When Solomon gave himself to wine, he took hold of folly at that time,1 Eccles. 2.3.2 though somewhat of his wisdom remained, yet wine took way his heart in a great measure. He gave himself liberty (as appeareth by that Scripture, though we read not of drunkenness) yet he gave himself liberty to satisfy himself with wine and then he took hold on folly. Those that give themselves liberty in drinking wine and strong drink they are besotted in their very parts,3 as you know by experience, they are as a snuff of a candle in a socket, drowned in the tallow, a while since it gave a good light over the room, but now being even drowned in the tallow there is nothing lest but a little smoke and a stinking snuff and little or no light remaining; so many men when they were young were like a candle upon the table that gave light ⟨p. 131⟩to all about them, but now having given themselves up to the satisfaction of that filthy and vile lust of drinking,4 all their parts are become like a snuff of a candle in the socket, almost drowned in the tallow. Or rather they are become as a quagmire, we know if the husband man should sow never such precious seed in a quagmire, what fruit will it bring forth? Austin hath this expression, just as when the ground hath too much rain it grows miry and dirty and is not fit for seed, so do those that ingulge themselves in drink. Therefore in Ezek. 47.11.5 it is said the waters of the Sanctuary did not heal the miry places and the marishes,6 miry hearts are seldom healed by the waters of the Sanctuary.7 Basil in a Sermon of his upon intemperancy, makes drunkenness as the Idols spoken of in the Psalms, that have ears and hear not, and eyes and see not, and feet and walk not, it takes away their standing and their understanding likewise, their very parts are taken away and they are left at liberty unto all kind of wickedness. How many are there that were excellent when they were young, yet being taken with that lust, how are they grown like Esau that sold his birthright for a mess of pottage, so these will sell Heaven for a cup of wine; yea they are more profane than Esau, for he was in a straight, he came out of the field and be was very hungry and he thought he should die if he had not the pottage, so that he sold his birthright for a mess of pottage out of a kind of necessity, which he might plead;
When Solomon gave himself to wine, he took hold of folly at that time,1 Eccles. 2.3.2 though somewhat of his wisdom re mained, yet wine took way his heart in a great measure. He gave himself liberty (as appeareth by that Scripture, though we reade not of drunkenness) yet he gave himself liberty to satisfie himself with wine and then he took hold on folly. Those that give themselves liberty in drinking wine and strong drink they are besotted in their very parts,3 as you know by experience, they are as a snuff of a candle in a socket, drowned in the tallow, a while since it gave a good light over the room, but now being even drowned in the tallow there is nothing lest but a little smoke and a stinking snuff and little or no light remaining; so manie men when they were young were like a candle upon the table that gave light ⟨p. 131⟩to all about them, but now having given themselves up to the satisfaction of that filthy and vile lust of drinking,4 all their parts are become like a snuff of a candle in the socket, almost drowned in the tallow. Or rather they are become as a quagmire, we know if the husband man should sow never such precious seed in a quagmire, what fruit will it bring forth? Austin hath this expression, just as when the ground hath too much rain it grows miery and dirty and is not fit for seed, so do those that ingulge themselves in drink. Therefore in Ezek. 47.11.5 it is said the waters of the Sanstuary did not heal the miery places and the marishes,6 miery hearts are seldom healed by the waters of the Sanctuary.7 Basil in a Sermon of his upon intemperancy, makes drunkenness as the Idols spoken of in the Psalms, that have ears and hear not, and eyes and see not, and feet and walk not, it takes away their standing and their understanding likewise, their very parts are taken away and they are left at liberty unto all kind of wickedness. How many are therethat were excellent when they were young, yet being taken with that lust, how are they grown like Esau that sold his birthright for a mess of pottage, so these will sell Heaven for a cup of wine; yea they are more prophane than Esau, for he was in a straight, he came out of the field and be was very hungery and he thought he should die if he had not the pottage, so that he sold his birthright for a mess of pottage out of a kind of necessity, which he might plead;
- 1Opened
- 2Eccles. 2.3
- 3simile
- 4simile
- 5Ezek. 47.11.
- 6Opened
- 7Basil, Serm. de Ebrietab.
