N01322:49
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 misery of all that are addicted to it, is discovered from the word of God. / By Increase Mather, D.D.Wo to drunkards. Two sermons testifying against the sin of drunkenness: wherein the wofulness of that evil, and the misery of all that are addicted to it, is discovered from the word of God. / By Increase Mather, D.D.
Boston: printed by Timothy Green, 1712
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.
Therefore is it said to the Drunkards of Ephraim, in the next words to the Text, Behold, the Lord hath a mighty & strong one. They boasted, & were confident ⟨p. 38⟩in their Outward Strength & Fortifications, &c. Well, but saith the Lord, be not Proud of your Strength, for I will bring a Strong one upon you, as a tempest of hail & destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the Earth with the hand. The meaning is, that the Assyrians should break in upon them, & fall upon them as thick as hail-stones, & destroy them, because of their Drunkenness and other Sins they Lived in. And hath not the Christian World drunk deep of the Cup of Divine Judgments for this Sin? What Woes hath it brought upon Christendom, so called? Some have observed, that it hath been in special for this Sin, that God hath let loose the Barbarous Nations upon those that call themselves Christians, to scourge them, & to destroy them. The Turks (who are meant by the Second of those Woes in the Revelation, when it is said, Woe, woe, woe, to the Inhabitants of the Earth, Rev. 8.13.) Providence hath raised them up, & sent them like a storm of hail upon the European Nations, not only (tho' principally) to Punish them for their Idolatry & Superstition, in worshipping Graven Images, but also to Plague the Nations, even the Christian Nations, for all their Profaneness, Luxuries, Drunkennesses. Poor Miserable Germany hath Bled for this Sin! Hath not God made the Sword Drunk with Blood? Yea, at this Day, is not the Sword made Drunk with Christian, & with Protestant ⟨p. 39⟩Blood for This Sin? My Text says, Woe to the Drunkards of Ephraim: Even so, Woe to the Drunkards of England; and, Woe to the Drunkards of Holland. Is not Salmanasser at this Day coming against the Fat Valleys for this Sin? And if we look nearer Home; What sad Harvests have we in New-England had of late Years? And doubtless the prevailing of this Iniquity hath been One Cause of it: The good Creatures of God have been greatly Abused by many amongst us, unto much Sensuality and Intemperance, therefore doth the Lord take away Creature-comforts from us. This last Summer, what Excessive Rains have there been? Since that Drunkards are to be seen up & down in almost every Town; no wonder that the Lord in Judgment maketh the Earth Drunk.