A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

IF you ask, which is worst, Excess in Meat or Drink, Gluttony or Drunkenness? I answer, Drunkenness is more odious, and doth more sensibly deprive a Man of the use of Reason, and put him upon Actions unseemly, and is the cause of more Diseases and Disorders in the Body: but then Gluttony is very dangerous, partly because it is not of such a great Disreputation among Men as Drunkenness: and Shame is one of the Restraints of Sin; partly because it insensibly creeps upon us, as Austin complained, Ebrietas long à me est, crapula autem nonnunquam surrepit servo tuo: Lord! I abhor Drunkenness, but Gluttony creeps unawares upon me. If it be required again, which Sin is worst, he that is immoderate in the use of Pleasure, or he that is immoderate in Worldly Cares? I answer, gross Intemperance brings more Dishonour to God, and Worldly Cares more spiritual Disadvantage to our Souls. A Worldling doth not dishonour God openly so much as a Drunkard, but then he is more uncapable of Conviction, and of heavenly things; and by distracting his Heart with Cares, he shrewdly endangereth his Salvation. As for Drunkards and Sensualists, their Face declareth their Shame, and their Crime is written in their Foreheads, and so they have less of Defence against the Strokes of the Word: Therefore our Saviour saith, Mat. 21.31. That the Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you.

IF you ask, which is worst, Excess in Meat or Drink, Gluttony or Drunkenness? I answer, Drukenness is more odious, and doth more sensibly deprive a Man of the use of Reason, and put him upon Actions unseemly, and is the cause of more Diseases and Disorders in the Body: but then Gluttony is very dangerous, partly because it is not of such a great Disreputation among Men as Drunkenness: and Shame is one of the Restraints of Sin; partly because it insensibly creeps upon us, as Austin complained, Ebrietas longe à me est, crapula autem nonnunquam surrepit servo tuo: Lord! I abhor Drunkenness, but Gluttony creeps unawares upon me. If it be required again, which Sin is worst, he that is immoderate in the use of Pleasure, or he that is immoderate in Worldly Cares? I answer, gross Intemperance brings more Dishonour to God, and Worldly Cares more spiritual Disadvantage to our Souls. A Worldling doth not dishonour God openly so much as a Drunkard, but then he is more uncapable of Conviction, and of heavenly things; and by distracting his Heart with Cares, he shrewdly endangereth his Salvation. As for Drunkards and Sensualists, their Face declareth their Shame, and their Crime is written in their Foreheads, and so they have less of Defence against the Stroaks of the Word: Therefore our Saviour saith,