_Direct._ IX. Avoid the tempting ceremonies of drunkards, such as drinking healths, or urging others to pledge them, or drink more. Plutarch saith, that when Agesilaus was made the master of a feast, and was to prescribe the laws for drinking, his law was, If there be wine enough, give every one what he asketh for; if not enough, divide it equally; by which means none were tempted or urged to drink, and the intemperate were ashamed to ask for more than others. As among witches, so among drunkards, the devil hath his laws and ceremonies, and it is dangerous to practise them.
_Direct._ X. Go to thy sinful companions to their houses, and tell them plainly and seriously that thou repentest of what thou hast done already, and that thou art ashamed to remember it; and that now thou perceivest that there is a righteous God, and a day of judgment, and an endless punishment to be thought on, and that thou art resolved thou wilt be voluntarily mad no more; and that thou wilt not sell thy soul and Saviour for a merry cup; and beseech them for the sake of Christ, and of their souls, to join with thee in repentance and reformation; but let them know, that if they will not, thou comest to take thy leave of them, and art resolved thou wilt no more be their companion in sin, lest thou be their companion in hell. If thou art willing indeed to repent and be saved, do this presently and plainly; and stick not at their displeasure or reproach: if thou wilt not, say thou wilt not, and say no more thou canst not; but say, I will keep my sin and be damned: for that is the English of it.
_Direct._ XI. Suppose when the cup of excess is offered thee, that thou sawest these words, sin and hell, written upon the cup, and sawest the devil offering it thee, and urging thee to drink, and sawest Christ bleeding on the cross, and calling to thee, O drink not that which costeth so dear a price as my blood! Strongly imprint this supposition on thy mind: and it is not unreasonable; for certainly sin is in thy cup, and hell is next to sin; and it is the devil that puts thee on, and it is Christ unseen that would dissuade thee.
_Direct._ XII. Suppose that there were mortal poison in the cup that is offered thee: ask thyself, Would I drink it if there were poison in it? If not, why should I drink it when sin is in it, and hell is near it? and the supposition is not vain. It is written of Cyrus, that when Astyages observed that at a feast he drank no wine, and asked him the reason, he answered, because he thought there was poison in the cup, for he had observed some that drunk out of it, lost their speech or understanding, and some of them vomited, and therefore he feared it would poison him: however, it is poison to the soul.
_Direct._ XIII. Look soberly upon a drunken man, and think whether that be a desirable plight for a wise man to put himself into. See how ill-favouredly he looks, with heavy eyes, and a slabbering mouth, stinking with drink or vomit, staggering, falling, spewing, bawling, talking like a mad-man, pitied by wise men, hooted at by boys, and madly reeling on towards hell. And withal look upon some wise and sober man, and see how composed and comely is his countenance and gesture; how wise his words, how regular his actions, how calm his mind; envied by the wicked, but reverenced by all that are impartial. And then bethink thee which of these it is better to be like. Saith Basil, Drunkenness makes men sleep like the dead, and wake like the sleeping. It turneth a man into a useless, noisome, filthy, hurtful, and devouring beast.
_Direct._ XIV. If all this will not serve turn, if thou be but willing, I can teach thee a cheap restraint, and tell thee of a medicine that is good against drunkenness and excess. Resolve that after every cup of excess thou wilt drink a cup of the juice of wormwood, or of carduus, or centaury, or germander; at least, as soon as thou comest home and growest wiser, that this shall be thy penance; and hold on this course but a little while, and thy appetite will rather choose to be without the drink, than to bear the penance. Do not stick at it; if thy reason be not strong enough for a manly cure, drench thyself like a beast, and use such a cure as thou art capable of; and in time it may bring thee to be capable of a better. And I can assure thee, a bitter draught is a very cheap remedy to prevent a sin.