N00124:30
Woe to drunkards. Two sermons testifying against the sin of drunkennessWo to drunkards. Two sermons testifying against the sin of drunkenness
Woe to drunkards. Two sermons testifying against the sin of drunkenness: wherein the woefulness of that evil, and the mystery of all that are addicted to it, is discovered from the word of God. / Preached by Increase Mather, teacher of a church in Boston in New-England. ; [Ten lines of Scripture texts]Wo to drunkards. Two sermons testifying against the sin of drunkenness: wherein the wofulness of that evil, and the mistery of all that are addicted to it, is discovered from the word of God. / Preached by Increase Mather, teacher of a church in Boston in New-England. ; [Ten lines of Scripture texts]
printed by Marmaduke Johnson. 1673., 1673
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. The very Light and Law of Nature condemns this practice. Drunkards sin not only against the written word of God, but against that light and law which is written in their Consciences. Now those are woeful Transgressions; The Apostle doth aggravate the sins of some, in that in those things which they know naturally, as brute beasts they corrupt themselves, Jude ver. 10. A Drunkard though he be a brute beast, yet he knoweth naturally that he ought not to corrupt himself with this vile practice. If there were no Scripture to condemn this evil, yet he hath that within him, a Candle of the Lord in his own breast, which ••eweth him that this is an iniquity which the Judge will punish. Hence even Heathens, that have had nothing but the light of nature to guide them, yet have spoken against this evil, yea and made severe Laws to punish it. Solon (who is accounted amongst the wisest of the Grecian Princes) *made it a Law, that if a man in public place should abuse himself with drink, his Crime should be deemed Capital. If he were Drunken but once, he was punished with death for that transgression: which I mention not to justify the severity of that Law, but to show how odious this detestable evil hath been, even to those that have had nothing but the Light of Nature and Reason to guide them.
2. The very Light and Law of Nature condemns this practice. Drunkards sin not only against the written word of God, but against that light and law which is written in their Consciences. Now those are wofull Transgressions; The Apostle doth aggravate the sins of some, in that in those things which they know naturally, as bruit beasts they corrupt themselves, Jude ver. 10. A Drunkard though he be a bruit beast, yet he knoweth naturally that he ought not to corrupt himself with this vile practice. If there were no Scripture to condemn this evil, yet he hath that within him, a Candle of the Lord in his own breast, which ••eweth him that this is an iniquity which the Judge will punish. Hence even Heathens, that have had nothing but the light of nature to guide them, yet have spoken against this evil, yea and made severe Laws to punish it. Solon (who is accounted amongst the wisest of the Grecian Princes)