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DISCOURSE XXII.

Against Gluttony and Drunkenness.

ROMANS xiii. 13, 14.

Let us walk boneftly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, neither in chambering and wantonness," not in ftrife and envying.

But put ye on the Lord Jefus Chrift, and make not pro-' vifion for the flesh to fulfil the lufts thereof.

T certain seasons, when people are running from place to place, and intent upon nothing' fo much as FEASTING wherever they go, it may not be unprofitable to exercife the mind with the fentiments of the church, upon the fin and danger of pampering the body, and indulging the fenfual appetites beyond the limits of chriftian propriety. The apostle advifes a very different practice in the text. We are there cautioned not to make provifion for the flesh to fulfil the lufts thereof and it is very certain, when the chief object of a perfon's pursuits is eating and drink-' ing, not merely to fatisfy nature, or in a light even of fober entertainment, but to indulge a very luxurious and unprofitable habit of fenfua

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lity, and furfeiting, and confequently to the abufe of God's good creatures; great encouragement is thereby given to idlenefs, and much temptation afforded for the commiffion of greater offences against purity and holiness of life.

In a former discourse, you were inftructed in the true nature and defign of fafting, or occafional abftinence, with the benefits to be derived from it as a religious exercife: what is about to be delivered to you at this time, relates to the pofitive fins of Gluttony, and Drunkenness, and is intended to fhew you how hateful exceffes of this kind are, and ever have been in the fight of the Almighty, who willeth us to be in a degree perfect, as he is perfect; that fo we may be happily induced, through his grace and bleffing, to feel the necesfity and advantages as chriftians, of keeping under the body, at leaft to be cautious of not wilfully. yielding ourselves up to ungovernable appetites and paffions, the usual confequence of intemperate pursuits.

It is the exprefs command of God, in his moft holy word, in order that we should keep ourselves undefiled members of his church, and ferve him in true holiness of life, that as many as look for the glorious appearance of the Lord Jefus Chrift, fhould pass their lives in all fobernefs, and modefty, and temperance. Hence we may obferve, how very neceffary it is for every chriftian who would be prepared to meet his Savior at his coming, to live foberly and godly in this present world, because he cannot otherwife be qualified to enter into the joy and glory of his Lord: befides, being off his guard in this refpect, he is also continually exposed to be deftroyed by that most cruel enemy of mankind, who is reprefented as a roaring lion feeking whom he may devour, that is, whom he may find unarmed against temptation, and on that account permitted to become his prey. Against

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whom St. Peter warneth us to be continually watching, by cultivating all manner of fobriety, fo that being stedfaft in the faith, we may be able to refift bis wiles.

To the end therefore that this habit of moderation may be found to influence our general behaviour, it will be proper to convince you, how very much the Majefty of Almighty God is of-, fended by every kind of vicious indulgence; and how feverely he ever hath, and ever will, punish the unlawful use of the good creatures with which he has fupplied us for the fupport and comfort of our prefent life; fuch as the bountiful provifion of meat, drink, and clothing. At the fame time it will be no less profitable to fet before you, for the fame good end, the dreadful difeafes and heavy misfortunes which generally attend those who are. deeply devoted to the luxuries and vanities of life.

First, to prove how abominable all undue indulgence of this kind must neceffarily appear in the fight of God; only confider well these words of St. Paul in Gal. v. 16, 19, 20, 21, and following verfes. Walk in the fpirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lufts of the flesh. Now the works of the flesh are manifeft, which are thefe, adultery, fornication, uncleannefs, lafcivioufnefs, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, (or gluttony) and fuch like; of which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do fuch things, fhall not inherit the kingdom of God. Here you fee plainly, that the apostle reckons the vices against which we are difcourfing, among these terrible fins which will abfolutely exclude us from the inheritance of heaven. He places them among the fins of the flesh, and joineth them even with idolatry, whoredom, and murder, which are among the wickedeft of all crimes that can be committed. The first of thefe is evidently the fouleft offence againft God's honor; the fecond

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confifts in the moft fcandalous defilement of his holy temple, that is our bodies, which in fcripture are called temples of the Holy Ghoft; and the third, rendereth the offenders partners with Cain in the murder of our fellow creatures. You have heard the apoftle's fentence against all who are guilty of any of thefe crimes, and doubtlefs that fin must be truly hateful in the fight of God, which occafions him fo far to hide his face from us, as to difinherit us for ever from poffeffion of the glorious promises held out to all who obey him.

Now it is very manifeft how greatly he abhors all gluttonous feaftings, all impure revellings, from what he declares by his Son our Savior in his gofpel; where to fhew his averfion and heavy difpleasure against thofe who make a God of their bellies, he pronounceth a curfe upon all fuch, in thefe words of Chrift, Luke vi. 25. Woe unto you that are full, for ye shall hunger. And by his prophet Ifaiah, he fpeaketh thus exprefsly to the fame effect, (v. 11.) Woe unto them who rife up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink, that are greedy after fcenes of riotous mirth; who continue until night, till wine inflame them, in whofe feafts is excefs of drinking; and the harp and the viol, the tabret and the pipe, and wine are in their feafts, but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither confider the operations of his hands, that is, they reflect not in whofe image they were made, and to what a different end they are preferved for we well know, the almoft unavoidable confequence of thefe meetings are fwearing, filthy jefting, or loofe converfation, and all manner of excefs, totally unbecoming the character of the followers, of the pure and perfect pattern fet us by our Lord and Mafter Jefus Chrift. Again, in 22d verfe, God further denounces his anger against fuch characters, in the following words: Woe unto them that

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are mighty to drink wine, or ftrong lignor, that is, by their example to promote drunkennefs, and though from conftitutional vigour they may escape the beaftly appearance that their weaker companions: are reduced to by excefs, are yet affifting to the fin, by their long fitting and intemperate encouragement of others. In all this, the prophet teaches very plainly, that feafting and revelling is apt to make men forgetful of their duty to their Maker and themfelves; fince by the habit of all fuch riotous indulgence, they render themselves incapable of duly reverencing the works of God, who hath created meat and drink, as the apoftle obferves, to be received thankfully by them which believe, and know the truth. By which he would infer, that the very fight of thefe good things, in bounteous mercy provided for our fupport and comfort, fhould teach us to use them wifely, as God has ordained, and with thanksgiving, as being a part of the wonderful works of the Almighty; and on no account to waste and abuse them, to the danger of his difpleasure.

All therefore are inexcufable in the fight of God, who, either with the infenfibility of brutes, do take their fuftenance without due refpect to the holiness of the creatures, (as being provided for the most innocent purpose fince every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refufed if it be received with thanksgiving, for it is fan&tified by the word of God and prayer ;) or on the other hand, who still more ungratefully abuse the good things God provides them, by furfeiting and drunkennefs: fince every excefs is plainly forbidden by God's holy ordinances, and the repeated threats and charges in his bleffed word.

It behoves us therefore not to devote ourselves to habits of fotting, gluttonous indulgence, or any other inordinate appetite, left, not confidering the dangerous confequence, God's judgments should

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