Cards spiritualized, or, The pack of cards transformed into a Bible, almanack, and prayer-book/Mr Dodd's Sermon on Malt
Mr Dodd's curious Sermon on MALT.
Dearly beloved,
LET me crave your serious attention, for I am a little man come at a short warning, to preach a brief sermon to a thin audience, in an unworthy pulpit. Now beloved my tex is MALT; which I cannot divide into sentences, because it contains none, nor yet into words, it being but one nor into syllables, for it is upon the whole but one monosyllable: I must therefore, and necessity obliges me, divide into letters, which I find in my text to be four only, viz M, A, L, T. M, my beloved, is Moral; A is Allegorical; L is Literal; T is Theological The Moral is well set to teach you drunkards good manners; therefore, M, my Masters; A, All of you L, Listen; T, to my Text. The Allegorical, that is when one thing is spoke of, and another thing meant. Now the thing spoken of is Malt; but the thing meant is the oil of Malt, or what is vulgarly called strong beer; which ye drunkards make, M, Meat; A, Apparel; L Liberty; T, Treasure The Literal is according to the Letter, M, Much; A, Ale; L, Little; T, Thrift. Much ale, little thrist The Theological is according to the effects it produceth; which I find in my text to be of two kinds: first in this world; secondly, in the world to come. First, in this world, the effects are, in some, M, Murder; in others, A, Adultery; in all, L, Looseness of Life; and, in many, T, Treason. Secondly, in the world to come, the effects are, in some, M, Misery; in others, A, Anguish; in some, L, Lamentation; and, in all, T, Torment.
Wherefore, my first use shall be exhortation, I say, M, my Masters; A, All of you; L, Leave off your, T, Tipling; or, secondly, by way of denunciation, I say, M, my Masters; A, All of you; L, Look for; T, Torment So much for this time on my text, only by way of conviction, take this: all drunkards are the annoyance of modesty, the trouble of civility, the pests of society, the spoil of wealth, the destruction of reason, the brewer’s agents, the alehouse’s benefactors, their wives’ sorrow, their children’s shame, the beggar’s companions the constable’s trouble, their neighbour’s laughing stock, walking swill-tubs, the devil’s vassals, pictures of beasts, and monsters of men.
Say well and do well, ends both with a letter,
Say well is good, but do well is better.
FINIS.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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