Epistle 381

First, all you vintners that sell wine, that keep taverns, or such-like houses; and all you innkeepers, and you that keep victualling-houses, ale-houses, strong-water shops, &c. see that you never let any man or woman have any more wine, ale, strong drink, brandy, or strong waters, or other strong liquors, than what is for their health and their good; <222> in that they may praise God for his good creatures. For every creature of God is good, and ought to be received with thanksgiving [1 Tim 4:4]. . . . <223> . . . .

See what a dreadful wo the Lord pronounced against them, 'that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink, that continue until night, till wine inflame them: then they call for the harp and the viol, the tabret and the pipe, &c. But such regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands [Isa 5:11f]:' a sad state! 'Wo unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and are men of strength to mingle strong drink [Isa 5:2].' And therefore all to shun such things; all are to be sober, and to mind and fear God, that they may escape these woes: as you may see in Isaiah chap. v.

And therefore all vinters, and such as sell wine, with ale-houses, inns, and victualling houses, who sell ale, brandy, and strong liquors, never let any one have more than doth them good, and is for their health, (as is said before,) so that all may eat and drink the good creatures of God to his praise and glory [1 Cor 10:31]; which drunkards and gluttons cannot, nor they who let them have the creatures of God in excess or immoderately, till they are drunk and surfeited, for such do feed themselves without the fear of God [Jude 1:12].

Secondly. Let all who go under the name of christian families, train up their children in the fear of God [Prov 22:6/Psa 34:11], and keep themselves in the fear of God, that they may keep all their servants and females in the fear of God; out of all looseness and wantonness, and vanities and excess, and from all drunkenness, fornication, whoredom, or uncleanness, and unrighteousness, and all ungodliness; that they may keep out of all those things that displease or dishonour the Lord God [Rom 2:23]. And do not nourish up the lust of the eye, nor the pride of life, nor the lust of the flesh [1 Jn 2:16]; for if you do, you nourish up that which is not of God the Father. And therefore to shun all these evils, and to depart from them, and keeping in the fear of God [Job 28:28]; this is the way to bring the blessing of God upon a land, kingdom, nation, or family.

'God will destroy them which destroy the earth [Rev 11:18].' Rev. xi. 18. . . .

G. F.