Woe to drunkards. Two sermons testifying against the sin of drunkennessWo to drunkards. Two sermons testifying against the sin of drunkenness

Now they were the Vilest of the Children of men who were so called: And hence it is that no man almost is willing to be called a Drunkard. They that love the practice, yet would not be thought to be as they are, because of the Disgrace that is in it. The Drunkard's Credit is cracked, and lost amongst all Sober men; and therefore Wise men carry it towards such, as they would do to a Person of no Credit, whom they dare not trust. Trust a Drunkard with an Estate, and when he is i• his Cups he'll send it going: Trust him with a Secret, & when he is Drunken he'll discover it: Trust him,— and when he is Drunken he will undo himself and his Friend too. I have read, That in some places in Spain, if a man hath been known to be Overcome with Drink, (tho' it were but once in all his Life) his Testimony must never be received in any Case; but he must be looked upon as a Person of no Fame, or Credit in the world. Thus doth it undo the Name of the Transgressor. (2.) Drunkenness is injurious to the Body of him that shall be subject to it. It brings […] upon the ⟨p. 16⟩Body, and therefore is rightly called a woeful Evil. Hence are many Bodily Distempers. It is said Hos. 7.5. In the day of our King, the Princes have made him sick with bottles of wine. Whether i• was their King's Birth-day, or his Coronation day, or whatever that Day of their King might be, which was observed, they kept the Day after a very Profane manner; there was much Drunkenness & Debauchery on that Day; and Sickness was the Effect of that Intemperance. To this Truth also doth Solomon bear witness, Prov. 23.29, 30. Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine, they that go to seek mixed wine. Redness of Eyes (Blindness, and the like) is one Disease which is mentioned instead of many more, which follow Drunkenness, and are amongst the Woes which attend it. Hence I say are Diseases, Dropsies, Consumptions, Fevers, Gouts, Apoplexies, &c. Not but that a man may have these Diseases and yet Live Temperately; but by Intemperance he shall be sure to have them, or some of them. Many a man hath not Lived ou• half his days, but hath Died before his Time, because he hath been Wicked over-much in respect of this Iniquity. It hath been Averred, That Drunkenness hath Killed more than ever the Sword did.