bring thee back to thy old course, they will urge to thee the unkindness of forsaking the company of thy friends, the sadness of renouncing all that mirth and jollity, which good fellows (as they call them) enjoy, and if thou canst not thus be won, they will affright thee with the reproach of the world, and so try if they can mock thee out of thy sobriety.
18. The way to overcome this difficulty The means of resisting them.is to foresee it, therefore when thou first enterest on thy course of temperance, thou art to make account thou shalt meet with these (perhaps many other) temptations, and that thou maist make a right judgement, whether they be worthy to prevail with thee, take them before hand, and weigh them, consider whether that false kindness, that is maintained among men by drinking, be worthy to be compared with that real and everlasting kindness of God, which is lost by it; Whether that foolish, Weigh the advantages with the hurt.vain mirth bear any weight with the present joyes of a good conscience here, or with those greater of Heaven hereafter. Lastly, whether the unjust reproach of wicked men, the shame of the world be so terrible, as the just reproof of thine own conscience at the present, and that eternal confusion of face that shall befal all those, that go on in this sin, at the last day; Weigh all these, I say, I need not say, in the balance of the Sanctuary, but even in the scales of common reason, and sure thou wilt be forced to pronounce, that the motives to temperance infinitly out weigh those against it; When thou hast thus advisedly judged, then fix thy resolution accordingly, and when ever any of these temptations come to stagger thee, remember thou hast formerly weighed them, knowest the just value of them, and that they are a most unworthy price for those precious advantages thou must give in exchange for them. And therefore hold fast thy resolution, and with indignation reject all motions to the contrary.
19. But be sure thou thus reject them at Reject the temptation at the very beginning.their very first tender, and do not yield in the least degree; For if once thou givest ground, thou art lost, the sin will by little and little prevail upon thee. Thus we see many, who have profest to be resolved upon great temperance, yet for want of this care, have adventured into the company of good fellowes, when they have been there, they have at the first been over intreated to take a cup, after that another, till at last they have taken their rounds as freely as any of them, and in that floud of drink drowned all their sober resolutions. Therefore whoever thou art, that dost really desire to forsake the sin, take care to avoid the occasions and beginnings of it; to which end it will be good openly to declare and own thy purposes of sobriety, that so thou mayest discourage men from assaulting thee. But if either thou art ashamed to own it, or seemest to be so, they will quickly make use of that shame to bring thee to break it.
20. If thou be thus wary to keep thee from The security of doing so.the first beginnings, thou art then sure never to be overtaken with this sin: For it is like the keeping the out-works of a besieged City, which so long as they are stoutly defended there is no danger, but if they be either surprized or yielded, the City cannot long hold out. The advice therefore of the wise man is very agreeable to this matter, Eccles. 19. 1. He that despiseth small things shall perish by little and little. But because as the Psalmist saith, Psal. 127. 1. Except the Lord keep the City the watch-man waketh but in vain: therefore to this guard of thy self adde thy most earnest prayers to God that he will also watch over thee, and by the strength of his grace enable thee to resist all temptations to this sin.
21. If thou do in the sincerity of thy heart The esficacy of these means, if not hindred by love of the sin.use these means, there is no doubt but thou wilt be able to overcome this vice, how long soever thou hast been accustomed to it, therefore if thou do still remain under the power of it, never excuse thy self by the impossibility of the task, but rather accuse the falseness of thy own heart, that hath still such a love to this sin, that thou wilt not set roundly to the means of subduing it.
22. Perhaps the great commonness of the sin That love makes men loth to believe it dangerous.and thy particular custome of it may have made it so much thy familiar, thy bosome acquaintance, that thou art loath to entertain hard thoughts of it, very unwilling thou art to think that it means thee any hurt, and therefore art apt to speak peace to thy self, to hope that either this is no sin, or at most but a frailty, such as will not bar thee out of heaven: But deceive not thy self, for thou mayest as well say there is no heaven, as that drunkenness shall not keep thee thence; I am sure the same word of God which tells us there is such a place of happiness, tells us also that drunkards are of the number of those that shall not inherit it, 1 Cor. 6. 10. And again, Gal. 5. 21. Drunkenness is reckoned among those works of the flesh, which they that do shall not inherit the kingdom of God. And indeed had not these plain texts, yet meet reason would tell us the same, That is a place of infinite purity, such as flesh and blood, till it be refined and purified, is not capable of, as the Apostle tells us, 1 Cor. 15. 53. and if as we are meer men, we are too gross and impure for it, we must sure be more so when we have changed our selves into Swine, the soulest of beasts, we are then prepared for the Devils to enter into, as they did into the herd, Mark 5. 13. and that not only some one or two, but a Legion, a troop and multitude of them. And of this we daily see examples, for where this sin of drunkenness hath taken possession, it usually comes as an harbinger to abundance of others; each act of drunkenness prepares a man not only for another of the same sin, but of others; lust and rage, and all brutish appetites are then let loose, and so a man brings himself under that curse which was the saddest David knew how to foretel to any, Psal. 69. 28 The falling from one wickedness to another. If all this be not enough to affright thee out of this drunken fit, thou must still wallow in thy vomit, continue in this sottish, sensless condition, till the flames of Hell rowse thee, and then thou wilt by sad experience find what now thou wilt not believe, that the end of those things, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 6. 21. is death. God in his infinite mercy timely awake the hearts of all that are in this sin, that by a timely forsaking it they may flie from that wrath to come. I have now done with this second part of Temperance, concerning Drinking.