Exposition of Romans 13-16, Exposition of Romans · Chapter 1 · Verse
VERSE—Not in rioting and drunkenneſſe, not in chambering and wantonneſſe, not in ſtrife and enuying.
THeſe words, and the next verſe following, containe an expoſition of the exhortation, to walke honeſtly as in the Day.
That exhortation is two wayes expounded: Firſt, negatiuely in theſe words; then affirmatiuely in the verſe following.
In the negatiue are diuers particular vices enumerated, which are contrary to this honeſt walking.
There are ſet downe three paire of vices; not that there are no more; but theſe are reckoned vp, as the fouleſt, and moſt common, which most ſtaine and dedecorate a Chriſtian; and vnderunder theſe all other to be vnderſtood.
The firſt paire are rioting and drunkenneſſe. There are two ſtaffes of our bodily life, meat and drinke, hee forbiddeth here intemperance in both.
Rioting. The Latine reads, non in comeſſationibus; which comes not of the Latine comedere, which ſignifies to eate, but of the Greeke foreign, which is the word in this place, and ſignifies, as Saint Ambroſe expounds, luxurious feaſting, and banquetting, wherein men take liberty vntounto all laſciuious and riotous behauiour; ſo called as ſome thinke, becauſe ſuch feaſting, and riotous feeding brings foreign, heauy ſleepe, when men are as the Poet ſpeakes, Somno vino que , Virgil.or ſomno que cibo que ſepulti, Euen buried in ſleep cauſed by good cheere.
And becauſe in ſuch feaſting, oftentimes there is Muſick, the Syriack tranſlation (it may be) rendered it, non in muſica not in muſick; meaning vaine and filthy ſongs, and petulant behauiour, according to the rude doings in many places at mariages.
From hence the Heathen called their god of wantonnes and reuelling, foreign. This was the abhominable Idoll of Moab, Chemoſh, 1 Kings 11.7.ſo called from ſome filthy behauiour vſed or ſeene in the worſhip of that Idol: This was Priapus; the Iſraelites grieuouſly ſinned, Numb. 25.1, 2, 3.in ioyning themſelues to Baalpeor, or Beelphegor; Pudendum idolū Targ. Ionathae conſule Hieron. in loc. Hoſeae.of which the Prophet Oſee ſpeaketh, chap. 9.10. They went to Baal-peor, and ſeparated themſelues vntounto that ſhame.
Nor feaſting, nor eating that which is dainty is here forbidden; but rioting in our eating, bringing forth proteruous and diſſolute behauiour.
Drunkenneſſe. When this odious ſinne is named; wee conceiue a man vomiting, reeling and ſtaggering, not being able to ſpeake, nor able to goe: we thinke of the deformity of his viſage, the inordinate and vncomely motion of his body, his dementation, or alienation of mind.
But drunkenneſſe properly is not in theſe; Theſe are the effects of it, or as the Schoolemen ſay well, rather poena, then culpa ebrietatis, Eſay 51.21.the puniſhment, then the fault of drunkennes.
Drunkenneſſe is manifold: there is foreign: as the Prophet Eſay ſpeaketh to the Iewes: thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine, with ſinne then, or with plagues, for they were opplete with both.
There is Panaria ebrietas, and drunkenneſſe with bread, prouerbiall vſed in the Dutch language, Eraſ. chil. 1. Cent. 3. Adag. 3.as the learned Dutchman of Roterdam ſaith in his Adagies, noting petulant and impudent manners.
There is alſo giddineſſe by Tobacco; the immoderate and vnreaſonable vſe wherof is ſo much the more to be damned, becauſe it is the nurſe of this brutiſh drunkenneſſe, we hauehave to intreat of.
The drunkenneſſe here ment: is an immoderate drinking of any liquor, which may inebriate.
The very forme of this ſinne is in the terme Immoderate; now that is immoderate in drinking, which is beyond the neceſſity of nature, the good health and ſtrength of the body, and the reaſonable refreſhing of the ſpirits: whether alienation of mind follow or not.
For whatſoeuer in the exceſſe in drinking is contrary to Sobriety is ebriety: But all Immoderate drinking is contrary to ſobriety: 1 Pet. 4.3.and therefore, Saint Peter doth not onelyonly forbid walking foreign, in drunkenneſſe, but foreign in any exceſſe of wine, when we begin to be heat with it, and in drinkings and vnneceſſary bibbing, and quaffing.
Thy conſcience tels thee that drunkenneſſe is a ſinne: Obſ. deceiue not thy ſelfe, as to thinke thou art not guilty vnleſſe thou make thy ſelfe abeaſt: to be depriued of the vſe of reaſon, is the higheſt degree of this ſinne, but to drinke immoderately is drunkenneſſe in ſome degree.
If by thy conſtitution, and ſtrength of thy braine, thou beeſt able to beare as much drink as two or three men, without the alienation of thy mind; yet know that thou art not the leſſe but the more culpable thereby. Remember what the Prophet ſaith, Woe to them that are mighty to drinke wine, Eſay 5.22.and men of ſtrength to mingle ſtrong drink.
Gluttony and Drunkenneſſe, Doctr. diſgrace the perſons and profeſſion of Chriſtians. Pro. 23.20. We muſt not be amongſt wine bibbers, and riotous eaters of fleſh; much leſſe may wee doe ſuch things. Luke 21.34. Take heed leſt your hearts be ouer charged with ſurfetting and drunkenneſſe: 1 Peter 4.3. 1 Cor. 6.10. Gal. 5.21.
Wee may not, genio indulgere, be greedy of dainty cates, Ʋſe 1 like the rich glutton who fared delitiouſly eueryevery day.
It is lawfull vponupon occaſion to exceed in prouiſion; but neuer lawfull to exceed the bounds of moderate eating, Iude. 12.nor without feare to feed our ſelues.
The Romanes were greatly faulty herein; alſo the Iewes, in the dayes of Eſay and Amos. Theſe are belly-gods, of whom Paul, Phil. 3.19. Epicuri de grege porci, Swiniſh Epicures; which know nothing nor intend, but curare cutem, to pamper themſelues with dainty fare.
And ſurely ſo exceedingly are wee of this Nation peccant this way, that, that ſcoffe may bee returned vponupon vsus which was caſt vponupon the Agrigenti…es, or men of Megara. They build as if they were to liue euer, they prouide for their bellies as if they were to dye to morrow.
But venter paruo contentus, ſi das quod debes, non quod potes;
The belly is content with a little, Seneca.if you giuegive it ſo much as you owe, not ſo much as you can.
Rich Alcamenes, prouided, and fed ſparingly: being asked the reaſon, he anſwered that it became multapoſſidentem, pro ratione, non pro libidine viuere.
Plato inuited to ſupper Timothy the Athenian Duke, and intertained him with a roote and a ſallet, but with Philoſophicall diſcourſes alſo; for which Timothy gaue thankes to Plato the next day, on this manner; They which ſup with Plato feele themſelues the better for it the next day: for indeed many through gurmundizing feele themſelues the worſe many dayes after: It hath beene obſerued and affirmed that more periſh by ſurfetting then by the ſword.
Theſe examples of the Heathens ſhould admoniſh vsus to beware of exceſſe, whereby we dull our apprehenſion, and vnfit our ſelues for our duties to God and man.
The frugality and moderation of the Patriarchs, and holy Kings is remarkeable; and alſo of the Chriſtians of former times. One inſtance for many.
In the dayes of Tertullian, Tertull. in Apolog.it was imputed to the Chriſtians that the were prodigall and giuen to belly cheere, becauſe of their louelove feaſts, which therefore Tertullian deſcribes, thus; Non prius diſcumbitur, &c. We ſit not downe, till an aſſay be taken by prayer to God. Wee eate ſo much as may ſtay hunger, and drink ſo much, as is profitable for the chaſt and ſnamefaſt. We are filled ſo, as that we remember that we muſt worſhip God in the night: we diſcourſe ſo, as they who know that God heares them. Poſt aquam manualem, after water and lights, eueryevery man is prouoked to ſing vntounto God ſomething out of the Scriptures, or out of his owne inuention, by which a triall is made, how he hath eaten and drunk: Alſo Grace and prayer takes away, and ends the feaſt: and from thence wee depart, not to any wanton, riotous, or laſciuious practices, but to the ſame care of modeſty and chaſtity, Ʋt qui non tam caenum caenauerint, quam diſciplinam, ſo that you might thinke that they had beene rather at a Sermon, or at ſome Lecture of ſobriety, then at a Supper. Vſe 2
Abhorre Drunkenneſſe, and be ſober: The fearfull effects of Drunkenneſſe are manifold.
1 It waſts our Subſtance, it hath brought many families to leſſe then a morſell of bread, and hath clothed men of ſome note with ragges. Pro. 23.20.21.Diogenes ſeeing a bill faſtened vponupon a drunkards doore ſignifying that the houſe was to bee ſould: I thought ſaid he, that he would at laſt vomit his houſe alſo.
2 It oucrthrowes health, cauſing Palſies, Apoplexies, and diuers other diſeaſes, as the Phyſitians witneſſe.
3 It takes away a mans good name: Scurrarum eſt, ſaith a Father, It was wont to be the beggars ſinne, Hieran ep 83. ad Oceanum.according to the Prouerbe, As drunke as a beggar; but now many that are no beggars, are grieuouſly faulty in this bruitiſhnes.
4 It extinguiſheth the light of reaſon, and robbes vsus of that pretious Iewell. Anima ſicca ſapientiſſima, the dry ſoule is the wiſe ſoule: Many ſeeme to hauehave animam pro ſale, a ſoule they hauehave but as ſalt onelyonly, to keepe their bodies from rotting aboue ground. They drowne their wits, that as the earth oppreſſed with water is vnfruitfull; ſo they are altogether vnprofitable. Nabuchodonoſor was not more a beaſt then is a drunkard.
5 It is the ſountaine of all luxurious and filthy doings, and the cauſe of much ſinne. In it is exceſſe of riot, ſaith Saint Paul, Epheſ. 5.18. foreign,Drunkards are many of them of the principalleſt factors for the Diuell; for hauing beene ouertaken themſelues, they neuer ceaſe labouring to make others the children of hell like themſelues; and therein, after a helliſh manner reioyce. Conſul. Amb. l. de Elia & Jeiunio ca. 11. Amb loc. cit. c. 17Theſe are they which knowe no way to honour their friends but by arinking their healths; againſt which Ambroſe declaimes: and this forſooth is to be done by threes, which Saint Auſtin calles a filthy cuſtome, the poyſon of the Diuell, and the vnhappy vſe of the Pagans: he ſaith farther, Aug. ſer. 231. de tempere ad… ſinem.Quicun que hee in ſuo conuiuio aut alieno fieri acquieuerit, diabelo ſe ſacrificaſſe non dubitauerit: that is, whoſoeuer ſhall conſent to ſuch healths-drinking by threes, at his owne or at any other mans table, let him not doubt, but that hee hath by ſo doing ſacrificed to the Diuell: and therefore hee adiureth his hearers by the dreadfull day of iudgement, that they baniſh this heatheniſh cuſtome.
It damnes the ſoule, 1. Cor. 6.10. Gal. 5.20.
Howle therefore you drunkards for the miſery which ſhall come vponupon you, when eueryevery drop of wine or beare immoderately taken, ſhall be recompenſed with a ſea of wrath.
If thou deſireſt to be able to ſerue God in prayer & faith, abhor drunkennes, for a drunkard is a very Atheiſt; theſe are they which in Eſayes and Pauls time denyed the prouidence of God, 1 Cor. 15.32. Eſay 22. Eccles. 2.3.and the reſurrection. Let vsus eate and drinke ſay they, for to morrow we ſhall die.
Salomon thought to giuegive himſelfe to wine, and yet to hauehave acquainted his heart with wiſdome, but he found it impoſſible.
Not poſſible to be a drunkard and religious.
Abhorre drunkennes in thy ſelfe, reforme it alſo in others to thy vttermoſt ability; that for the ſafety of thine owne ſoule and other mens alſo, thou mayſt hauehave a double reward.
Take heed thou haſt no hand in ſetting vp vnneceſſary Ale houſes, the very Temples of Satan.
In as much as it is now become vitium Gentis, a ſinne of our Nation, and committed in that, which Nature cannot want, be the more carefull.
If thou haſt beene preſerued in theſe dangerous times, giuegive humble thanks to God: if thou haſt beene guilty, repent of this thy wickedneſſe, and pray that if it bee poſſible it may be forgiuen thee. It is hard for a drunkard to repent.