I a 8 TheexcufeJ ofdriorkards takenAway. who are moll godly and religious, and not thofe who are molt innumber:For it is betterbeing withNaahalone in the Alice , then to bee in the flouri(hing alícmblies ofwicked worldlings ; to ioync with righteous Lot, thenwith all So.. dome; to bee in the final! number of Chrif{s little flocke which are to be laued,then in the numerousbeards ofgoats, whichare de(}hnated to defrutlion. Lally, they extenuate- their viceofdrunkenncffe, as not deferuing the cenfureof an hainous finne, teeing the holy Patriarches Noah andLot fell into it.But by the fame reafon theymight as well conclude, that rnurther andadultery are butfmal! and veniall finnes, becaufeholy ',amidcommitted thcm,and that it is but a light offence todeny and forfwcar Chri(1 our Sauiour, becaufemeter theApotllewas ouerta- kenwith it.Yea in truththey may thusexcufc idolatry,blaf- phemy, pride, couetoufneffc, andal other hainous wicked. neifc,feeing the dearth childrenofGod are not priuiledgcd from them,norany other pardonablefin:but oncly from the continuing &liuing in them. Againe,thefe faithful feruants ofGo,d,did not often fall into this finne ofdrunkenneíc,for Noah fell into It but once,and that as it feemethupon igno- rance,bccaufe he did not know the property and operation ofwine,thevfe ;hereofhimfelfc inuented ; whereby he was an themore cafily oucrtakcn , as becing ouerioyedwhen he tattedfuch excellent (mitesofhis owne labours.And Lot was buttwice ouertaken , and that by the allurementofhis owne daughters, towhichhe was moreapt to giuceare,bc caufe their hearts becing oppreficdwith gricfc for the dc- íruc`}ion ofSodome, the lolie ofhis goods , and fuddaine death ofhis wife, bee tookc more liberty in the vfeof thele creatures for their comfort and retreating. So that howto- euer the fe holy menwere overtaken onceortwice with diú- kennetTe , yet they were nodrunkards ; for wee nuufl put a difference betwecne thofe who fall into this finne through infirmity, and thofe who make it their vfuall prat ifc;and confecjuently,thefe examples (-clue no better for their excufe whohue and continue in this vice, then Petersonce deny- ingofhis mailer cxcufeth them, who make a totali and fi- nall §.seîf. I I. #5,E=fife takë from cbe ex- ample of bcly 1!N ex.
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