" Oh, my soul ! I have cause to lament the day that ever I was maiTied to such a sottish fool as thou art, who are destitute both of wisdom and love to rule and govern me. I may justly resume Job's lan.entation upon thy account, and say with him ; " Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night wherein it vvas said, there is a man-child conceived. Why died I not from the womb ? Why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly ? For now should I have lien still, and been quiet, I should have slept ; then had I been at rest."
" I have been a perfect slave and drudge to thy unreasonable lusts and impositions. I was once an active, vigorous, comely body, and hadst thou been wise and sober, I had been happy. But thou hast been a cruel tyrant to me, oppressing and loading me with more than I was able to stand under. Thou hast plunged me many times into those puddles of excess, wherein thou hast drowned thy own reason, and my health. My well-mixed beauty is now turned into the colour of flaming fire ; my hands and legs shake, my tongue falters, my natural crasis and temperament is destroyed. Thou hast made me miserable in this world, and intendest to make me more ■wretched in the world to come.
'* Sober nature gave me my stint and measure. I knew when it "was enough, and gave thee sufficient items and intimations (amidst thy foolish frolics, that 1 could neither with honour or safety bear one glass more. But thou wast deaf to all my moans, and shewedst more mercy to thy horse than me. Sick or well, able or unable, live or die, I must take in the full number of cups and bottles thou en- joinedst me to take. Like another Pharaoh, thou hast required of me the full tale, whether 1 had strength to perform it or no. Yea, like another devil, thou hast sometimes cast me into fiery fevers, and watery dropsies ; and will next cast me, if thou continue this course, into hell-fire itself.
" Other souls have set thee a better pattern in their more sober and prudent government of their bodies. They give their bodies the true pleasure of the creature, by keeping them to that happy medio- crity in which it consists. They devote their bodies to the service of God ; thou hast devoted me to the immediate service of the devil. A majestic beauty sits upon their faces ; sottishness and folly upon mine. Their knees are daily bowed in prayer to God ; mine shake and tremble in the service of the devil. They enjoy pure and sancti- fied pleasures every day ; but I am denied the sober pleasures of a beast. Their bodies will be happy with their souls in the world to come ; but I must suffer eternally with thee, and for thee. Thou hast both consumed me, and thy estate given to support me ; and now I am like to suffer as much by want, as I have done by excess ; and all this through thy misgovernment. These feet (if thou hadst plea-
THE REASONABLENESS OF FEllSONAL REFOR5IATI0X. 505
sed to command them) would as readily have carried thee to thy closet, or the assemhlies of God's people, as to an ale-house or tavern. These fingers would have served to open and turn the blessed pages, which contain the oracles of God, as to cog a dye, or have shuffled and dealt a pack of cards. This tongue might have been melo- diously employed in singing the praises of God among his people, as well as in swearing, roaring, and singing among drunken sots and fools, if thou hadst been endued with governing wisdom.
" Thou knowest I could do nothing without thee. Thou hast a despotical power over all my members. They are at thy beck, and thou at the devil's. Better had it been for me, had I been the body of a contemptible worm or fly, than a body animated and governed by such a sottish fool as thou art.
" And now, my soul, what hast thou to say for thyself.? What tolerable account canst thou give to God or me, of these thy vile abuses of both ?'^
§ 5. Now let us hear what the soul of the drunkard hath to plead, in its own excuse and defence, for all his wrongs against God, mis- chief to itself, ruin to his health, name, and estate. They have va- rious excuses, though not one sound or rational one among them all. Such as they are, let them be tried by the rule of reason, if any reason be yet left in them, who daily dethrone it by this worse than brutish practice.
That which they say for themselves, is this :
1. That their bodies are strongly constituted, more capacious to receive, and able to bear greater quantities of wine and strong drink, than others are ; and therefore, why should they not drink down, and glory over those that vie with them ?
2. Others say, they would not take the course they do, but that when they are sober and solitary, they are so pressed with the thoughts of their debts and incumbrances hi the world, that they are upon a perfect rack, and they find nothing like good fellowship in a tavern or ale-house, so effectually relieving agai»st the cares and anxieties of their minds.
3. Some will tell us, they are drawn into it by the snare of plea- sure ; nothing being so grateful to their palate, as their full load of generous wine, or strong drink. And seeing it is so pleasant and delightsome to them, why should they deny and abridge themselves of their pleasures ?
4. Others will profess, they had never taken this course, which they find upon many accounts pernicious to them ; but that they are not able in civility to deny their intimate friends and com- panions, especially such with whom they have concerns in trade and business; and they must drink as they do, or suffer loss in their trade ; and beside that, be stigmatize d fur fanatics.
5. They will also say, they are obliged in point of loyalty, to pledge
506 THE KEASONAFLEXESS OF PERSONAL REFORMATION,
him that consecrates (as they catechrestically call it) the first glasts^ to the king, or persons of quality and honour.
6. And, lastly, Some will tell us, they have plentiful estates^ that will bear such expences ; and since their pockets are full, why should not their heads and stomachs be so too ?
Besides these six apologies for drunkenness, nothing falls into my imagination, pleadable for this sin. We will weigh these that are pleaded, in the common balance of the reason of mankind, and try the validity of them one by one. And for
Excuse I. And, first. To what you say of the capacities of your bodies, strength and ability of your constitutions, to receive and bear greater quantities of wine and strong drink, than others can ; and therefore, why should you not give proof of it, when challenged, and great reputation to yourselves, by drinking down and glorying over such as vie with you ?
To this I reply three things, which must be laid in the counter- balance ; and let the balance be held in the upright hand of your own reason.