Four treatises tending to dissuade all Christians from four no less heinous then common…Foure treatises tending to disswade all Christians from foure no lesse hainous then common…

Lastly, it shorteneth the life and bringeth untimely death.¹ For to say nothing of those dangers unto which they expose themselves, by quarrelling and brawling in the time of their drunkenness, in which many have perished, and to pass them over who having lost the stern of reason, wherewith they should guide themselves, have as it were dashed against unhappy accidents, and so made shipwreck of their lives; some on the land, some in the water, some in the streets, and some in the ditches; how many are there who have drunk themselves dead, and have presently died, with the weapon as it were in their belly? so that there needed not any Jury to go upon them, to find out the cause of their death, it being no more sudden, then the cause apparent. Whose deaths charity it self must needs judge most miserable, seeing they die in their sins, and are taken away in Gods just wrath, even whilst they are sacrificing their souls unto Satan. But yet small is the number of those who perish in this apoplexy of drunkenness, in comparison of those multitudes whom it lingeringly consumeth; for it doth by little and little quench the natural heat, and drown the vital spirits, and so leadeth men though not by so direct a passage, yet but a little way about to their graves, as certainly though not so speedily. For it bringeth crudity to the stomach, and ache to the head, rheums, impostumes, gouts, consumptions, apoplexies, whereof men perish: and so howsoever drunkenness is not the mother, yet it is the grandmother of their death, though men are ashamed (like upstarts in our times) that it should derive it pedigree so far, for so base a kindred, & therefore entitle it after the name of the next parent. Neither in truth can there be any cause alleged that maketh this our age so weak, diseased, and short lived, which beareth greater sway in producing these miserable effects, then drunkenness and intemperance. It is true indeed that the world now waxing old, and as it were hoar-headed, cannot generate children of such strength and vigour, as it did in the time of youth, and full strength; and therefore we must needs decline, as the world ⟨p. 98⟩declineth.

Lastly, it shortneth the life and bringeth vntimely death.¹ For to say nothing of those dangers vnto which they expose themselues, by quarelling and brauling in the time of their drunkennes, in which many haue perished, and to passe them ouer who hauing lost the sterne of reason, wherewith they should guide themselues, haue as it were dashed against vnhappie accidents, and so made shipwrack of their liues; some on the land, some in the water, some in the streetes, and some in the ditches; how many are there who haue drunke themselues dead, and haue presently died, with the weapon as it were in their bellie? so that there needed not any Iurie to go vpon them, to finde out the cause of their death, it being no more sudden, then the cause apparant. Whose deaths charitie it selfe must needes iudge most miserable, seeing they die in their sins, and are taken away in Gods iust wrath, euen whilest they are sacrificing their soules vnto Satan. But yet small is the number of those who perish in this apoplexie of drunkennesse, in comparison of those multitudes whom it linggringly consumeth; for it doth by little and little quench the naturall heate, and drowne the vitall spirits, and so leadeth men though not by so direct a passage, yet but a little way about to their graues, as certainly though not so speedily. For it bringeth cruditie to the stomacke, and ach to the head, rheumes, impostumes, gouts, consumptions, apoplexies, whereof men perish: and so howsoeuer drunkennesse is not the mother, yet it is the grandmother of their death, though men are ashamed (like vpstarts in our times) that it should deriue it pedigree so farre, for so base a kinred, & therfore intitle it after the name of the next parent. Neither in truth can there be any cause alleaged yt maketh this our age so weak, diseased, and short liued, which beareth greater sway in producing these miserable effects, then drunkennesse and intemperance. It is true indeede that the world now waxing old, and as it were horeheaded, cannot generate children of such strength and vigour, as it did in the time of youth, and full strength; and therefore we must needes decline, as the world