Wise. Yea, and it so stupifies and besotts the soul, that a man that is far gone in Drunkenness, is hardly ever recovered to God. Tell me, when did you see an old drunkard converted? No, no, such an one will sleep till he dies, though he sleeps on the top of a {50c} Mast, let his dangers be never so great and Death and damnation never so near, he will not be awaked out of his sleep. So that if a man have any respect either to Credit, Health, Life or Salvation, he will not be a drunken man. But the truth is, where this sin gets the upper hand, men are, as I said before, so intoxicated and bewitched with the seeming pleasures, and sweetness thereof; that they have neither heart nor mind to think of that which is better in itself; and would, if imbraced, do them good. Atten. You said that drunkenness tends to poverty, yet some make themselves rich by drunken bargains. Wise. I {50d} said so, because the Word says so. And as to some mens getting thereby, that is indeed but rare, and base: yea, and base will be the end of such gettings. The Word of God is against such wayes, and the curse of God will be the end of such doings. An Inheritance may sometimes thus be hastily gotten at the beginning, but the end thereof shall not be blessed. Hark what the Prophet saith; Wo to him that coveteth an evil covetousness, that he may set his nest on high. {50e} Whether he makes drunkenness, or ought else, the engine and decoy to get it; for that man doth but consult the shame of his own house, the spoiling of his family, and the damnation of his Soul; for that which he getteth by working of iniquity, is but a getting by the devices of Hell; Therefore he can be no gainer neither for himself or family, that gains by an evil course. But this was one of the sins that Mr. Badman was addicted to after he came acquainted with these three fellows, nor could all that his Master could do break him of this Beastly sin. Atten. But where, since he was but an Apprentice, could he get Money to follow this practice, for drunkenness, as you have intimated, is a very costly sin. Wise. His Master {51a} paid for all. For, (as I told you before) as he learned of these three Villains to be a Beastly Drunkard; so he learned of them to pilfer and steal from his Master. Sometimes he would sell off his Masters Goods, but keep the Money, that is when he could; also sometimes he would beguile his Master by taking out of his Cashbox: and when he could do neither of these, he would convey away of his Masters wares, what he thought would be least missed, and send or carry them to such and such houses, where he knew they would be laid up to his use, and then appoint set times there, to meet and make merry with these fellowes. Atten. This, was as bad, nay, I think, worse than the former; for by thus doing, he did, not only run himself under the wrath of God, but has endangered the undoing of his Master and his Familie.