A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

Look now upon the dam, drunkenness. Aquinas disputing whither drunkenness be a sin or not, objects that no vice is opposed to it: as to temerity cowardice, to prodigality avarice; therefore it is no sin, but he answers, that there is a vice opposed to it, though it wants a name, because it is so unusual: as the forbearing of all sustenance. It is questioned also whether a sick man may drink medicinally for his health, and be drunk with it: but we may affirm, that there is no medicinal cup to the body, that is poisonfull to the conscience. It is folly to think, that the cause of many sicknesses, should be physic for one: or that the endangering the soul can be good physic for the body: no good physician will prescribe it, no divine will allow it: say with Constantine; Mallem semper aegrotare, quàm tali remedio convalescere. It is better to be still afflicted with our disease, than be recovered by such a medicine. This vice is the plying of the pot: Nocturno torpere mero, torpere diurno. Mantuan the poet, Eccl. 9. rehearseth the drunkards seven draughts. Fund iterum: potare semel, gustare: Secundus Calluit os potus: calefacta refrigerat ora Tertius: arma siti, bellumque indicere Quartus Aggreditur: quintus pugnat: victoria Sexti est: ⟨p. 133⟩Septimus (Oenophili senis haec doctrina) triumphat. The first draught doth but taste the wine: the second washeth the mouth: the third cooleth it: the fourth threatens war against thirst: the fifth fights with it: the sixth overcomes it: the seventh triumphs over it. All this is taught by Oenophilus, a lover of wine, an old drunkard; this is the drunkards doctrine. Let us hear the Philosopher somewhat more sober and stayed. Aristotle makes seven degrees of it: 1. Necessity, a man must drink. 2. Commodity, man should drink. 3. Pleasure, he may drink. 4. Fullness, he may not drink. 5. Satiety, and that is bad. 6. Ebriety, and that is worse. 7. Madness, and that is worst of all. Here be the deadly draughts, to which drunkenness runs headlong. Fertur equis auriga, nec audit currus habenas. The sea knows his bounds, but not the deluge of drunkenness. We see the Dam, let us look upon the Litter or effects; which are many and hideous.

Looke now upon the damme, drunkennesse. Aquinas disputing whither drunkennesse be a sin or not, objects that no vice is opposed to it: as to temeritie cowardice, to prodigalitie avarice; therefore it is no sinne, but he answers, that there is a vice opposed to it, though it wants a name, because it is so unusuall: as the forbearing of all sustenance. It is questioned also whether a sicke man may drinke medicinally for his health, and be drunke with it: but we may affirme, that there is no medicinall cup to the body, that is poisonfull to the conscience. It is folly to thinke, that the cause of many sicknesses, should be physicke for one: or that the endangering the soule can be good physicke for the body: no good physician will prescribe it, no divine will allow it: say with Constantine; Mallem semper aegrotare, quàm tali remedio convalescere. It is better to be still afflicted with our disease, than bee recovered by such a medicine. This vice is the plying of the pot: Nocturno torpere mero, torpere diurno. Mantuan the poet,