Serious Address to those who Unnecessarily Frequent the Tavern, Half title – Preface
Seaſonable Advice CONCERNING THE TAVERN.
A Serious Addreſs To thoſe Who unneceſſarily frequent THE TAVERN, AND Often ſpend the Evening IN Publick Houſes.
By ſeveral MINISTERS.
To which is added, A private Letter on the Subject, by the late Rev. Dr. increaſe Mather.
Luk. 14.35.
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
BOSTON, N E. Printed for S Gerriſh, at the lower end of Cornhill. 1726.
The Preface.
IT is matter of ſorrowful, Obſervation, That New-England's primitive Ways are not now ſeen among us in their former Glory and Beauty; but we have too ſadly left our firſt Love: and Cuſtoms, of ill fame, very inconſiſtent with that Profeſſion we make of the pureſt Reformation, are viſibly ſpreading in the midſt of us.
IN particular, it is for a Lamentation, that many Perſons do unneceſſarily frequent Taverns and Publick Houſes; even to a Scandal, and to the manifeſt Prejudice and Hindrance of all Godlineſs and Honeſty.
WE do therefore hold our ſelves oblig'd, in faithfulneſs to our great Lord & Maſter, the Credit of the Goſpel, and the Welfare of precious Souls, to joyn in the following Serious Addreſs to our Neighbours. Which, ſome of us having had the Compoſing, and others the Peruſal of, we all concur to the Scope & Subſtance; as apprehending it to be a ſeaſonable and needful Teſtimony: And do earneſtly (in the Meekneſs of CHRIST, and yet with his Authority) exhort all into whoſe hands it may come, Thoſe particularly who are under our more immediate Inſpection and Charge, (for whoſe Souls we would watch as they that muſt give Account; that we may do it with Joy, and not with Grief; for that is unprofitable for them) to take what is here offer'd, into their moſt ſerious Conſideration, and to ſubmit their Conſciences unto the Mind and Will of GOD, as it is herein preſented to them.
THE Addreſs is made in this moſt publick manner; Partly becauſe if there be any ſo ſecret in their practice of the Evil witneſs'd againſt, as to eſcape our Notice and perſonal Applications, we hope this Admonition by the way of the Preſs, may find them out: Partly alſo that thoſe upon whom a tranſient oral Diſcourſe is apt to make but little Impreſſion, may by having a printed one in their hands, have opportunity more deliberately to weigh our Advice: And partly that we might in this way reach thoſe whom we can't ſpeak to from the Pulpit.
THIS Admonition is primarily intended for Chriſtian Profeſſors, of whom we wou'd hope that ſome are among the Faithful in CHRIST; who will be diſpoſed to ſay with the Royal Pſalmiſt, Let the Righteous ſmite me, it ſhall be a Kindneſs —. And as Brethren, we wou'd reſtore ſuch in the ſpirit of meekneſs, conſidering our ſelves as Men ſubject to like paſſions with others. Yet it muſt be obſerv'd, that in the courſe of this Addreſs, here and there are mingled ſome occaſional Hints, more eſpecially pointed at the groſly Scandalous, who deſerve to be ſharply rebuked, and often have been.
WE wou'd not be underſtood to involve all that are faulty, in one common Charge of Guilt, without diſtinction: or to impute every ill property and effect of the Tavern-meetings, in the ſame degree, to every one. Nor is it deſign'd to caſt Reproach on any particular Perſons; but We ſincerely aim (by the Grace of GOD) at the Reforming of ſuch as are fallen into ſo unhappy a Practice, and the Warning of others who are like to be inſnared.
WE beſeech all concern'd, ſolemnly to examine themſelves, to ponder the path of their feet, and prove their own ways; and make particular application of the Reproofs and Warnings here given, as an inform'd Conſcience ſhall direct: Awfully remembring this matter will quickly be judg'd according to the Goſpel, at the enlighten'd Tribunal of CHRIST, Whoſe We are, and whom we ſerve.
Cotton Mather
Benjamin Wadſworth
Peter Thacher
John Danforth
Nehemiah Walter
Eliphalet Adams
Peter Thacher
Iſrael Loring
John Avery
Joſeph Sewall
Thomas Prince
Ebenezer Thayer
John Webb
John Cotton
Nathanael Appleton
William Cooper
Thomas Foxcroft
Samuel Checkley
William Cooke
William Waldron
Nathanael Cotton
Joſhua Gee
John Greenwood.
Sept. 29. 1726.