Gods Judgments Upon Drunkards Swearers and Sabbath Breakers, Dedication 2
TO THE JƲSTICES of PEACE In the NATION; Eſpecially theſe Northerne Parts.
Gentlemen,
THe chief Pillars of a Nation, are the Magiſtracy and Miniſtery; the one for puniſhing Sin, the other for advancement of Righteouſneſſe. Theſe are the Officers of State, which, like the two great Luminaries of Heaven, give Law to all the reſt; and amongſt the Wiſeſt, and Beſt of men, are accounted as uſeful to a Common-wealth, as Caſtor and Polux, to the Mariners in a tempeſtuous night: So that as the flux and reflux of Nile, portends plenty, or dearth; ſo theſe Sword-bearers of God, are pledges of his favour, to that Nation, or Place, where they are Honoured and Reſpected; and great care ought to be had in the due election of ſuch as may be for the promotion of the great end of ſuch Places: for, as one lately ſaid well, They ſhould not be like brambles, which teare the wool off the poor ſheeps backs that come to ſhelter, for protection, under them. The Lacedemonians choſe none into the Senate as Magiſtrates, but onelyonly upon account of Honeſty and Vertue; forgeting the bare conſideration of Riches, Friends, &c. where piety was a ſtranger. And Cicero tells us, A good Magiſtrate is the Common-wealths Phyſitian, Badge of Vertue, Staff of Peace, and Pillar of Honour. I would onelyonly beg leave to break my thoughts to the firſt of theſe: and though to ſome this may ſeem boldneſſe to be free; yet conſidering that A good cauſe teacheth confidence. I think in this caſe I ſhould offend if I preſumed not; and I have taken care ſo to order my flight, as not to ſoare above the Region of Duty and Civility.
Gentlemen, I ſet before you three Grand Impieties, viz Drunkenneſs, Swearing, and Sabbath-breaking, ſins that are opera tenebrarum; It's your work to look to them, they are Rageing, Reigning, Polluting ſins; ſins for which a Land mourns, and the Nation puts on the Sable garments of ſorrow and heavineſſe: theſe ſins beget a controverſie betwixt a people, a place, a perſon, and God, and who is able to abide his indignation? for if once his wrath be but a little kindled, bleſſed are all they that put their truſt in him. Theſe therefore are ſins that ought not to go unpuniſhed, and that without the ſtricteſt ſeverity in a Chriſtian commonwealth.
Magiſtrates are not to beare the Sword in vain; if you do not quarrel with ſin, God will with you; you are, or ſhould …e, the Banks of the Commonwealth, to keep us from a Land-flood, and Torrent of confuſion; you are the Hed…es to prophaneſſe: The life of the Law is executions; Its a principle in Moral Policy, That not to execute the Lawes, is worſe than to break them, Acts and Ordinances will not beat down prophaneſſe, unleſſe the firſt be throughly acted, and the laſt ſet on fire by authority: many take encouragement by the ſlack execution of Juſtice, which otherwiſe might with care prove a hinderance, not onelyonly from ſin, but puniſhment, nay, it may be, from Eternal flames. I am much afraid that many are guilty of others ſins, more than they dream of, by ſuffering their underſtandings to be darkened in the ſenſe of their duties, thorough the ſight of their Honours; not ſeriouſly weighing what truſt God hath committed to them: They cannot deny preſentments, but think it a work below them to ſearch and find out debaucht houſes, or perſons, or examine who idlely ſtayes from the Word; or take care in publick reſorts, to find out Blaſphemers, Curſers, and Swearers, and puniſh them in the Act. How ſad would it be to us, if we heard the ſad cryes in Torment? it may be ſome ſaying, O that the Magiſtrate had hedged up my way with thorns! had he ſet bounds to my drunken meetings, curſed oathes, and prophane Sabbath-breaking; then had I not been now roaring in anguiſh, under the fury of a Revengful God! The mild puniſhment of obſtinate tranſgreſſors, makes ſin grown to an excreſcency: It feſters a body Politick, as well as Natural, to have the wounds not thoroughly dreſſed; it forces to a relapſe, where the cauſes are not diverted or rooted out.
Seeing Drunkenneſſe hath ſo great confidence, as if Authority led it by the hand, let me ſtrike at the bowels of it, that hath ſo many thouſands crawling out of it; Oh that we might ſee this ſin reel with the Drunkard! that there were a frequent viſiting of Ale-houſes, and none ſuffered, under the greateſt engagements, Not to ſuffer any to be drunk, or drink to exceſſe! and methinks, as I travel theſe Northern parts, eſpecially about (I had almoſt ſaid in) the Metropolis of theſe Counties, its ſcarce poſſible to paſſe without infection, the ſtreets are lined with theſe Peſt-houſes; the greateſt wonder is, that they are under the roof of Authority, and yet ſuffered to breath. Oh down with diſordered Ale-houſes, that …rove the Hell and Damnation …f many a poor ſoul! where many poor wretches ſit ſecurely, and there drown their families bread in Drunkenneſſe! where many a perſon of reſpect, buyes the ruin of his families honour, together with his own▪ at a vaſt expenſe! One ſaid, If it were not for ſecret Drunkenneſſe, they might bar up their doors; Oh, ſet a Barica… do to the entrance of ſuch impieties and villanies, which flow hither as the humours to the ſtomack! Baniſh theſe fire ſhips from the Coaſts of … Chriſtian Common-wealth, o… we ſhall be ſet on fire from hell… then your Towns, Counties Cities, and the whole Nation will move in a Regular Orbe, & Congregations be well filled We may ſay, it would be a wonder in England if it were in any great Town, as it was in Rome, where there was a ſtreet called Vicus Sobrius, becauſe there was not an Ale-houſe in it. What if ſome have no other living? the queſtion is, can they live no otherwiſe, than by making men drunk? I admire the neglect of this foundation of Reformation in this place, which ſo oft by the faithfull Servants of God hath been reiterated in our Congregations! If theſe corners of Hell were blown down with the breath of Authority, all the traine of Attendants, like a great Courtiers, would fall with himſelf; as Curſing, Swearing, Blaſpheming, the Holy Name of God, Murthers, Adulteries, and all other ſuch wickedneſſes, for which the hand of the Lord is ready with his judgements to reach us: till this be done, till we ſee the Sword of Juſtice make ſin ſtagger, and like that mighty wind that came from the Wilderneſſe upon Jobs children, blow down the four corners of theſe places of iniquity; I ſay, till this come to paſſe, every moment will thrive towards a diſmal no one, the minutes of time will ſwell into ages, and thoſe into eternity of puniſhments, if not prevented.
If Gods wrath and anger be the evils that compaſſe theſe ſins about, like ſparks of our own kindling, and if the reformation of ſin, be the removing of Judgement? what need then to ſtrike at the root of iniquity? If Ahabs Humiliation, and the Ninevites Sackcloth and Aſhes, cauſed God to let the reſolution of his Judgements run backwards; If Phineas Zeal ſtayed the plague, and ſaved many thouſands; I ſay, if outward reformation tyes Gods hands from outward plagues, what need then to look about and reform? leſt we that are left of ſo many thouſands lately ſwept away by ſickneſſe, diſeasſes &c. be made examples becauſe we learn not to beware.
I could inſtance many Examples of Gods ſeverity, to ſuch as were ſlack in their Duties; as Eli, whoſe impunity to his ſons impiety, ſhrunk him under the heavy ſtroke of Juſtice; but I had rather lead you by examples of Piety and Juſtice, than drive you by thoſe of Judgements. Look to Nehemiah, he ſets ſervants at the Gates of the City, and laid hands on ſuch as prophaned the Lords Day. Its worthy Obſervation, what Ambroſe ſayes to Theodoſius; That he was more earneſt and careful, to obſerve the things of God as a Magiſtrate, than himſelf as a man. The Lacedemonians had their Ephori; Magiſtrates that took care to all manner of intemperance and exceſſe in the City, and if any were found, they were beaten publickly. The Carthaginians made a Law, That no Magiſtrate ſhould drink wine; ſuch was their care to avoid this beaſtly ſin of Drunkenneſſe: Solons Law was death to a Prince that was drunk. In Carthage, Lacedemon, and Creet, this ſin was ſo abominable, that all which were found guilty of it, were thruſt out of the Senate, and diſmantled of all manner of liberty to bear any office in their Cities. What zeal was here in Heathens againſt this odious ſin? And this may not unfitly be accounted as the reaſon why a woman reflected upon King Philips unrighteous ſentence of Judgement, by deſiring to have her cauſe removed from Drunken Philip, to King Philip Sober: and it may be, this ſin of his, was the cauſe of his death, which by a Lacedemonian Gentleman was executed by a thruſt in his body, becauſe he refuſed to do Juſtice. We read of Lewis King of France, upon reading Pſal. 106.3. Bleſſed are they that keep judgement, and he that doth righteouſneſſe at all times; was ſo wrought upon, that he preſently ſaid; He that doth not puniſh ſin, is the patron of it. Theſe ſins I ſpeak of, are grown now ſo bold by impunity, as if Juſtice were afraid to look them in the face; like the Snake in the Fable, riſe up againſt the greateſt and moſt noble Ingenuity poſſible; Its ſeverity muſt ſubdue them. When true zeal bends the bow, and draws the arrow of Juſtice to the head, then it ſtrikes ſin to the heart; it flyes home to the life of the Law, and death of the offence. A Modern example we have of an Iriſh Lord, Epiſtle to Mr. Murcots Wo.who lodged at Weſt-Kirby waiting for his paſſage, and being a prodigious Swearer, the Officers ſerve a warrant upon him, at which he rages with Curſes and Oathes; but they ſeize upon his horſes, and forced him to pay 20 pound to the uſe of the poor of the Pariſh; and all the while he ſtayed there, his tongue was held as with a bit and bridle. This is the true effect of Juſtice, which looks not aſquint upon any man; like Ariſtides, who without an eye of favour to father, or friend, or malice to his enemies, diſtributed alike to all, ſo that he purchaſed the deſerved name of Ariſtides the Juſt. In the Areopagite Judicature, they onelyonly heard the Cauſe, and never ſaw the perſons, giving judgement in the night, that all might have equall Juſtice.
I cannot omit the example of one *Mayor of Exceter.Mr. Jourdain, of whom it might be ſaid as of David, That the zeal of Gods houſe had eaten him up! Mr. Mantons Epiſt. to his life & death.for when the Book of Sports came forth, he ſent an expoſtulatory Letter to the King, incloſed to the Biſhop of Exceter, who carefully conveyed it to his Majeſty, who reading, ſaid in a rage, He ſhould be hanged that wrote it: The Biſhop fell on his knees, and begged pardon, ſaying, That God had not a better ſervant, nor his Majeſty a better ſubject. The Biſhop after being viſited by Mr. Jourdain, ſaid; Ah! Mr. Jourdain, would you put me upon ſo hot ſervice, knowing how many eyes *Suſpected to favour Puritans.are upon me! who replied, Yea my Lord, the eyes of God, and his holy Angels, are upon you, to ſee how you diſcharge your office and duty. By his juſtice upon Swearers, he brought ſuch an awe and dread upon men adicted to that ſin, that many Citizens obſerved, that in places of Publick reſort, they heard not an oath ſworn for many years together. Ile end with one pretty paſſage recorded of King James, VVilſons. K. James.who being upon Removal to Theobalds, his Majeſties Carriages went out of the City upon the Lords Day, which the Lord Mayor hearing of, commanded them to be ſtopt; which affront, was repreſented to the King, with as great aſperity, as men in Authority croſſed in their humours, could expreſſe. The King ſwears, He thought there had been no more Kings in England but himſelf; but when it may be he thought there was a King in Heaven; he ſent a warrant to the Lord Mayor, whom with theſe words he obeyed. While it was in my power, I did my duty; but being taken away by a higher power, it is my duty to obey; which afterward it's ſaid, the King took well, and thanked him for.
But leaſt I be taken for one▪ tranſported with an over-hea… of Zeal, without a regular and proportioned mixture of Knowledge, give me liberty to clear my ſelf, and leav… my thoughts behind me, th… I may not be found guil… of that aſperſe, (which ſome men preſſed with a fiery zeal, vented more in paſſion than diſcretion) which fixes a ſcandal to Juſtice, more than it promotes Gods Honour or Reformation of men: were to conſult with the prudent part of our duties, mannaging puniſhment to ſuch as are drawn aſide by temptation, &c. with reproof, and that ſecretly: But to incorrigible tranſgreſſors, ſuch as are ſo accuſtomed to do evil, as if they profeſſed debauched courſes, let the ſeverity of the Law proceed; for to ſuch onelyonly, the Law ſtrikes, to ſuch as will not be warned: who can they blame but themſelves, if they ſmart? And if I ſhould here plead for reſpect to be had to perſons, it may by ſome be thought, to be out of the way; but however, I am much for it, and do account it no leſſe than a Grand Maſter-piece of Prudence; for if ſuch as ſeem to lead others by their example, be won from prophaneſſe, the fruits cannot be bad.
If therefore there be any of the better ranke which digreſſe from the good orders of Government, either of the Nation, or themſelves, we are to uſe ſuch with all the winning reſpect imaginable; and if the Law be ſatisfied, not to provoke their diſpleaſure: the Law aimes more at Reformation than puniſhment; and to perſons of Quality, whoſe reputations in the beame of Honour weighs down the rate of their puniſhment: we ought to deal with candid behaviour, and to extend meekneſſe and reſpect, as far as the greateſt Civility, and favour of Law will reach. Ʋpon this ground, no Queſtion, was that prudent Piece of Adminiſtration of Juſtice; performed by a chief Magiſtrate, upon a Perſon of Quality, not long ago; by ſending a Letter, begging his excuſe, and hoping as …e was a Gentleman, he would not be angry at the Adminiſtration of Juſtice, which was his honour; demanding ſatisfaction which was due by Law for ſo many oathes, which in ſuch a place he had ſworn; The Gentleman with a High acknowledgment of civility, freely ſubmitted. I would not be thought a favourer of debauchedneſs in any, much leſs in the Gentry, in whom, if ſuch vice… be ſet, they have a bad foil; Ye… I muſt needs ſay, they ough… to have more allowance that common perſons; eſpecially if they be ingenious (as alas many that are moſt ingenious moſt often fall into the ſnar… of temptations!) A little liberty they expect more than others, and as much as is not an affront to the Law, let them have; becauſe, its fit to win ſuch by civility, which the Law cannot by force do, without a Rape upon their honours and reputations; and one great reaſon is, becauſe many times inferiour perſons are the inflictors of puniſhment, which cannot have over good a reliſh, unleſſe ſweetned with a kinde of ſubmiſſion; and therefore when drink or paſſion is departed, then to write or ſend to them: Yet where civillity and meekneſſe will not allure, to that juſt decency and order, which holds conformity to the wholeſome Lawes of the Nation, then Currat lex. All which I could wiſh were done without Malice, Prejudice, Revenge, a ſpirit of domineering, or to be accounted ſome petty ſome body; but with a principle, that may not onelyonly approve the integrity of a mans ſoul to act for the glory of God, but alſo a not expecting your reward from popularity, or any other ſecret advantage below the truth and intent of the action; guided by the beſt principles both Divine and Moral.
Now, Gentlemen, to you that are guilty, or may be found in theſe diſorders; If Lawes were not, we had as good live amongſt Salvages; you could not ſay your lives were your own, if another through fear of the Lawes, were not kept from murdering you; if we had none to puniſh tranſgreſſors, we had as good be without Lawes: for your own honours therefore, beware you involve not your reputations to the puniſhment of every mean officer; be not angry at Juſtice which is more the Honour of the Gentry, then any; becauſe they are looked upon as patrons of it: be rather like King Henry the fourth, who thanked God, that Juſtice was executed, though it lighted upon one of his own loyns. To conclude, Are not theſe ſins fitter (if for any in any ſenſe) for Brutes, Beaſts, Beggars, and the ſcum of a Nation, than for Gentlemen or Chriſtians? for ſhame then, you that are in any degree guilty of ſuch foul ſpots of diſhonour, to the Nation, to Chriſtianity, to your Families, good Names, and your own Souls, let theſe wicked, debauched, beaſtly, prophane ſins, be abandoned from your thoughts and actions, and hate it in others, that the Nation (the Gentry firſt leading the van) may make iniquity and ſin bluſh, and even ſhame theſe vild courſes to the eternal Honour of England.
And now Gentlemen, to whom I have been bold to Dedicate my paines, I beg you to look upon the Work, in that which you ſee it doth drive at, and not at the unworthineſſe of the Authour, whoſe deſire in it is nothing leſſe, than may be concluded in this wiſh: That by your Good Government, they that are to come, may bleſſe your remembrance, and we preſent, may together with your ſelves, live a comfortable, peaceable, and quiet life, and that in all godlineſſe and honeſty.
So prayes Your humble ſervant W. L.