rcm. Ser. 24.

houfe runneth round about him. It is evident that the mind is brought clean out of frame by exceffive drinking, fo that whofoever is deceived by wine or strong drink, Prov. xx. becometh, as Solomon faith, a mocker, or madman, fo that be can never be wife. If any man think that he may drink much wine, and yet be well in his wits, he may as well fuppofe, as Seneca faith, that when he hath drunken poifon, he fhall not die. For wherefoever exceffive drinking is, there muft needs follow perturbation of mind; and where the belly is ftuffed with dainty fare, there the mind is oppreffed with flothful sluggishness. A full belly Ad Sero- maketh a grofs understanding, faith St. Bernard, and much meat maketh a weary mind. But alas, now-adays, men pafs little either for body or mind; fo they have worldly wealth and riches abundant to fatisfy their unmeafurable lufts, they care not what they do. They are not ashamed to fhew their drunken faces, and to play the madman openly. They think themselves in good cafe, and that all is well with them, if they be not pinched by lack and poverty. Left any of us therefore might take occafion to flatter himself in this beaftly kind of excefs, by the abundance of riches, let us call to mind what Solomon writeth in the twenty-firft of his Proverbs, Prov. xxi. He that loveth wine and fat fare, fhall never be rich, faith he. And in the twenty-third chapter he maketh a veheProv. xxiii. ment exhortation on this wife: Keep not company evith drunkards and gluttons, for the glutton and drunkard fball come to poverty.

He that draweth his patrimony through his throat, and eateth and drinketh more in one hour, or in one day, than he is able to earn in a whole week, muft needs be an unthrift, and come to beggary. But fome will fay, what need any to find fault with this? He hurteth no man but himself, he is no man's foe but his own. Indeed I know this is commonly fpoken in defence of thefe beaftly belly-gods: but it is eafy to see how hurtful they are, not only to themfelves, but also to the commonwealth, by their example. Every one that meeteth them is troubled with brawling and contentious language, and ofttimes raging in beaftly lufts, Like bigh-fed borfes, they neigh on their neighbours wives, as Jeremy faith, and defile their children and daughters. Their example is evil to them among whom they dwell; they are an occafion of offence to many; and whilst they wafte their fubftance in banquetting, their own household is not provided of things neceffary, their wives and their children are evilly treat

ed,

I

ed, they have not wherewith to relieve their poor neighbours in time of neceffity, as they might have, if they lived foberly. They are unprofitable to the commonwealth for a drunkard is neither fit to rule, nor to be ruled. They are a flander to the church or congregation of Chrift, and therefore St. Paul doth excommunicate 1 Cor. v. them among whoremongers, idolaters, covetous perfons, and extortioners, forbidding Chriftians to eat with any fuch. Let us therefore, good people, efchew, every one of us, all intemperancy, let us love fobriety and moderate. diet, oft give ourselves to abftinency and fafting, whereby the mind of man is more lifted up to God, more ready to all godly exercises, as prayer, hearing and reading God's word, to his fpiritual comfort. Finally, whofoever regardeth the health and fafety of his own body, or wifheth always to be well in his wits, or defireth quietnefs of mind, and abhorreth fury and madnefs, he that would be rich, and efcape poverty, he that is willing to live without the hurt of his neighbour, a profitable member of the commonwealth, a Chriftian without flander of Christ and his church, let him avoid all riotous and exceffive banquetting, let him learn to keep fuch measure as behoveth him that profefleth true godlinefs, let him follow St, Paul's rule, and fo eat and drink to the glory and praise of God, who hath created all things to be foberly used with thanksgiving, to whom be all honour and glory for ever, Amen.

AN

HOMILY

AGAINST

W

Excels of Apparel.

THEREAS ye have heretofore been excited and ftirred to use temperance of meats and drinks, and to avoid the excefs thereof, many ways hurtful to the ftate of the commonwealth, and fo odious before Almighty God, being the author and giver of fuch creatures, to comfort and ftablifh our frail nature with thanks unto him, and not by abufing of them to provoke his liberality to fevere punishing of that diforder. In like manner it is convenient, that ye be admonished of another foul and chargeable excefs: I mean of apparel, at thefe days fo gorgeous, that neither Almighty God by his word can ftay our proud curiofity in the fame, neither yet godly and neceffary laws, made by our princes, and oft repeated with the penalties, can bridle this deteftable abufe, whereby both God is openly contemned, and the prince's laws manifefily difobeyed, to the great peril of the realm. Wherefore, that fobriety alfo in this excefs may be efpied among us, I fhall declare unto you, both the moderate use of apparel, approved by God in his holy word, and alfo the abufes thereof, which he forbiddeth and difalloweth, as it may appear by the inconveniences which daily increafe, by the jul judgment of God, where that meafure is not kept, which he himfelf hath appointed. If we confider the end and purpofe whereunto Almighty God hath ordained his creatures, we fhall eafily perceive that he alloweth us apparel, not only for neceffities fake, but alfo for an honeft comeliness. Even as in herbs, trees, and fundry fruits, we have not only divers neceffary ufes, but alfo the pleafant fight and fweet fmell, to delight us withal, wherein we may hold the fingular love of God towards mankind, in that

be

he

I.

he hath provided both to relieve our neceffities, and alfo to refresh our fenfes with an honest and moderate recreation. Therefore David, in the hundred and fourth Pfalm, Pfal. civ. confeffing God's careful providence, fheweth that God not only provideth things neceffary for men, as herbs and other meats, but alfo fuch things as may rejoice and comfort, as wine to make glad the heart, oils and ointments to make the face to fine. So that they are altogether past the limits of humanity, who, yielding only to neceflity, forbid the lawful fruition of God's benefits. With whofe traditions we may not be led, if we give ear to St. Paul, writing to the Coloffians, willing them not to hearken Coloff. ii. unto fuch men as thall fay, Touch not, tafte not, handle not ; fuperftitiously bereaving them of the fruition of God's creatures. And no leis truly ought we to beware, left, under pretence of Chriftian liberty, we take licence to do what we lift, advancing ourfelves in fumptuous apparel, and defpifing others, preparing ourfelves in fine bravery, to wanton, lewd, and unchafte behaviour. To the avoiding whereof, it behoveth us to be mindful of four leffons, 4 Leffons. taught in holy Scripture, whereby we fhall learn to temper ourselves, and to reftrain our immoderate affections, to that measure which God hath appointed. The firft is, that we make not provifion for the flesh, to accomplish Rom. xiii. the lufts thereof, with cofily apparel, as that harlot did, of whom Solomon fpeaketh, Proverbs vii. which perfumed Prov. vii. ber bed, and decked it with coftly ornaments of Egypt, to the fulfilling of her lead luft: but rather ought we by moderate temperance to cut off all occafions, whereby the fleth might get the victory. The fecond is written by St. Paul, in the feventh chapter of his firft Epiftle to the Co- 1 Cor. vii. rinthians, where he teacheth us to ufe this world as though we ufed it not: whereby he cutteth away not only all ambition, pride, and vain pomp in apparel; but alfo all inordinate care and affection, which withdraweth us from the contemplation of heavenly things, and confideration of our duty towards God. They that are much occupied in caring for things pertaining to the body, are most commonly negligent and carelets in matters concerning the foul. Therefore our Saviour Chrift willeth us not to Matt. vi. take thought what we fhall eat, or what we shall drink, or wherewith we shall be clothed; but rather to feck the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof. Whereby we may learn to beware, leit we ufe thole things to our hindrance, which God hath ordained for our comfort and furtherance towards his kingdom. The third is, that we

2.

3.

Phil. iv

4.

take in good part our eftate and condition, and content ourfelves with that which God fendeth, whether it be much or little. He that is afhamed of bafe and fimple attire, will be proud of gorgeous apparel, if he may get it. We muft learn therefore of the Apoftle St. Paul both to ufe plenty, and alfo to fuffer penury, remembering that we muft yield accounts of thofe things which we have received unto him who abhorreth all excefs, pride, oftentation, and vanity, who alfo utterly condenneth and difalloweth whatfoever draweth us from our duty towards God, or diminisheth our charity towards our neighbours and children, whom we ought to love as ourfelves. The fourth and laft rule is, that every man behold and confider his own vocation, in' as much as God hath appointed every man his degree and office, within the limits whereof it behoveth him to keep himfelf. Therefore all may not look to wear like apparel, but every one according to his degree, as God hath placed him. Which, if it were obferved, many one doubtlefs fhould be compelled to wear a ruffet-coat, which now ruffleth in filks and velvets, fpending more by the year in fumptuous apparel, than their fathers received for the whole revenue of their lands. But alas, now-a-days, how many may we behold occupied wholly in pampering the fleth, taking no care at all, but only how to deck themfelves, fetting their affection altogether on worldly bravery, abufing God's goodnefs when he fendeth plenty, to fatisfy their wanton lufts, having no regard to the degree wherein God hath Deut. xxix. placed them. The Ifraelites were contented with fuch apparel as God gave them, although it were bafe and fimple. And God fo bleffed them, that their fhoes and clothes lafted them forty years; yea, and thofe clothes, which their fathers had worn, their children were contented to use afterwards. But we are never contented, and therefore we profper not; fo that most commonly he that ruffleth in his fables, in his fine furred gown, corked flippers, trim bufkins, and warm mittens, is more ready to chill for cold, than the poor labouring man, which can abide in the field all the day long, when the north wind blows, with a few beggarly clouts about him. We are loth to wear fuch as our fathers have left us; we think not that fufficient or good enough for us. We must have

one gown for the day, another for the night; one long, another thort; one for winter, another for fummer; one through furred, another but faced; one for the workingday, another for the holy-day; one of this colour, another

of