Sermons on Various Subjects Volume 1, Sermon 7
SERMON VII.
The heinous SIN of Drunkenneſs.
EPHESIANS V. 6.
Be not drunk with Wine, wherein is Exceſs; but be filled with the Spirit.
THE Perſons to whom theſe Words were written, were the People of Epheſus, who being, as we are told in the Acts, Worſhippers of the great Goddeſs Diana, in all Probability worſhipped the God Bacchus alſo; at the Celebration of whoſe Feſtivals, it was always cuſtomary, nay, part of their Religion, to get drunk; as though there was no other Way to pleaſe their God, but by turning themſelves into Brutes.
The Apoſtle therefore, in this Chapter, amongſt many other Precepts more eſpecially applicable to them, lays down that in the Text; and exhorts them, as they had now, by the free Grace of GOD, been turned from heatheniſh Darkneſs to the Light of the Goſpel, to walk … Children of Light, and no longer make it …rt of their Religion or Practice to be drunk with Wine, wherein is Exceſs; but, on the Contrary, ſtrive to be filled with the Spirit of that Saviour, after whoſe Name they were now called, and whoſe Religion taught them to abſtain from ſuch a filthy Sin, and to live ſoberly as they ought to live.
By the World being now Chriſtian, and the Doctrines of the Goſpel every where received, one would imagine, there ſhould be no Reaſon for repeating the Precepts now before us. But alas, Chriſtians! I mean Chriſtians falſly ſo called, are ſo led captive by all Sin in general, and by this of Drunkenneſs in particular, that was St. Paul to riſe again from the Dead, he might be tempted to think moſt of us were turned back to the Worſhip of dumb Idols; that we had ſet up Temples in Honour of Bacchus, and made it Part of our Religion, as the Epheſians did of theirs, to be drunk with Wine wherein is Exceſs.
Our civil Magiſtrates have not been wanting to uſe the Power given them from above, for the Puniſhment and Reſtraint of ſuch evil Doings; and I wiſh it could be ſaid this Plague of Drinking, by what they have done, had been ſtayed amongſt us. But alas! though their Labour, we truſt, has not been altogether in vain in the LORD, yet Thouſands, and I could almoſt ſay, ten Thouſands fall daily at our Right Hand, by this Sin of Drunkenneſs, in our Streets; nay, Men ſeem to have made a Covenant with Hell, and though the Power of the civil Magiſtrate is exerted againſt them; nay, and though they cannot but daily ſee the Companions of their Riot hourly by this, brought to the Grave, yet they will riſe up early to follow ſtrong Drink, and cry, To Morrow ſhall be as to Day, and ſo much the more abundantly; when we awake, we will ſeek it yet again.
It is high Time therefore, for thy Miniſters to lift up their Voices like a Trumpet, and ſince human Threats cannot prevail, to ſet before them the Terrors of the LORD, and try if theſe will not perſuade them to ceaſe from the Evil of their Doings.
But alas! how ſhall I addreſs myſelf to them? I fear Exceſs of Drinking has made them ſuch mere Nabals, that there is no ſpeaking to them. And many of GOD's Servants have toiled all their Lifetimes in diſſuading them from this Sin of Drunkenneſs, yet they will not forbear. However, at his Command, I will ſpeak alſo, though they be a rebellious Houſe Magnify thy Strength, O LORD, in my Weakneſs, and grant that I may ſpeak with ſuch Demonſtration of the Spirit, and with Power, that from henceforward they may ceaſe to act …o unwiſely, and this Sin of Drunkenneſs may not be their Ruin.
Believe me, ye unhappy Men of Belial (for ſuch, alas! this Sin has made you) it is not without the ſtrongeſt Reaſons, as well as utmoſt Concern for your precious and immortal Souls, that I now conjure you in the Apoſtles … … to be … with Wine, or any … wherein is Exceſs.
For, Firſt, Drunkenneſs is a Sin which muſt be highly diſpleaſing to GOD; becauſe it is an Abuſe of his good Creatures.
When GOD firſt made Man, and had breathed into him the Breath of Life, he gave him Dominion over the Works of his Hands, and every Herb bearing Seed, and every Tree, in which was the Fruit of a Tree yielding Seed, to him it was given for Meat; but when Adam had taſted the forbidden Fruit, which was the only Reſtraint laid upon him, he forfeited this Priviledge, and had no Right, ſince he had diſobeyed his Creator, to the Uſe of any one of the Creatures.
But, bleſſed be GOD, this Charter, as well as all other Privileges, is reſtored to us by the Death of the ſecond Adam, our LORD and Maſter JESUS CHRIST. Of every Beaſt of the Field, every Fiſh of the Sea, and whatſoever f…eth in the Air, or moveth on the Face of the Earth, that is fit for Food, we may freely eat, i. e. without Scruple take, and eat; but then, with this Limitation, that we uſe them moderately. For GOD, by the Death of JESUS, has given no Man Licenſe to be intemperate; but, on the contrary, has laid us under the ſtrongeſt Obligations to live ſoberly, as well as godly in this preſent World.
But the Drunkard, deſpiſing the Goodneſs and Bounty of GOD, in reſtoring to us what we had ſo juſtly forfeited, turns his Grace into Wantonneſs; and as though the Creature was not of itſelf enough ſubject to Vanity, by being Curſed for our Sake, he abuſes it ſtill more, by making it adminiſter to his Luſts; and turns that Wine which was intended to make glad his Heart, into a deadly Poiſon.
But thinkeſt thou, O Drunkard, whoſoever thou art, thou ſhalt eſcape the righteous Judgment of GOD? No, the Time will ſhortly come that thou muſt be no longer Steward, aud then the Sovereign Lord of all the Earth will reckon with thee for thus waſting his Goods. Alas! wilt thou then wreſt Scripture any longer to thy own Damnation? And becauſe JESUS CHRIST turned Water into Wine at the Marriage Feaſt, to ſupply the Wants of his indigent Hoſt, ſay, that it is therefore meet to make merry, and be drunken. No, thou ſhalt be ſilent before him; and know, that tho' thou haſt encouraged thyſelf in Drunkenneſs by ſuch like Arguments, yet for all theſe Things GOD will bring thee into Judgment.
But, Secondly, What makes Drunkenneſs more exceeding ſinful, is, that a Man, by falling into it, ſinneth againſt his own Body.
When the Apoſtle would …ade the Corinthians from Fornication, he … this as an Argument, Flee Fornication, ſays he, Brethren; for he that committeth Fornication, ſinneth againſt his own Body. And may not I as juſtly cry out, Flee Drunkenneſs, my Brethren, ſince he that committeth that Crime, ſinneth againſt his own Body? For, from whence come ſo many Diſen… and Diſtemp… in your Bodies; Come they not from hence, even from your Intemperance in Drinking? Who hath Pains in the Head? Who hath Rottenneſs in the Bones? Who hath Redneſs of Eyes? He that tarries long at the Wine, he that riſes early to ſeek new Wine. How many walking Skeletons have you ſeen, whoſe Bodies were once exceeding fair to look upon, fat and well favoured; but, by this Sin of drinking, how has their Beauty departed from them, and how have they been permitted to walk to and fro… upon the Earth, as though GOD intended to ſet them up, as he did Lot's Wife, for Monuments of his Juſtice, that others might learn not to get drunk? Nay, I appeal to yourſelves. Are not many, for this Cauſe, even now ſickly among you? And have not many of your Companions whom you once ſaw flouriſhing, like green Bay Trees, been brought by it, with Sorrow, to their Graves?
We might perhaps, think ourſelves hardly dealt with by GOD, was he to ſend to us, as he did to the Royal Pſalmiſt, to chooſe one Plague out of three, whereby we ſhould be deſtroyed. But had the Almighty decreed to cut off Man from the Face of the Earth, and to ſhorten his Days, he could not well ſend a more effectual Plague, than to permit Men, as they pleaſed, to overcharge themſelves with Drunkenneſs; for tho' it be a ſlow, yet it is a certain Poiſon. And if the Sword has ſlain its Thouſands, Drunkenneſs has ſlain its ten Thouſands.
And will not this alarm you, O ye Tranſgreſſors? Will not this perſuade you to ſpare yourſelves, and to do your Bodies no Harm? What, have you loſt the firſt Principles of human Nature, the fundamental Law of Self-preſervation? You ſeem to have a great Fondneſs for your Bodies, why otherwiſe to gratify their inordinate Appetites, do you drink to Exceſs? But ſurely, if you truly loved them, you would not thus deſtroy them; and was there no other Argument to be urged againſt Drunkenneſs, the Conſideration that it will deſtroy thoſe Lives you are ſo fond of, one would imagine, ſhould be ſufficient.
I know, indeed, that it is a common Anſwer that Drunkards make to thoſe, who, out of Love, would pull them as Firebrands out of the Fire, We are no Body's Enemy but our own. But this, inſtead of being an Excuſe for, is but an Aggravation of their Guilt: For (not to mention that the Drunkenneſs of one Man has cloathed many a Family with Rags, and that it is ſcarce poſſible for a Perſon to be drunk, without tempting his Neighbour alſo) I ſay, not to mention theſe, and many other ill Conſequences, which would …ve ſuch an Excuſe to be entirely falſe; … what is dearer to a Man than himſelf? … he himſelf be loſt, what would all the whole World avail him? But how wilt thou ſtand, O Man, before the Judgment Seat of CHRIST, and make ſuch an Excuſe, when thou … …e arraigned before him as a Self-Mur…er▪ Will it then be ſufficient, thinkeſt thou, … I was no Man's Enemy but my own? … GOD will then tell thee, that thou waſt not thy own; that thou waſt bought with the Price of his dear Son's Blood, and thou oug…teſt therefore to have glorified him with thy Spirit, and with thy Body, which were his. And ſince thou haſt, by Intemperance, deſtroyed thy Body, he will deſtroy both thy Body and Soul in Hell.
But, Thirdly, What renders Drunkenneſs more inexcuſeable, is, that it robs a Man of his Reaſon.
Reaſon is the Glory of a Man; the chief Thing whereby GOD has made us to differ from the Brute Creation. And our modern Unbelievers have exalted it to ſuch a high Degree, as even to ſet it in Oppoſition to Revelation, and deny the LORD that bought them. But though in doing this, they greatly err, and whilſt they profeſs themſelves wiſe, become real Fools; yet we muſt acknowledge, that Reaſon is the Candle of the LORD, and whoſoever puts it out, ſhall bear his Puniſhment, whoſoever he be.
But yet, … the Drunkard does. Nebuchadnezzar's Curſe he makes his Choice, his Reaſon departeth from him, and then what is he better than a Brute?
The very Heathen Kings were ſo ſenſible of this, that, in order to deter their young Princes from drinking, they uſed to make their Slaves get drunk, and be expoſed before them. And didſt thou but ſee thine own Picture, O Drunkard, when, after having drowned thy Reaſon, thou ſtaggereſt to and fro, like one of the Fools in Iſrael, and ſeeſt thy very Companions making Songs upon thee, ſurely thou wouldſt not return to thy Vomit again, but abhor thyſelf in Duſt and Aſhes!
When David, in a Holy Ecſtaſy, was dancing before the Ark, Michal, Saul's Daughter, deſpiſed him in her Heart; and when he came home, ſhe ſaid, How glorious was the King of Iſrael to Day, who uncovered himſelf to Day in the Eyes of the Handmaids of his Servants, as one of the vain Fellows ſhameleſly uncovereth himſelf. And may not every one that meets a Drunkard, more juſtly ſay, How glorious does he, that was made a little lower than the Angels, look to Day, when unmindful of his Dignity, he has, by drinking, robbed himſelf of his Reaſon, and reduced himſelf to a Level with the Beaſts that periſh.
But what if GOD, in the Midſt of one of theſe drunken Fits, ſhould arreſt thee by Death, and ſay unto thee, Thou Fool, this Moment ſhall thy Soul be required of thee. Oh! How wouldſt thou appear in thoſe filthy Garments before that GOD, in who… Sight the Heavens are not clean. And … knoweſt thou, O Man, but this may be thy Lot? Haſt thou not known many, in thy Life-time, ſummoned at ſuch an unguarded Hour; and what Aſſurance haſt thou given thee, that thou ſhalt not be the next? Becauſe GOD has forborn thee ſo long, thinkeſt thou he will forbear always? No, this is rather a Sign that he will come at an Hour thou lookeſt not for him; and ſince his Goodneſs and Long-Suffering has not led thee to Repentance, he will cut thee down, and not permit thee to cumber the Ground any longer. Conſider this then, all ye that count it a Pleaſure to turn yourſelves into Brutes, leſt GOD pluck you away by a ſudden Death, and there be none to deliver you.
But, Fourthly, There is a farther Aggravation of this Crime, that it is an Inlet to, and Forerunner of many other Sins; for it ſeldom comes alone.
We may ſay of Drunkenneſs, as Solomon does of Strife, that it is like the letting out of Water; for we know not what will be the End thereof. Its Name is Legion: For behold a Troop of Sins cometh after it. And for my own Part, when I ſee a Drunkard, I can ſcarce, with the holy Prophet, when he looked in Hazael's Face, forbear weeping, to conſider how many Vices he may fall into, e'er he comes to himſelf again.
What ho…d Inceſt did righteous Lot commit with his own Daughters when they had made him drunk? And, I doubt not, but there are many amongſt you, who have committed ſuch Crimes when you have deprived yourſelves of your Reaſon by drinking, that were you to hear of them, your Heart, like Nabal's, after he was told how he had abuſed David when he was drunk, would die within you. And had any one told you, when you were ſober, that you would have been guilty of ſuch Crimes, you would have cried out, with Hazael before mentioned, Are thy Servants ſo many Dogs, that they ſhould do thus?
But no marvel that Drunkards commit ſuch Crimes: For Drunkenneſs drives the Holy Spirit from them: they become mere Machines for the Devil to work up to what he pleaſes; he enters into them, as he entred into the Herd of Swine; and no Wonder if they then commit all Uncleanneſs, and any other Crime, with Greedineſs. But this leads me to a
Fifth Conſideration, which highly aggravates the Sin of Drunkenneſs, viz. That it ſeparates the holy Spirit from us.
It is to be hoped, that no one here preſent need be informed, that before we can … Chriſtians indeed, we muſt receive the Holy Ghoſt, muſt be born again from above, and have the Spirit of GOD witneſſing with our Spirits, that we are the Sons of GOD. This, this alone is true Chriſtianity; and without the Cohabita… of … Bleſſed Spirit in our Hear…, our Righteouſneſs does not exceed the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, and we ſhall in no wiſe enter into the Kingdom of GOD.
But now Drunkards, do, in Effect, bid this Bleſſed Spirit depart from them: For what has he to do with ſuch filthy Swine? No, they have no Lot or Share in the Spirit of the Son of David. They have chaſed him out of their Hearts, by defiling his Temple; I mean their Bodies. And he can no more hold Communion with them, than Light can have Communion with Darkneſs, or CHRIST have Concord with Belial.
The Apoſtle therefore, in the Words of the Text, exhorts the Epheſians, not to be drunk with Wine, wherein is Exceſs, but to be filled with the Spirit; thereby implying, that Drunkenneſs and the Spirit of GOD could never dwell in the ſame Heart. And in another Epiſtle, he bids them avoid unprofitable Converſation, as a Thing which grieved the Holy Spirit; whereby alone they could be ſealed to the Day of Redemption. And if unprofitable Converſation grieves the Holy Spirit, at what an infinite Diſtance muſt Drunkenneſs drive him from the Hearts of Men?
But oh that you were wiſe! That you would conſider what a dreadful Thing it is to have the Spirit of the Living GOD depart from you: For, aſſure yourſelves, if you live without him, you live without GOD in the World. You are in the ſame miſerable forlorn Condition as Saul was, when an evil Spirit of the LORD came upon him; and you are only ſo many Veſſels of Wrath fitted for Deſtruction. But this brings me to the
Sixth and laſt Reaſon I ſhall urge againſt the Sin of Drunkenneſs, that it abſolutely unfits a Man for the Enjoyment of GOD in Heaven, and expoſes him to his Eternal Wrath.
To ſee and enjoy GOD, and to be like the bleſſed Angels, always beholding the Face of our Heavenly Father, in the Glories of his Kingdom, is ſuch an unſpeakable Happineſs, that even wicked Men, though they will not live the Life of the Righteous, cannot but wiſh their future State to be like his.
But think you, O ye Drunkards, that you ſhall ever be Partakers of this Inheritance with the Saints in Light? Do you flatter yourſelves, that you, who have made them often the Subject of your drunken Songs, ſhall now be exalted to ſing with them the Heavenly Songs of Sion? No, as by Druukenneſs you have made your Hearts Cages of unclean Birds, with impure and unclean Spirits muſt you dwell.
A burning Tophet, kindled by GOD's Wrath, is prepared for your Reception, where you muſt ſuffer the Vengeance of an Eternal Fire, and in vain cry out for a Drop of Water to cool your Tongues. Indeed you ſhall drink, but it ſhall be a Cup of GOD's … the Hand of the LORD there … be a Cup of Fury, it will be full mi…d; … as for the Dregs thereof, all the Drunkards of the Land ſhall ſuck them out.
But perhaps you may not believe this Report. Theſe Words may be looked upon by you as idle Tales, and I may ſeem to you as L…t did to his Sons-in-law, when he came to warn them to get up out of Sodom, as one that mocketh. But if you believe not me, believe eternal Truth itſelf, and he has poſitively declared, that no Drunkard ſhall ever enter into his Kingdom.
And I call Heaven and Earth to Witneſs againſt you this Day, that as ſurely as the LORD rained Fire and Brimſtone, as ſoon as Lot went out of Sodom, ſo ſurely will GOD caſt you into a Lake of Fire and Brimſtone, when he ſhall come to take Vengeance on them that know not GOD, and have not obeyed the Goſpel of our Lord JESUS CHRIST.
Behold then I have told you before; remember you this Day were informed what the End of Drunkenneſs would be. And I ſummon you, in the Name of that GOD whom I ſerve, to meet me at the Judgment Seat of CHRIST, that you may acquit both my Maſter and me; and con…eſs, with your own Mouths, that your Damnation was of yourſelves, and that we were freed from the Blood of you all.
But, LORD, has no one believed our Report? Wilt thou ſuffer ſo many Words to be ſpoken in vain, i… it be yet in vain? No, methinks I ſee ſome pricked to the Heart, and ready to cry out in the Language of David to Abigail, Bleſſed be the LORD GOD of Iſrael, which ſent thee this Day to ſpeak unto us. For ſurely, unleſs he had ſent thee, this Sin of Drunkenneſs had been our Rain. But now, ſince we find whither it will lead us, we are reſolved to drink no Liquor to Exceſs while the World ſtands, leſt we ſhould be tormented in the Flames of Hell.
But alas! how ſhall we be delivered from the Power of this Sin? Can the Ethiopian change his Skin, or the Leopard his Spots? So hard, almoſt, will it be for us who have been accuſtomed to be intemperate, to learn to live ſober.
But do not deſpair; for what is impoſſible with Man, is poſſible with GOD. Of whom then ſhould you ſeek for Succour, but of him your LORD? Who, though for this Sin of Drunkenneſs, he might juſtly turn away his Face from you; yet if you pour out your Hearts before him in daily Prayer, and ask Aſſiſtance from above, he will endue you with Power from on high, and make you more than Conquerors through JESUS CHRIST that loved you. Had you … up Communion with him in Pr…er, you would not ſo long, by Drunkenneſs, have had Communion with Devils. And had you beſought him inſtantly, that you might not be le… into Temptation, you would always have … delivered … the Evil of it. But, like …, you have deſired … be your …; you have lived without Prayer, depended on your own Strength; and ſee, alas! on what a broken Reed you have leaned. How ſoon have you made yourſelves like the Beaſts that have no Underſtanding? But turn ye, turn ye from your evil Ways. Come to him, with the repenting Prodigal, ſaying, Father we have ſinned, we beſeech thee, let not this Sin of Drunkenneſs have any longer Dominion over us. And lo! it ſhall happen to you even as you will.
But think not that GOD muſt do all▪ a…d you nothing. No; as we can do nothing without him, ſo he will do nothing without us. And if we pray that we may not be led into Temptation, we muſt take heed not to throw ourſelves into it.
A ſecond Means therefore I would recommend to you, in order to get the better of Drunkenneſs, is to avoid evil Company. For it is the evil Communications of wicked Men, that has drawn ſo many thouſands into this Sin, and ſo corrupted their good Manners.
But you may ſay, If I leave my Companions, I muſt expect Contempt. For they will certainly deſpiſe me for being ſ…gular. And thinkeſt thou, O Man, ever to enter in … the ſtrait Gate by a true Converſion, without being had in Deriſion of them that are round about thee? No▪ though thou mayſt be deſpiſed, and no… to go to Heaven, yet thou canſt not go to Heaven, without being deſpiſed: For the Friendſhip of the World is En…ity with GOD. And they that are born after the Fleſh, will perſecute thoſe that are born after the Spirit. Let not, therefore, a ſervile Fear of being deſpiſed by a Man that ſhall die, hinder thy turning unto the living GOD. For what is a little Contempt? It is but a Vapour which vaniſheth away, and cometh not again. Better be derided by a few Companions here, than be made aſhamed before Men and Angels hereafter. Better be the Song of a few Drunkards on Earth, than dwell with them where they will be eternally reproaching and curſing each other in Hell. Yet a little while, and they themſelves ſhall praiſe thy Doings, and ſhall ſay, We, Fools, counted his leaving us to be Folly, and his End to … without Honour: But how is he numbered among the Sons of GOD, and his Lot among the Saints!.
But I haſten to lay … a Third Means for …oſe who would over … this Sin of Drunkenneſs,—to enter … of ſtrict Self-denial and …. For this Kind of Sin goeth not … but by Prayer and Faſting. It is true, this may ſeem a difficult Taſk; … then, we …uſt thank ourſelves for it; For had we begun …oner, our Work would have been the eaſier. …nd even now, if you will but ſtrive, the Yoke of Mortification will grow lighter and ligh… every Day.
And here, by way of Concluſion to this Diſcourſe, I cannot but …, high and low, rich and …, to practiſe a ſtrict Self-denia… eating and drinking. For though the Kingdom of GOD conſiſts not in Meats and Drinks, yet an abſtemious Uſe of, and a frequent total Abſtinence from GOD's good Creatures, are great Promoters of the ſpiritual Life. And perhaps there are more deſtroyed by living in a regular Senſuality, than even by that very Sin I have now been warning you of▪—I know, indeed, that many, who are only almoſt Chriſtians, and who ſeek, but do not ſtrive to enter into the Kingdom of GOD, urge a Text of Scripture to juſtify their Indulgence, ſaying, That it is not what entreth into the Man d…ileth the Man. And ſo we grant, when taken moderately; but then they ſhould conſider, that it is poſſible, nay, it is proved by daily Experience, that a Perſon may eat and drink ſo much as not to hurt his Body, and yet do infinite Prejudice to his Soul. For Self- indulgence lulls the Soul into a ſpiritual Slumber, as well as direct Intemperance; and though the latter may expoſe us to more Contempt among Men, yet the former, if continued in, will as certainly ſhut us out from the Preſence of GOD. St. Paul knew this full well; and therefore, though he was the ſpiritual Father of Thouſands, and was near upon finiſhing his Courſe, yet he ſays, it was his daily Practice to keep his Body under, and bring it into Subjection, no doubt, by a ſtrict Abſtinence and Faſting; not that he might arrive at higher Degrees of Perfection, but le…t after he had preached to others, he himſelf ſhould be a Caſt-away. But why urge I the Apoſtle's Example to excite you to a ſtrict Temperance in eating and drinking? Rather let me exhort you only to put in Practice the latter Part of the Text, to labour to be filled with the Spirit of GOD, and then you will no longer ſearch the Scriptures to find Arguments for Self-indulgence; but you will deal ſincerely with yourſelves, and faſt as often as the Church enjoyns, if your Healths will permit; and eat and drink no more at any Time, than what is conſiſtent with the ſtricteſt Precepts of the Goſpel. O do but beg of GOD, that you may ſee how you are fallen in Adam, and muſt be renewed e'er you can be happy, by the Spirit of JESUS CHRIST! Let us be…eech him to enlighten us, to ſee the Treachery of our corrupt Hearts, and how pure and holy theſe Bodies ought to be, which are living Temples of the Holy Ghoſt, and then we ſhall ſhew ourſelves Men. Abſtain from all Appearance of any Thing that will quench this Holy Spirit, and do any Thing that will invite him into, or cauſe him to abide in our Hearts. And thus being made Temples of the Holy Ghoſt, by his dwelling in our Bodies here, tho' after Death, Worms may deſtroy them; yet ſhall they be raiſe… by the ſame Spirit at the general Reſurrection of the laſt Day, to be faſhioned like unto CHRIST'S glorio… ….
Which GOD of his infinite Mercy grant, &c.