debates, and weighty affairs ; therefore the Carthaginians forbade wine to magistrates during the time of their magistracy ; and by Solon's law a drunken prince was to be slain.
2. For ministers, their work lies with God, therefore they had need live in constant sobriety. Under pain of death, neither Aaron nor his sons the priests were to drink wine or strong drink, when they went into the tabernacle of the congregation. Lev. x. 9, 'Do not drink wine or strong drink, thou nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die. It shall be a statute for ever, throughout your generations.' It is probable Nadab and Abihu's miscarriage in offering strange tire was occa- sioned by fumes of strong drink ; for presently God makes that law for Aaron and his sons. So the apostle : 1 Tim. iii. 3, ' A bishop must be sober, not given to wine,' because of the excellency of his ministration, which requires meditation, and freedom of contempla- tion, which is hindered by the fumes of wine and strong drink.
3. For women, because of the weakness and modesty of their sex. In some nations it was death for women to be intemperate, because by this means they make shipwreck of that modesty which is the ornament of that feeble sex ; and therefore excess in them is more filthy and shameful.
4. For youth, they need chiefly to be pressed to this sobriety, because of the slipperiness of their age. Their judgments are weak and green, and their affections are violent. Nature is strong in them, and Satan is diligent to seduce them ; he prizeth young affections ; and they are but newly come to the use of their reason, from living the lire of sense ; and the natural heat of the stomach that is found in youth is a great provocation. Though all need to be fortified, yet especially these.
But what is this sobriety that is required ? I answer — You may know it by the sin that is contrary to it ; and we sin against sobriety when we offend by quantity, quality, and in the manner of usage.
1. There must not be offence in quantity. Fulness of bread was one of Sodom's sins, Ezek. xvi. 49 ; that is, excess in the use of the creature. Now, how shall we state this excess ? Not merely by the custom of nations, for sins may be authorised by general practice, as Sodom's sin was fulness of bread. Not merely by the greatness of the estate; plenty doth not warrant excess. If a man have never so much cloth, yet he would not make his garment too big for him. If the meat be too salt, it is no excuse to the cook to say he had good store of salt by him ; so will it be no plea that God hath given you plenty and a great estate to warrant you in your excess. The heart may be over- charged when the purse is not. Neither must it be measm-ed by the capacity of the stomach. Christ doth not say. Take heed you do not overcharge your stomach with surfeiting and drunkenness, but your heart, Luke xxi. 34. Some men are strong to drink wine ; they are tubs and hogsheads, as Ambrose calls them, rather than men. But it is not when the stomach is overcharged, but the conscience, when it grows secure and carnal ; or the heart, when it is not fit for duties, less apt to be lifted up to God in prayers and thanksgivings, and the mind cannot be lifted up to heavenly things. So that the measure in this kind must be our fitness to perform the duties of our general and particular calling ; and when that is exceeded, then we sin.
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2. For the quality. We must not hanker after quails, and desire dainty food ; that is a sign lust is made wanton ; and nature, being perverted, is grown delicate, which otherwise aimeth but at necessaries. Indeed it is God's great indulgence to us to give such things as are refreshments to nature, not only for support but delight. The substance of our food might suffice to nourish, but God hath created them with smell, taste and colours, for our greater delight. But we must not be too curious ; this is ' nourishing your hearts as in a day of slaughter,' James v. 5. And still the disposition increaseth ; therefore it is good to check curiosity at first. Curiosity in diet God takes notice of: Deut. xiv. 21, ' Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk ; ' affect- ing excessively the pleasing of the palate with too much curiosity. It is said of the rich glutton, ' He fared sumptuously every day,' Luke xvi. 19. I know feasts are allowed, and sometimes a more liberal use of the creature ; Christ honoured a feast with a miracle of changing water into wine. But a constant delicacy brings a brawn upon the heart, and a wantonness upon the appetite. When men do nothing else but knit pleasure to pleasure, they nourish their hearts, that is, rear up their lusts, and are fond of the flesh. We are still to maintain and carry on the spiritual conflict, and therefore this curiosity and hunting after novelties is contrary to the intent of the christian life, which is a war with the flesh, not to make it wanton.