of fome ill-natur'd Over-lovers of Strong-liquors, the 1718. which bath been experienc'd by the Author, through fome of the former Impreffions; yet they having found fuch general Acceptance in many Parts of the World, and being ferviceable to People of all Perfwafions, I, for the further Service of poor Mortals, adventure to put forth this Tenth Edition, with this additional Preface, in Order (if poffible) to perfwade all rational Souls to forfake fo deftructive and vile an Evil: Which grofs Sin bath thefe bad Effects attending it (with many more that might be fet down) which affects both the Aged and the Youth for whofe Sakes (viz. the Youth) it was at first chiefly intended, in order to ftir them up to the Love of pure Religion, and pious and virtuous Living. It then, In the Aged, it hath those bad Effels, viz. They are bad Examples to their Youth, who when reproved, may reply, My Father before me loved strong Liquors, as well as I: He loved a Glafs of Wine: He loved a Bowl of Punch; he loved good Cyder, and good Ale, and would be merry with it, and why mayn't I, as well as he? He was a wife good Man, when he was fober; and pray where is the Harm of loving good Liquor and being merry? I anfwer; The Harm is in the immoderate and extravagant Use of it. It is only the Excess which this Letter detects, and is intended to difcourage. I have known fome who have quarrelled with publick Preaching, because they have been guilty of the Faults Spoke against: And the Author expects to be buffeted for this Publication, by Some of thefe mighty Sons to drink Wine, and to mingle frong Drink (i. e. Punch, Setterena, Tiff, Flip, &c.) I bad like to forget Sampfon (as I have feveral others) which fo overcomes thofe Men of Might, as to get from them their precious Time (which cannot be bought with Money) and their Money, befides Health and Credit, Understanding and Reason, and all. And pray where is the Difference then between the Man and the Beast, though the Man be full of Days? What 1718. What can we fay to the Youth of Juch Parents (that will avail) while their Parents fhew them fuch evil Examples? And as it is in that, fo it is in all other Evils, Parents Examples are very hurtful in evil Things, tho very helpful in that which is good. If a Man fees a Youth to be out of Order, and reproves him for being in Drink, Evil-fpeaking, Pride, Covetousness, &c. and be guilty of the fame, his Child may anfwer, Why, "Father, I had not done fo, if I had not feen thee (or you) do it? And it being an incumbent Duty in a Father, Mother, Mafter, or Mistress, to reprove their Youth for Evil, if we are not clear in ourselves of what we reprove in our Children or Servants, and our Children or Servants mifcarry through our bad Example, what a melancholy Reflection will that be to us, if rightly confider'd! which indeed would be this, I have been inftrumental to my poor Child's Ruin and Destruction! A melancholy Reflection to any fober Chriftian! Also, except there is a large Income, instead of taking Care to put the Youth in a reputable Way to live in the World, it brings them to Poverty: And if there is a large Eftate, it puts them in the Way to spend it. And, Ob! how many are spending their precious Time in Taverns, and Ordinaries, and at the fame Time their Wives and Children suffering and weeping at home? And fome fober, modest Women (for the Men are mostly addicted to Drinking to Excess) would suffer unspeakable Hardships before they would expofe their Husbands; and indeed they that do it in fuch a modest Way, being forced to it by such ill Practices, are much more to be pitied than blamed. 2dly, Concerning the Youth, it mightily burts them (as it doth the Aged alfo) as to their Religion, Reputation, Health and Eftate, &c. ft, As to their Religion, it not only clouds their Understanding, and darkens the Nobility thereof, but it unfits them for all and every religious Duty. 2dly, Some who value a good Name, bad rather lofe their Lives, than lofe their Reputation through immoderate Drinking. Drinking. For if the Youth be fingle and addicted to 1718. immoderate Drinking, no wife and virtuous Perfon will tie themselves to them for Life, by Marriage; which State of Life, to a wife and virtuous Pair, is far exceeding in Happiness all other Company or Converfation whatfoever. It is better to be one of thefe than to enjoy a Kingdom: And on the other Hand, 'tis better to be a Slave in Turkey, than to be married to an intemperate Perfon. 3dly, Intemperance deftroys the Health of the Body, which we generally esteem before Wealth. And if a Man were a King, Prince, or Duke, if he did not enjoy bis Health, what good would all his Honour, Power, and Wealth, do him? Ob! what Abundance of Young People bave destroyed themselves by this Sin? As it is written, The Wicked do not live out Half their Days: And where this Sin is growing general in a Country, that Country is growing to its Ruin and Deftruction. It wastes the People, decays Trade, and is very deftructive to Religion, and an Inlet to Atheifm. Good People are afraid to live in fuch a Country, bad People flock to it, and often make their Exit in it. 4thly, And many a fair Eftate hath been embezzled and Spent through Intemperance, which honest Parents with great Labour, Care, and Industry, have got together, and left to their Sons and Daughters, who bave extravagantly spent it upon their Lufts; and thereby bave brought Infamy on themselves, their Fathers, and their Pofterity, whenever it has pleafed God that they barse left any bebind them; befides (which is worst of all) difbonouring God, and bringing a Scandal on the Chriftian Religion. Some of our wife Kings and Queens in Great-Britain, being forrowfully affected with the Heincufness of this great Sin, bave made ftritt Laws against Intemperance: And where the Legislative Authority makes little or no Provifion against it, or when they do make any, do not take Care to put it in Practice, fuch a State or Colony must 1718. must needs be in a declining Condition. And for particu lar Families and Perfons, we may fee too much of this Evil in our Neighbourhoods, almost in all Parts of the World, which caufeth folid, fober, pious, virtuous, and truly religious Chriftians to mourn, and humbly to bow before the most High God, begging of him, for Chrift's Sake, that be, by his mighty Power, would be pleafed to reform the ungenerate World. This is the Prayer and fervent Defire of an intire Lover of Mankind, both Body and Soul, and who defires their Welfare in this, and the World to come. T. C. A A Letter to a FRIEND. My Dear Friend, I Barbadoes, 7th 1ft. Mo. 1718-19.: T is long fince I had a Line from thee; but not long fince I thought of thee and thine, with Friends of your Nation, where I know the Lord hath a Seed, who loves him, and doth delight and defire to ferve him, and are accounted to him for a chofen Generation; and that this Generation may spread and profper in the Earth, is my earneft Travel in Spirit both Night and Day, at Times and Seafons. There is alfo an Exercise upon my Mind for the Off-Spring of this Seed, the Children of thofe Men and Women, who have confeffed the Name of Christ before Men, in a holy, Self denying Life, and sober Conversation; and I do certainly know, that ma-, ny pious Souls join with me in this Exercife, bowing the Knee to the Lord of Sabbaths for the Peace, Profperity, and eternal Welfare of the prefent arifing Generation. Oh! how exercifing it is to good Men and Women, to see their Youth take thofe Ways which lead to Deftruction, and go in Company with the Wicked, whofe Ways lead to the utter Ruining of both Body and Soul, and whofe Steps take hold on Hell. It is a great Evil which many are prone to (i e.) Keeping of vain and idle Company, which has brought many a young Man, and young Woman, to utter Ruin and Destruction, both Body and Soul. How many 1718. |