N01322:55
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.
4. Know, that if any of You that are here before the Lord this day, shall continue under the Guilt of this Sin, Your Iniquity will be heinously Aggravated: For you call your selves Christians. If an Indian be Drunk, that's bad; but for a Christian to be a Drunkard, is a thousand times worse. If Ephraimites (that is to say, such as Profess that ⟨p. 45⟩they are the Lord's People) be Drunkards, surely the Lord will Judge them as those that break Wedlock, that break Covenant with Him are Judged. Yea, and you Sin in the Day, that is against Gospel-light. What saith the Scripture? 1 Thes. 5.7, 8. They that be drunken, are drunken in the night: but let us who are of the day, be sober. For men that live in Gospel-Days, and under Gospel-Ordinances, to practise deeds of Darkness, is shameful and horrible. And this Sin is aggravated from the Place where you. Live: What? To be a Drunkard in New-England, where there are severe and wholesome Laws to Punish this Iniquity, and some are put to Shame f• it! Time was, when it was a strange thing to see or hear of a man Overcome with •••ong drink in New-England; and is this Sin now become Common in New-England? The Lord Help! Will you be Sinners in Zion? Will you be Fools in Israel! You have moreover been told of the Judgments following this Transgression; You have been sadly & solemnly Warned against this Evil, and that not in a Word or two; but by Sermon after Sermon. I remember I had occasion to Preach a whole Sermon, that I might Testify against the Sin of Drunkenness in this Place, it is now above Nine Years ago. I am grieved at my Heart, that there should be Cause for me now to Preach more Sermons than One, further to bear Witness ⟨p. 46⟩against the same Evil, whereby the Eyes of God's Glory are Provoked, and His Blessed Name is highly Dishonoured amongst us. Take heed how you resist the Spirit of God. I might tell you; that an Author worthy of Credit, Relates that a Minister having Preached a Sermon against Drunkenness, a Profane Drunkard that was in the Congregation, went out & Scoffed and Mocked at what he had heard; and God smote him by a strange Providence, that he Died forthwith, even whilst he was deriding at the Sermon which he had newly heard. Will you Provoke the Lord to Jealousy? Are you stronger than He?