Most fruitful [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martyr Vermil Florentine, professor of divinity,…Most fruitfull [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martir Vermil Florentine, professor of deuinitie,…

¹Neither ought we to be ignorant of this, that some such times chance, wherein it is not meet for Christian & godly men to give them selves to mirth: sometimes we must mourn for the since which we have committed. And sometimes we are troubled with very grievous miseries: and when we are under the hand of the rod of God, we must pray more vehemently, whereunto fastings and chastening of the body much helpeth: which thing Paul declareth in his first Epistle unto the Corinthians, when he saith, that it is lawful sometimes for the husband and wife to depart one from an other for a season, but yet with the mutual consent of them both, that they may give themselves to fastings and prayers: although we must not for such abstinence appoint any certain days of the year, but leave the time to the prudence of the spirit. Howbeit this reason maketh much against those, which contend that we must continually drink, that at no time we may want mirth. Yea and the same Apostle said of him self: I chasten my body, and bring it in to bondage. By which saying he admonished the Corinthians by his example to bridle the lusts. There might be many more examples rehearsed out of the holy scriptures, manifestly to declare, that both drunkenness, and also to much use of wine are prohibited. But these shall be sufficient at this time. And this only will I add, that even the very Ethnics knew this thing also.² Plato in his .7. book de Legibus, toward the end writeth, that Minos by his laws prohibited the Cretenses, that they should not drink together to drunkenness. And Seneca saith in his .84. Epistle: Drunkenness is nothing else then a voluntary madness. And straight way after: The quality of drunkenness continuing many days, is furiousness. Moreover, they which strive with cups, although they overcome other in taking much wine, yet will they or nil they, they are overcome of the tonnes. And it is filthy for a man to take in more then he is able to receive, and not to know the measure of his stomach.

¹Neither ought we to be ignoraunt of this, that some suche tymes chaunce, wherein it is not meete for Christian & godly men to geue them selues to mirth: sometimes we must mourne for the synnes which we haue committed. And somtimes we are troubled with very grieuous miseries: and when we are vnder the hand of the rod of God, we must pray more vehemently, wherunto fastings and chastning of the body much helpeth: which thing Paul declareth in his first Epistle vnto the Corrinthians, when he saith, that it is lawful somtimes for the husband and wife to depart one from an other for a season, but yet with the mutual consent of them both, that they may geue themselues to fastings and praiers: although we must not for such abstinence appoint any certain dayes of the yere, but leaue the time to the prudence of the spirite. Howbeit this reason maketh much against those, which contend that we must continually drinke, that at no time we may want mirth. Yea and the same Apostle sayd of him selfe: I chasten my body, and bring it in to bondage. By which saying he admonished the Corrinthians by his example to bridle the lustes. Ther might be manye more examples rehearsed out of the holy scriptures, manifestly to declare, that both dronkennes, and also to much vse of wyne are prohibited. But these shal be sufficiēt at this time. And this onely wyl I adde, that euen the verye Ethnikes knewe this thing also.