IT were vaine to be at open defiance with iniquity , if first we subdue not beastly Concupiscence in Gluttony : which like a false-hearted subiect in a City , is ready to worke a mischiefe at home , when the forreine enemy is encountred abroad . Many not knowing the right order of a spirituall Combate , cherish that vice , and giue the on-set vppon some other sinne : it may be valiantly , I dare say , vnprofitably , at length in steppeth Gluttony for the rescue , violently tearing out the throate of Vertue , and giuing sinne as much aduantage as it had before . Let this Traytour be first wounded , the flesh subdued , and brought into subiection , then shall you with more facility get the mastery ouer all transgression .

Gluttony , if we take it largely , brancheth it selfe into Drunkennesse and all excesse in meate or drinke . The body of my Text contayneth both , which may thus be read a part , though Hypozeugma ioyne both in one : The Drunkard shall come to Pouerty : and the glutton shall come to pouerty . The former onely is now the obiect of my speech , wherein you may obserue the party delinquent , and his heauy punishment .

Defin. Drunkennesse is a violent priuation of reason , by excessiue drinking , through inordinate affection to any lyquor of intoxicating power . Losse of reason : Excessiue drinking : Inordinate affection : these three make drunkennesse compleate .

The first , is the losse of reason , eyther in whole , or in part : Proprijssime illi dicuntur ebrij , qui prae nimio potu mente altenantur , Zanc. in Ep. ad Ephe. c. 5. p. 18. §. de Ebrietate . they are most properly sayd to be drunken , who are depriued of reason by excessiue drinking . As for the intemperate drinker , that can downe with aboundance of lyquor , and yet for strength of braine is no whit mooued in body or minde : I suppose , I may truely call him a Glutton , how euer I excuse him not . Tanto nequior , quanto sub poculo inuictior , Aug. de ver. apost ser. 4. the more able a man is to beare his lyquor , the more full of Sathan , if hee abuse his strength that way . Woe vnto them that are mighty to drinke wine , and men of strength to mingle strong drinke . Esay 5.22 .

But there is a two-fold priuation of reason , to wit ; naturall , and violent . When a sober man lyeth downe to rest , sleepe depriueth him of reason for a little time . Yet so as that hee can haue it , and vse it at his pleasure : if hee appoynt one to call him , or a Bell to a wake him at s●ch an houre . Like Pliny his Cranes , Nat. histor. lib 10. ca. 3. who in a long iourney maintayne a watch all night , and haue their Sentinels that stand with one foot , and hold a stone in the other : if they chance to sleepe , downe falleth the stone , and awaketh them . But the Drunkard , being violently bereft of reason by the fume of the Grape , hath no such shift to recouer his wits : Till the lyquor cease working , hee is not himselfe , whether hee sleepe or wake : Ebrietas ita mentem alienat ut vbi sit nesciat , Isidor , senten . lib. 2. ca. 43. Drunkennesse doth so besot him , that hee knoweth not where hee is .

A man is violently bereft of reason diuers manner of wayes ; by strong sents , and poysonous hearbes , that cause distraction . Anger , lust , vayne-glory , couetousnesse , each vehement inordinate affection , deserueth the name of Drunkennesse : They are drunken , but not with wine , they stagger , but not with strong drink . Esay 29.9 . But Salomon speaketh here of drunkennesse by wine , be not amongst wine-bibbers : where by Wine , is meant any lyquor of intoxicating power . Ebrietas dicta est quasi extra briam , quod debitam vini mensuram excedit . In Aquin. 22● . q. 150 ar. 1. Drunkennesse is so called ( saith Lessius ) from taking strong drinke out of measure . When ( as Saint Augustine hath it ) Ad mensuras sine mensura bibunt . De temp. ser. 231. By full cups and measures , men drinke out of measure .

It is not simply vnlawfull to drinke Wine , if wee keepe a meane : according to that of Caietan , Vinum potatum non inebriat , nisi sit multum respectu illius qui bibit , quantumcunque parum sit quod bibitur , In Aqu. loc. dic It is not bare drinking Wine doth intoxicate the braine , if it bee not much in regard of the drinker : though but little in measure , hee exceedeth to ebriety , that exceedeth the strength of his braine to beare it . Oh! be not drunken with wine wherein is excesse ; but be filled with the Spirit . Ephe. 5. chap. 18.

Yet one thing is missing to make drunkennesse compleate ; namely , inordinate affection ; who so hath this , is a Drunkard in heart , though hee drinke not a drop : as he is an Adulterer , that lusteth after a Woman , though he commit not the deed .

I blame not all affection to , or delectation in drinking wine : Creatum est in iucunditatem , non in ebrietatem : Ambros . de Helia et ieiun . c. 11 T was created for iucundity , not for ebriety ; to make glad the heart . Psal. 104.15 . It were extreame folly to crye out , I would there were no Wine , because some are neuer quiet , but when they are at it . A man might as well say , I would there were no night because of Theeues , no Women because of adultery , no Weapons because of murther : Vinum datum est vt rideamus , non vt derideamur : Chrysost. in Math. 17. hom. 58. Wine is giuen to make vs laugh , not to be laughed at , to preserue health , not to destroy it : God hath graced thee with this excellent blessing , see thou disgrace not thy selfe by intemperate drinking .

But inordinate affection to the Wine , wee blame : when a man , knowing the strength of the lyquor , be it Wine , Beere , hot Water , or what else soeuer , yet taketh such delight therein , as to inioy his cups , hee willingly depriueth himselfe of reason , and becommeth a beast : for what difference is there betweene a man , in such a case , and a beast : but that one is vnreasonable , naturally , the other voluntarily ?

Not that all Drunkards will the absence of reason directly , as some do to rid themselues of cares for the time : t is enough , nay too much , to will it indirectly , and in its cause : they are not weary of their wits , faine they would inioy their cups , and reason too , but if both cannot be had , they bid reason adieu with all their heart ; of the twaine , chusing rather to want wit , then Wine .

Now here ariseth a doubt : Noah dranke Wine and was drunken : Gene. 9.21 was he worthy blame ? Before the flood , in that drunken age , they had no Wine at all , though haply they had wilde Vines , and did eate of the Grapes : but Noah was the first , yea , and that after the flood , who dressed the vine , and pressed the grape : for which cause ( sayth Berosus ) he was called Ianus , the inuentor of wine , from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth Wine ; who is sayde to haue two faces , because he saw two Worlds , to wit , before and after the flood . Noe dedit naturam , sed ignorauit pote●…tiam , itaque nec vinum suo pepercit Authori. Ambros . de Helia & ieiun . ca. 5. Noah gaue Wine its nature , but knew not the power ; wherefore it spared not the Authour , but made him drunken . Againe , Noe deceptus est , quia vini vis ignorabatur : cap. 6. Noah was ouertaken by chance , because he knew not the strength of it . So that ( as Saint Ambrose sayth ) it was Per ignorantiam , non per intemperantiam . cap. 5. For want of experience ; and not through intemperance . Heereuppon the Summists acquit him of sinne ; and I excuse him A tanto , non a toto : Hee was drunken , but no Drunkard , I may safely extenuate , but I dare not annihilate the sinne . Without question , Noah sinned , and was pardoned ; yet let no man bee emboldned to doe the like : ho●y mens weaknesses , should not encourage vs to wickednesse . Instruant Patriarchae , non solum docentes , sed etiam errantes . Ambros . de Abrahama Patriarcha cap. 6. Let the Patriarchs instruct vs , not onely by Doctrine , but also by falling . If they being so godly , had their slips and falls : let him that thinketh hee standeth , take heede least hee fall : Non solum attende , quod inebriatus est iustus : sed quod postea hoc iterum et non acciderit . Chrysost. ad loc . Noah was once drunke and no more : follow him in repentance , and not in sinne .

A sicke man hath no affection to wine , but abhorreth it : yet vpon his Doctors prescription , he is willing to drinke drunken , to procure a vomite , and recouer health : doeth hee offend herein ? Aquinas sayth , Cibus et potus est moderandus , secundum qd competit corpor is valetudini ; Aqui : 22● : q : 150 : ar: 2 ● m. that wee are so to moderate our selues in meate and drinke , as it may stand with the health of the body : whereby it sometime commeth to passe , that what is but enough for the sound , were too much for one sicke : And againe , what is but enough for the sicke , were too much for the sound . Whereupon the Summists hold it no sinne .

But t is not material what they say : I am sure the Scripture sayth , We may not doe ill , that good may come of it . In a desperate case , to preserue the body from infection , it is lawfull to chop off a legge , or an arme , but to procure health , t is not lawfull to depriue ones-selfe of reason . Malum non sentitur , qd per ebrietatem committitur : Isidor : lib : 2 senten : c. 43 when a man is drunken , hee knoweth not what mischiefe he may do ; hee is like enough to murther , commit adultery , or any other Villany . Admit his friends bind him , or locke him vp , to preuent such out-rage , till he come to himselfe : yet they are not able to keepe him from a desire to kill , and whore ; the tongue is an vnruly euill , which no man can tame : hee will fall to cursing , and swearing , do all his friends what they can : therefore let no man take that vngodly course , to recouer health .

Suppose a man meete , with lewd company , who will quarrell , fight , and stab , if hee pledge not their healthes : if in giuing them content , hee drinke more then his share to saue his life , were he too blame ? The Summists say no ; but Saint Augustine sayth yea : De tempor . serm. 232. If once it come to that passe , that thou must drinke , or dye , t were better for thy body to bee slaine when thou art sober , then thy soule to perish through drunkennesse .

But I will no longer digresse ; I am now chiefly to deale with the Drunkard , and not with a drunken man : Plurimum interesse concedes , inter ebrium , et ebriosum , Sen lib. ep. Epistol. 83. there is great difference betweene a drunken man , and a drunkard : Potest et qui ebrius est , tunc primum esse , nec habere hoc vitium ; et qui ebriosus est , saepe extra ebrietatem esse . Loc. dic . Some are once drunken , and no more , and the common Drunkard may sometime haue his wits about him . Now sayth Augustine , In homine iusto , etsi non ebriositatis , at certe ebrietatis causa quaerenda est : Contra Faust . l. 22. cap. 44. The iust man for being once drunken is much too blame . But the Drunkard is the obiect of my speech , t is euen hee shall come to pouerty .

Salomon had many other arguments to disswade from drunkennesse , as wee finde in the following part of the Chapter ; but ( as they say ) there is no woe to want : of all things , men loue not to heare of that , therefore is this reason placed in the forefront , as most powerfull to preuayle with vs : the drunkard shall come to pouerty : or , as the roote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports , shal be driuen out of his inheritance , and thrust from his possession .