he that hath long continued in the practise of any evill hath a fourth which is worse then the worst of them even custome which is a second or new nature § 153. BUt suppose after many yeares spent in the service of sinne and Sathan thou art willing to relinquish thy lusts and offer thy seruice and best devotions at the last gasp to God will he accept themâ— no in al probability he will not for heare what himself saith Pro. 1. Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out mine hand and ye would not regard but despised all my counsell and would none of my correction I wil also laugh at your destruction and mocke when your feare commâ—th when your feare commeth like suddaine desolation and your destruction like a whirlewind When affliction and anguish shall come upon you then shall you call upon me but I will not answer you shall seâ—ke me early but you shall not find me because you hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord. You would none of my counsell but despised all my corrections therefore you shall eat the fruit of your owne way and bee filled with your owne devises ver 24. to 32. And this is but justice if God be not found of those that were content to loose him if he heare not them that would not heare him if he regard not them that disregarded him if he shut his eare against their prayer crying to him for pardon that stopt their eares against his voyce calling upon them for repentance as Salvian speakes Alasse no child would bee whipt if he might scape for crying but hee onely findes helpe in adversity that sought it in prosperity and ther can be no great hope of repentance at the houre of death where there was no regard of honesty in the time of lifeâ— God useth not to give his heavenly and spirituall graces at the houre of death to those who have contemned them all their life yea it is sensles to think that God should accept of our dry bones when Sathan hath suckt out all the marrow that he should accept of the lees when we have given to his enemy all the good Wine But heare what himselfe saith by the Prophet Malachy c. 1. 8. and S. Ierome upon the place it is a most base and unworthy thing to present God with thâ—t which man would disdaine and thâ—nk scoâ—â—e to accept of Wherefore as you tender your owne soule even to day heare his voyce set upon the work presently he that begins to day hath the lesse work for to morrow And proroge not your good purposes least ye saying unto God in this life with those wicked ones in Iob depart thou from mee for a time God say unto you in the life to come depart from me ye cursed and that for ever Hee hath spared thee long and given thee already a large time of repentance but he will not alwayes wait for denyals his patience at length wil turn into wrath Time was when hee stayed for the old world an hundred and twenty yeares he stayed forâ— a rebellious Nation forty yeares he stayed for a dissolute City forty dayes but when that would not serve his patience was turned into fury and so many as repented not were cast into hell If in any reasonable time wee pray hee heares us if we repeâ—t he pardons us if we amend our lives he saves us but after the houre prefixt in his secret purpose there is no time for petition no place for Conversion no meanes for pacification The Lord hath made a promise to repentance not of repentance if thou convertest tomoâ—row thou art sure of grace but thou art not sure of to morrowes conversion so that a fit and timely consideration is the onely thing in every thing for for want of this Diâ—es prayed but was not heard Esau wept but was not pitied the foolish Virgins knockt but were denied and how many at the houre of death have offered their prayers supplications and services unto God as Iuo as offered his money to the Priests and could not have acceptance but they died as they lived and went from despaire unto destruction § 154. BUt thou wilt say unto me if this be so that all the promises are conditionall that mercy is entayled onely to such as love God and keepe his Commandements that none are reall Christians but such as imitate Christ and square their lives according to the rule of Gods word that of necessity we must leave sinne before sinne leaves us and that God will not heare us another day when we call to him for mercy if we will not heare him now when he calls to us for repentance how is it that so few are reformed that most men minde nothing but their profits and pleasures yea count them fooles that doe otherwise I answer there be two maine reasons of it though one be the cause of the other 1 Ignorance 2 Vnbeleife First few men beleive what is written of God in the Scripture especially touching his justice and severity in punishing sinne with eternall destruction of body and soule for did they really and indeed beleive God when he saith that his curse shall never depart from the house of the swearer Zack 5. they durst not sweare as they doe Did they beleive that neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Theeves nor Murtherers nor Drunkards nor Swearers nor Raylers nor Lyers nor Covetous persons nor Extortioners nor Vnbeleivers nor no Vnrighteous men shall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven but shall have their part in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. Rev. 21. 8. they durst not continue in the practise of these sinnes without feare or remorse or care of amendment Did they beleive that except their righteousnesse doe exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees they shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 5. 20. and that without holinesse no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. with many the like it were impossible they should live as they doe Yea if they did in good earnest beleive that there is either God or Devill Heaven or Hell or that they have immortall soules which shall everlastingly live in blisse or woe and receive according to that they have done in their bodies whether it be good or evill 2 Cor. 5. 10. they could not but live thereafter and make it their principall care how to be saved But alas they are so farre from beleiving what God threateneth in his Word against their sinnes that they blesse themselves in their heart saying we shall have peace we shall speede as well as the best although we walke according to the stubâ—ornnesse of our owne wills so adding drunkennesse to thâ—rst Deut. 29. 19. yea they preferre their condition before other mens who are so abstemious and make conscience of their wayes even thinking that
goodnesse And so doing thou mayst perchance winne thy Brother even as that penitent wanton in St. Ambrosse did his old love who when she courted him according to her accustomed manner and wondred at his overmuch strangnesse saying why doe you not know who I am answered yes I know you are still the same woman but I am become another man I am not I now neither would You be You any longer if yee knew so much as I doe 4 But if yet they persist and seeme incorrigible flye their company for feare of infection least it happen with thee as once it did with a chast person among Penelopes suters who went so often with his friend till in the end he was caught himselfe for if thou keepest them company there is no possibility of thy holding out to the end though thou shouldest for a time as a man may make some progresse in a good way and yet returne before he is halfe at his journeys end as Saul kept himselfe well for two yeares Iudas for three yeares and as it is storied Nero for five yeares yet all fell into damnable wickednesse scarce three worse in the world But of this more in it's proper place Besides how hard a thing is it for thee a coward to shew thy dislike of this sin in some companies where thou shalt be scoff't at thy selfe if thou dislike their drinking and scoffing at others Fiftly another thing which I had need to advise thee of is to take heede of delayes for to leave sinne when sin leaves us will never passe for true repentance besides if the evill spirit can but perswade thee to deferre it untill hereafter he knowes it is all one as if thou hadst never purposed to leave thy sinne at all as you have it largely proved Sections 151. 152. 153. Sixtly omit not to pray for the assistance of God's spirit to strengthen thee in thy resolution of leaving this sinne St. Ambrosse calls prayer the key of Heaven yet prayer without answerable endeavour is but as if a wounded man did desire helpe yet refuseth to have the sword puld out of his wound Seventhly be diligent in hearing God's Word which is the sword of the Spirit that killeth our corruptions and that unresistable cannon-shot which battereth and beateth downe the strong holds of sinne Eighthly be frequent in the use of the Lord's Supper wherein we dayly renew our covenant with God that we will forsake the Devill and all his workes of darkenesse Ninthly ponder and meditate on Gods inestimable love towards us who hath not spared to give his Sonne to death for us and the innumerable benefits which together with him he hath plentifully bestowed upon us both in temporall and spirituall things say unto the Lord what shall I render unto thee for all thy benefits but love my Creator and become a new creature Tenthly meditate on that union which is betweene Christ and us whereby wee become members of his glorious body and so shall we stand upon our spirituall reputation and be ashamed to dishonour our Head by drawing him as much as in us lyeth into the communication of this swinish sinne consider that our bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost the which we shall exceedingly dishonour if by drinking and swilling we make them to become like wine vessells Eleventhly consider that the Lord beholdeth thee in all places and in every thing thou doest as the eyes of a well drawne picture are fastned on thee which way soever thou turnest much more while in a brutish manner thou liest wallowing in this sinne and consider him as a just judge who will not let such grosse vices goe unpunished Twelftly beever or at least often thinking of the last and terrible day of Iudgment when we shall all be called to a reckoning not only for this sinne but for all other our sinnes which this shall occasion to our very words and thoughts And lastly if thou receivest any power against this great evill forget not to be thankfull and when God hath the fruite of his mercies he will not spare to sow much where he reapes much § 176. More especially that thou maist master and subdue this abominabâ—e sin does but set before thee in a generall view the heinousnesse thereof and the manifold evills and mischiefes which doe accompany it of which I have already spoken as that it is a vice condemned by God and men Christians and infidells that thereby we grievously offend God by making our bellies our god by unfiting and disabling our selves for his service by abusing his good creatures which with a pleantifull hand he hath bestowed upon us the necessary use whereof many better then we want that thereby we sinne in a high degree against our neighbours generally and particularly against the whole Church and common wealth strangers and familiar acquaintance and most of all against our owne family that hereby we most grievously sinne against our selves by making us unfit for our calings and for the performance of all good duties by disgracing our profession and bringing our selves into contempt by making our selves the voluntary slaves of this vice by impovershing our estate and bringing upon us want and beggery by infatuating our understandings and corrupting our wills and affections by deforming disabling weakning and destroying our bodies and bringing our selves to untimely death by excluding our selves out of the number of Christs members by quenching the gifts of the Spirit and strengthening the flesh and lusts thereof by causing our soules to be possessed with finall impenitency which is inseparably accompanied with eternall damnation Also remember that as in it selfe it is most sinfull so it is also the cause of almost all other sinnes as of the manifold and horrible abuses of the tongue of many wicked and outragious actions and particularly of those fearefull sinnes of murther and adultery Also call to mind that as it is the cause of sinne so also of many heauy and grievous punishments as making a man lyable to a fearefull woe and Gods heauy curse subjecting his name to infamy his state to beggery his body to diseases infirmities deformities and immature death his soule to senselesse sottishnesse and deprivâ—ng the whole man of the joyes of Heaven entereth him into the possession of eternall hellish torments and this will be a good meanes to make thee moderate thy greedy desires mortifie thy carnall affections and curbe thy unruly appetite by putting a knife to thy throâ—â—e as Salomon adviseth saying I could but I will not take more then is good or fit Yea the consideration of these things and of the wofull condition that drunkards are in will provoke thee to hate their opinions to strive against their practice to pity their misguiding to neglect their censures to labour their recovery and to pray for their salvation For O how ugly doth this monster appeare to the eye of that soule which hath forsaken
are wounded beaten and many times murthered as often times they stab and murther others but this is notably described by Salomon Proverbs 23. 29. to 36. Indeed drunkennesse is nothing else nor hath ever beene reputed amongst the wise and learned then a voluntary madnesse a temporary forfeiture of the wits worse then frenzie in that the one is violent the other voluntary that the evill of punishment but this the evill of sinne The wine which of it selfe is a good creature of God and being moderately taken of excellent use becomes to them which use it to surfeir as the water of the river Gallus in Phrygia which maketh all those mad that drinke of it other vices doe but alter and distract the understanding whereas this utterly subverteth the same and astonieth the body even wrath makes a man a beast but drunkennesse makes a man mad and if so how odious is this sinne For if it be a hatefull thing for a man to wound his owne flesh and willfully to maime the members of his body how abominable is it to wound the mind it selfe and to offer violence unto our reason and understanding If it be a crime to offer violence against the subjects then surely to lay violent hands upon the King himselfe and to pull him out of his Regall throne must needs bee condemned as an outragious wickednesse Or lastly suppose them men they are but like that man spoken of Marke 5. 2. to 6. who being possest of the Divell lived amongst the graves and cut himselfe with stones for they love none but base company base places and base courses and what other doe their frequent and horrible oathes but cut them deeper then those stones did him It 's true hee may seeme to be in a better condition as first he may have a name to live but indeed he is dead as S. Iohn speakes Secondly he may have the appearance of a man but indeed he is a beast as Ieremy speakes Thirdly he may be thought a sound man but indeed he is Demoniacall obsessed or rather possessed with a Devill yea many Devills and more miserable then such an one because it is a Devill of his owne chosing as Basil speakes And certainely if every raygning sin be a Devill as S. Austin holds much more if the heart of a Reprobate containes so many Devills as unchast thoughts as St. Gregory affirmes every true Drunkard is posiest with more Devills then Mary Magdalen was and good reason for as our Saviour intimates the Devill can find no such rest in dry places Math. 12. 43. Indeed this may seeme to some ignoramusses a big word but let mee tell you the corporall possession of evill Spirits is not so rare as the spirituall is rife no naturall man is free one hath the spirit of error 1 Tim. 4. 1. another the spirit of fornication ose 4. 12. another the spirit of blasphemy Revel 2. 9. and 13. 1. 5. 6. another the spirit of falsehood Math. 24. 11. another the spirit of feare 2 Tim. 1. 7. another the spirit of slumber Rom. 11. 8. another the spiof giddinesse Esay 29. 9. to 15. another the spirit of pride all have the spirit of the world 1 Cor. 2. 12. Yea let me assure you from Gods word that all yee who are not changed in the image of your minds Eph. 4. 23. 24 Rom. 12. 2. who have not yet felt the power of godlinesse 2 Tim. 3. 5. are as truly though spiritually carryed by evill spirits into the deeps of your knowne wickednesse as ever the Gadarean hogs were carried by them downe the precipice into the Sea Alas the Devill hath more then one way to possesse men hee keepes possession in some by his Tenants as by drunkennesse swearing whoredome c. in others actually and immediately by himselfe yet hee rather choseth to possesse men by these his tenants then by himselfe that so hee may not carry them against their wills as hee did that man in the Gospell into the fire and water so using violence to their bodies all those forced and violent motions which they performe who are really possest being the Devills owne sins but rather desireth to carry them willingly and drive them as free horses that neede only the shaking of the hand to the Taverne to the stewes to this or that evill company and therefore hee desired not to possesse Iobs body because his intent was to draw Iob himselfe to blaspheme God So that wicked men although their bodies are free usually from this posses five power of Sathan yet Sathan hath a farre greater power in the voluntary motions of their bodies and soules even such a power as that they shall be agents in what they doe and as guilty of the sinne as himselfe when he makes them abuse their eyes to wantonnesse their mouthes to filthinesse and makes their feete swift to shed blood so that as Paul being guided by the good spirit of God could say I live not but Christ lives in me Gal. 2. 20. so may they we live not but the Devill lives in us for he is their god 2 Cor. 4. 4. and their Prince Iohn 14. 30. and workes in them his pleasure Eph. 2. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 26. Now this possession of soule and body together is the more fearefull and yet the more ordinary neither doe men marvell or wonder thereat because it is not discerned § 10. 5 BUt fiftly that Drunkards are possest with as many Devills as raigning sinnes is not all their condition being yet worse for in effect they are turned Devills In the former place you saw men transformed into beasts prye more narrowly into them and you shall see those beasts transformed againe into Devills in the delight they take in sinne in their mischievous tempting others to sinne for surely if want of reason makes a beast abuse of reason this way makes a Devill and admit man hath some advantage above beasts it is a miserable advantage that onely makes us apt to evill yea the worst of evills and capable of an hell small cause have we to brag of those powers which so distinguish us from beasts that they make us worse then the worst of beasts But of their acting the Devills part and their severall slights in seducing and enforcing others to sinne in drawing others to perdition expect more Section the 75. c. Onely this for the present let the Drunkard know that except he doe repent and amend there is not the most lothsome and despicable creature that crawles upon the earth which he shall not once enuy and wish to have beene rather then what he is which should have been my next theame but of this when I come to the punishment of Drunkards Swearers and Seducers Section 30. to 34. and 44. and 119. to 143. And so much of the person in generall and a part now take a generall view of the sinne before I come to particulars and see how the Learned in all ages both Christians
and Heathens have censured this vice and judged of this sinne though indeed the odiousnesse of it is beyond all expression neither have I dehortation answerable to my detestation of it onely what cannot be spoken your meditation supplying the defect of my speech may be implyed as under a curtaine which was the Painters shift in deliniating the picture of Venus and the wont of Timanthes who in each picture hee drew occasioned more to be understood then was painted § 11. THe Learned of all ages have concluded yea drunkennesse it selfe if it could speake as it can take away speech would confesse that it is a flattering Devill a sweet poyson a voluntary madnesse an invited enemy the author of outrages quarrells debates murthers the nurse of fury the mistris of pride the fountaine of all vice the originall of all diseases and bane of the soule that it is a fire whose flame is lust whose sparkes are oathes and evill words whose smoake is pride and infamy whose ashes are diseases and poverty and whose end is hell That it is a sinne which cracks mens credits consumes their estates distempers their constitutions dulls their spirits infatuates their senses intoxicateth their braines stupefies and besots their understandings perverteth their wills troubleth reason overthroweth the judgment infeebleth the memory corrupteth all the affections excludeth counsell and without Gods infinite mercy and their sound repentance damnes the soule That it is a bewitching sweete in the mouth which turnes to deadly poyson in the heart the revealer of secrets the ship wrack of chastity the shame of honesty the ruine of good manners the thiefe of time the disgrace of mankind a sinne which makes man an abomination to the Lord odious to the Angells scorned of men abandoned of all good society and above all makes men subjects and vassalls to Sathan a sinne of all others the most spreading most infectious most incurable most inexcusable a sinne which makes no difference of times places persons c. A sinne which is against the lawes of God of grace of nature and of all nations against sense and reason a sinne which brings wrath and judgment upon the whole land a sinne which is a griefe to friends a ruine to families which separates from the society and company of Gods Saints on earth excludes and shuts them out of the Kingdome of Heaven as Plutarch Solon Pittacus Boetius St. Austin St. Ierom St. Chrysoftome and others stile and define it That it is of sinnes the queene as the goute is of diseases even the most prodigall wastfull unthrifty unprofitable unnaturall unseemely insatiable unreasonable sinne the most base brutish beastly foule filthy odious execrable detestable horrible abominable state disturbing heathenish infernall prodigious damnable gracelesse and shamefull sinne of all others as some of our Moderne writers render it In fine it is a sinne odious and lothsome in any but in us who have so much light so many lawes of God and man against it most unsufferable but as it was once observed that Philosophy was taught in Athens but practised in Sparta so now temperance and sobriety is taught in England but practised in Spaine and Turky § 12. ANd as it is a most grievous and matchlesse sinne in it selfe so it is the cause of all other sinnes a monster with many heads the roote of all evill the incendiary of all vice the Magazine of all misery the mother and metropolis of all mischiefe As tell mee was there ever any sinne committed which wine hath not beene an occasion of for notwithstanding wine doth first serve and obey the drinker yet by little and little mixing it selfe with the blood in the veynes it doth rule over him and like Saules evill and controlling spirit makes him it 's vassall whereby like the Centurions servant he no sooner heares the word from Sathan doe this but instantly hee doth it whether it be to the committing of adultery with Holofernes inces◠with Lot murther with Alexander Cambyses and Philopater one of which in his drinke slew his deare and faithfull friend Clytus who was his chiefe Captaine in all his exployts though it so troubled him being sober that he would have made away himselfe the second his onely Sonne the third his deare father and mother or treason with him that confest to King Pyrrhus upon his arraignment all this wee did and spake against thee and much more should have done had not the wine failed us or blasphemy with Belshazzar and his Princes Dan. 5. 23. and what not for even to rehearse the severall examples which history affords and experience hath made knowne were endlesse Some examples I have given you and he is a very young man and unobservant that cannot adde forty out of his owne experience And doe not our reverend Judges in their severall circuits finde by experience that few brawles murthers manslaughters rapes c. are committed which arise not from this roote of drunkennesse And indeed as in Justice all vertues are couched together summarily as Aristottle affirmes so in drunkennesse all vices are lapt up together as it were in a bundle for it is a confluence or collection of all the rest and as he said of old prove a man to be ingratefull and you prove him naught all over so prove one to bee a Drunkard and you prove him guilty of every thing that is evill reprobate to all that is good for what sinne is it which a drunken man will sticke to commit when wee reade that Cyrillus his Sonne being drunke slew his Father and his Mother great with child hurt his two Sisters and defloured one of them as St. Austin affirmes when another being tempted by the Devill as Philip Lonicer witnesseth to commit some crime or other putting him to his choice either of Drunkennesse Adultery or Murther he chosing the first in his drunkennesse he abused the wife of him in whose house he was and her husband comming in the whilst he slew him and so in chosing that one he committed all three which being rightly considered me thinkes a man had neede to be drunke before hand that shall admit of more wine then enough that shall for one houres mad mirth hazard a whole age of griefe and shame together with his displeasure that is able to destroy both body and soule in Hell § 13. BUt you have not heard all for as others observe it is a queller of all good notions motions actions a sinne which decayes all a mans good parts and morall vertues which disables men from all good imployments either in Church or Common-wealth making them unprofitable which otherwise might be serviceable and indisposeth them to grace and godlinesse yea to all the meanes thereof For as by too much raine saith St. Austin the earth is resolved into dirt and made unfit for tillage so Drunkards by excessive swilling are altogether so unfitted for the spirituall tyllage that they can bring forth no good fruits of holinesse and
Yea Wine so inflames the Drunkard with Lust that were his power equall to his desire were his dreames and wishes all true hee would not leave a Virgin in the world might but his acts answer the number of his desires nature could scarce supply him with severall objects or could his wishes take effect Popery might have many Nuns it should have no maids Now what decayes health and strength and consequently shortens a mans dayes more then whoredome when so many dye of the Pox a disease which slayes thousands though they will not be known of it for because of the whorith woman a man is brought to a morsell of bread Pro. 6. 26. yea shee causeth many to fall downe wounded and all the strong men are slaine by her her house is the way unto the grave which leadeth downe to the chamber of death Pro. 7. 26. 27. And so much of the drunkards body § 21. SEcondly if wee dive deeper into him and Search into his soule what one sinne more mangles and defaces Gods Image and mans beauty then this how doth it damme up the head and spirits with mud how doth it infatuate the understanding blind the judgement pervert the will and corrupt all the affections how doth it intrap the desires surprise the thoughts and bring all the powers and faculties of the soule out of order which occasioneth one to say where drunkennesse raignes as King there reason is banished as an exile the understanding is dulled counsell wandereth and judgment is overthrowne And with this accordeth Seneca who defines drunkennesse to be a voluntary madnesse or a temporary forfeiture of the wits yea the Holy Ghost affirmes that the excesse of wine makes men mad foolish and outragious Pro. 20. 1. for being worse then the sting of an Aspe it poysoneth the very soule and reason of man Yea wee finde this and a great deale more by experience for many a man drinkes himselfe out of his wits and out of his wealth and out of his credit and out of all grace and favour both with God and good men Neither is the Scripture lesse expresse for Salomon calls wine a mocker and tells us that strong drinke is raging And Hosea affirmes that wine takes away the heart Chap. 4. 11. And wee reade elsewhere that wine makes men forget God and his lawes Pro. 31. 5. Yea utterly to fall away from God and to be incapable of returning for it is commonlie accompanied with hardnesse of heart and final impenitence Esa. 5. 11. 12. and 56. 12. Pro. 23. 35. For admonish such as are bewitched and besotted with the love of wine you speak to men senseles past shame and past grace Tell them of some better imployment they will say as once Florus an idle fellow was wont I would not be Caesar alwayes marching in armor to whom Casear replyed and I would not be Florus alwayes drinking in a Taverne Yea being wrapt in wine and warme cloathes they so like their condition that they would not change upon any termes no not to be glorified Saints in Heaven as those swine and other brutish creatures which Circe transformed would by no meanes be perswaded to become men againe though they were put to their choice by the said goddesse or forceresse rather upon the earnest request of Vlysses You shall never perswade a Drunkard that the water of life is the best wine In a word by long custome they turne delight into necessity and bring upon themselves such an insatiable thirst that they will as willinglie leave to live as leave their excessive drinking in regard whereof St. Austin compares drunkennesse to the pit of Hell into which when a man is once fallen there is no redemption Yea this vice doth not onely rob men of reason but also of common sense so as they can neither prevent future danger nor feele present smart But of this enough having already proved them as much worse then beasts as beasts are better then Devills Besides I shall occasionallie treate more of the soules Character in sundry particulars which follow § 22. 5 FIfthly as hee deformes his body impaires his health shortens his life beastiates his soule c. so he consumes his estate and brings himselfe to poverty and want as to whom is poverty as Salomon speakes but to Drunkards who thinke no cost too much that is bestowed on their bellies who consume their wealth at the wine even while they have swallowed downe their whole estates As let the Drunkard have but a groate it burnes in his purse till it be drowned in drinke if hee have gold he will change it if plate hee will pawne it and rather then not satisfie his gut away goes all to the coate on his backe yea rather then hee will scant as they say his belly had hee a jewell as rich as tenne Lordships or as Cleopatra's was that womanlike swaggerer his throate shall have it O that either wealth or any other blessing should be cast away thus basely Or suppose he bee a labouring man and must earne it before he have it he will drinke as much in a day saith St. Ambrose as hee can get in a weeke spend twelve pence sooner then earne two pence And hence it commeth to passe that the company keeper goes commonly in a ragged coate as it is seldome seene that they offend the Statute against excesse in apparell for rather then so they will goe naked and count that too a voluntarie penance Thus the Drunkard having spent all in superfluities in the end hee wants necessaries and because in youth hee will drinke nothing but wine in his old age he is constrained to drinke water yea hee throwes his house so long out at windowes that at last his house throwes him out at doores And when all is gone glad would he be to be a Swineheard like the Prodigallson but knowing himself unworthy of any mans entertainment hee growes weary of his life and is ready to make himselfe away like Peter the Cardinall base son to Sixtus the fourth that monstrous Epicure the shame of the latter times or like Apicius the shame of the ancient age wherein he lived All which the Scriptures make good where it is said that the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty and the sleeper shall be cloathed with raggs Pro. 2◠21. And againe peremptorily he that loveth wine and oyle shall not bee rich Prov. 21. 17. Now that this is so every officer of a Parish knowes to his great trouble and the inhabitants cost yea were I enjoyned to take up a ragged regiment I should thinke it no hard taske to muster up a thousand men admit but drunkards to be men out of the very suburbs that in sheere drinke spend all the cloaths on their beds and backs yea that drinke the very bloods of their wives and children for hee brings not this misery upon himselfe alone but his whole family wife children servants all are impoverisht yea nere
although the drunkards sorrow strife shame poverty and diseases together with his untimely death as one would thinke were enough to make this sin odious yet looke we further into him as namely into his more inward parts his secret abominations which follow and are occasioned through drunkennes that will make it hidious and fearefull at least if I had the skill to cut him up and paint him to the life § 24 IN speaking whereof I will first lay open the ground of all which is idlenesse for although in one sense idlenesse may be called an effect of drunkennesse yet in another it may be called the cause both of it and all the residue of evills which accompany the same for idlenesse is the most corrupting Flie that can blow in any humane minde We learne to doe ill by doing what is next it nothing and hence it is that vice so fructifies in our Gentry and servingmen who have nothing to employ themselves in It is said of Rome that during the time of their warres with Cartâ—age and other enemies in Africa they knew not what vices meant but no sooner had they got the conquest then through idlenesse they came to ruine Rust you know will fret into the hardest iron if it bee not used Mosse will grow on the smoathest stone if it bee not stirred Mothes will consume the finest garment if it bee not worne so vice will infect even the best heart if given to idlenesse Standing water is sooner frozen then the running streame hee that sitteth is more subject to sleepe then hee that walketh so the idle man is farre more subject to temptation then hee that is profitably exercised yea idlenesse saith one of the Fathers is the Devills onely opportunity for if hee come and finds us well busied hee leaves us for that time as having small hope to prevaile An idle person is good for nothing but to propagate sinne to bee a factor for the Devill it faring with man as with the earth of which hee was made which if it bee not tilled or trimmed doth not onely remaine unfâ—uitfull but also breeds and brings forth Bryers Brambles Nettles and all manner of noysome and unprofitable things so that Seneca seemes to be mistaken in calling an idle person the image of death for though the body be idle yet the soule like a river is alwayes in progression and his heart like a wherry either goes forward or backward It may be resembled to a well with two buckets the mind no sooner empties it selfe of good thoughts but it fills with evill cogitations If the seede dyes the blade springs the death of grace is but the birth of corruption Now all the Drunkard's labour is to satisfie his Lusts and all his life nought else but a vicissitude of devouring and venting as how many of them make it their trade and whole vocation to keepe company Whereas sweat either of the Brow or of the Braine is the destiny of all trades be they mentall or manuall for God never allowed any man to doe nothing Are not most populous places by reason of this vice like Antiochus his army fuller of mouthes then hands for if you marke it the company keeper and good fellowe according to the vulgar is the barronest peece of earth in all the Orbe the Common wealth hath no more use of him then Ierâ—hoham had of his withered hand hee is like the dumbe Iacke in a Virginall for he hath not so much as a voice in the common wealth Whereas hee was borne for the good of his countrey friends family c. well may hee disturbe the common wealth and give offence and scandall unto all that are neere or about him Rom. 14 20 21. as being unfit to doe service or subject himselfe to be ruled by his Governors civill and ecclesiasticall but profitable hee is to none except Vinteners Inkeepers and Ale drapers who are the greatest loosers by him of all the rest though they seeme to gaine much for these are accessary to the Drunkards sinne and have a fearefull accompt to make for their tolleration of such seing they might and ought to redresse it so that their gaine is most unjust as may not that be written upon what ever they possesse which Diogenes writ under the golden Statua which Phryne the strumpet dedicated at Delphos this was gotten by the intemperance of the people and in the end will prove as unprofitable for hereby they endanger themselves and without repentance lose their soules Math. 16. 26. What is recorded of Nsâ—grites namely that hee never plowed not digged nor did any thing all his life long that might tend to any good is truly verified in him hee is not more nimble tongu'd then gowty handed as Iulian the Apostate confest of himselfe and yet never thinkes hee shall give an account for this sinne of all the rest but surely if wee must give an account for every idle word much more for every idle day nay moneth nay yeare But I proceede All the paines hee takes is for the enemy of mankinde if you will have him worke you must chaine him in a celler where are good store of springs and give him the option or choice whether hee will pumpe or drowne which is the Hoâ—â—anders way to dresse an English gentleman whose ill demeanour hath made unworthy to live The company keeper is like a top which alwayes runnes round but never goes forward unlesse it be whipt or the Mill wheele which turnes about all day but at night remaines in the same place or like a blind Horse in a maltmill which is as farre in the morning as at night for all the day hee walkes round in the same circle over and over and when he hath done and slâ—pt a little is new to begin againe Neither does hee which walkes from six to six in Paules goe more then a coytes câ—st before him Drunkards make it their whole imployment to goe from theirs beds to the tap house for the true Drunkard thinkes no wine good which is brought over two thresholds from the taphouse to the play house where they make a match for the brothelhouse and from thence to bed againe so that they either doe nothing or that which is worse then nothing for hee is neither a Drunkard nor an idle person but a civill compleat and well qualified Gentleman that spends the whole day yea every day but in bousing and bowling and taking Tobacco O the number of men and women in this City that are all the day idle yet have not an idle hower to afford either the Church or the study or for the good of the common wealth And therefore no wonder if they afford not mee the hearing they onlie sit to eate and drinke lye downe to sleepe and rise up to play this is all their exercise herein lyes all theiâ— worth and no marvell for if the worlâ— be a mans god pleasure must needs beâ— his Religion They are
man so sweetly that one would thinke it a pleasure to be seduced yea these Aspes will sting a man so that he shall dye sleeping The falsest hearts will have the plausiblest mouthes like to Salomons Curtesan their lips drop as an Hony combe and their mouth is smoâ—ther then Oyle but their end is bitter as wormewood and such faire and smooth communication is no other then a trap or snare of Hony as Diogenes calls it Their custome is with a pleasing breath to waft a man into Mare mortuum tole him on to destruction as we tole beasts with fodder to the slaughter house and to take away all suspition they will so mollifie the stiffenesse of a mans prejudice so temper and fit him to their owne mold that once to doubt them would require the spirit of discerning He is such a pleasing murtherer that he tickles a man to death and makes him like Salomon's foole dye laughing O how many are there that hate their other enemies yea and their friends too and yet embrace this enemy because he kisseth when he betrayeth and indeed what fence for the Pistoll that is charged with the Bullet of friendship Hilary compares it to a Razor in the hand of a counterfeit Barber as when Vriah was set in the forefront of the battell and honour pretended murther was meant Which is the sole cause that drunkards so swarme in every corner of the land as where shall a man come and not finde one of these seducers § 85. INdeed heretofâ—re they were as rare as Wolves but now they are as common as Hogs heretofore it was the sinne of Tinkers Ostlers Beggers c. now of Farmers Citicens Esquires Knights c. heretofore S. Paâ—ls speech was currant they that are drunken are drunken in the night now they feare not the light the Sunne-shine no they make no difference of nights or dayes except this that drunkennesse most rages on the Lords day heretofore S. Peters argument was more then probable these are not drunk for it is but the third houre of the day now men are growne such husbands as by that time they will returne their stockes and have their braines crowing before day or at least if you will finde many men sober you must take them in their beds for they rise up earely to follow drunkennes formerly men were so unacquainted with insatiate drinking that the divell himself was called Robin good-fellow now a man is hated as bad as the devill if hee refuse to bee a good fellow id est a drunkard There was a Streete in Rome called Vâ—cus Sobrius Sober-street because there was never a drinking house in it finde such a Street in any City or populous Town in England and some good man or other will put it in the Chronicle yea if England plies her liquor so fast as she begins Germany is like to loose her Charter for drunkennesse and the French disease are upon termes of quitting their Countries aleagiance and to be made free denisons of England nay have they not already given up the bucklers to the English who as in fashions so in vices will needs bee the Ape of every Nation It is a disease whereof this Nation and generation is sicke at the very heart Yea woe is me how is the world turned beast what bowsing and quaffing and whiffing and healthing is there on every bench and what reeling and staggering in our Stâ—eâ—â—s what drinking by the yard the Dye the dozen what forcing of pledges what quarrells for measure and forme how is that become an excuse of villany which any villany might rather excuse I was drunk How hath this torrent yea this deluge of excesse in drinke drowned the face of the earth and risen many Cubits above the highest mountains of religion and good lawes Yea would to God I might not say with a Reverend Prelate of ours that which I feare and shame and grieve to say that even some of them which square the Arke for others would not inwardly drowne themselves and discover their nakednesse hereby That other inundation scowred the world this impures it and what but a deluge of fire and brimstone can wash it from so abominable filthinesse O the drunkennesse that is in one day in this Land yea in this City yea at some Fayre or Market to bee seene For goe but to the Towns end where a Fayre is kept and there they lye as if some field had been fought here lyes one man there another yea alasse for woe a woman nay a swine with a womans face or goe into the backe-Lanes and there you have them among Frogs and Toades their fit matches And in all probability this infectious vice of drunken good-fellowship is like to stick by this Nation for so long as the multitude of offenders benumes the sense of offending a common blot is held no staine Drunkennesse is as odious with us as Adultery is in that State wherein no body is chast § 86. BUt to goe on though I dare not shew all their slights they have to draw men on least in reproving I become a teacher as it fared with another in the like case A drunkâ—rd for kindnesse is another Iulian who was oftentimes bountifull but how he never did a man a good turne but it was to damne his soule hee so confirmes the profession of his love with vowes protestations and promises as a large complement for the most part ushers in a close craft that you would thinke Ionathan's love to David was nothing in comparison as no faces look lovelier then the painted But accept of gain from him and you are lost for ever for with Sâ—sâ—râ— you can no sooner tast of this Iâ—â—l's milk but you shall feele a nayle in your Temples so that the wickednesse of a man which feareth God is better then the good entreaty of a drunkard his proffers are like the Fowlers shrape when he casts meat to birds which is not out of charity to relieve but out of treachery to ensnare them they lay waite saith Ieremy as he that setteth snares and make a pit to catch men Ieremiah 5. 26. or like Traps wee set for vermin seeming charitable when they intend to kill and thou mayest answer these cursed tempters which delight in the murther of soules as the woman of Endâ—r did Saul wherefore seekest thou to take me in a snare to cause me to dye 1 Sam. 28. 9. Hee and the Usurer loves alike for their charity is no better than cruelty if they reach you bread with one hand be sure there is a stone in the other to do you a mischiefe for under the tast of Nectar hee will poyson you with the water of Styx he is another Absalom who made a feast for Amnâ—n whom hee meant to kill like some prurient lecher who provides a rich banquet for one whom he meanes to corrupt and deflourâ— or like the Ivie that by embraceing the tree sucks out the heart of it
whether thou wilt bring forth the fruit of repentance and new obedience yet presume not for as when men give long day they expect larger payment so does God or for default thereof conferres a heavier doome the first fellony may sâ—ape in hope of amendment but the second much more the seventh meetes with as well it deserves a halter Yea of this be sure if Gods long suffering workes no reformation this silent Judge will at last speake home The Elephant suffers many injuries from the inferiour beasts but warre being too farre provoked his revenge is more extreame then his patience was remisse and the higher the Axe is lifted up the deeper it cuts But what doe I nominating particulars when thou hast had more warnings and invitations then thou hast haires on thy head Gods benefits offered thee in Christ and they all solicit thee to repent are without number though thy sinnes strive with them which shall be more If thou couldest count the numberlesse number of creatures they would not be answerable to the number of his gifts though the number of thine offences which thou returnest in liew of them are not much inferiour Not to enter into particulars which were endlesse but to give you the summe or epitomy of them for I had rather presse you with weight then oppresse you with number of Arguments The Lord Christ hath not onely ransomed thee from infinite evills here and everlasting torments hereafter but also purchased every good thing thou dost enjoy whether for soule or body even to the very bread thou eatest and that with the price of his owne precious blood and as if all this were too little he reserveth for thee such pleasures at his right hand as never entred into the heart of man to conceive and to the end onely that thou shouldest serve and set forth the praise of his Name who hath done all this As he descended into Hell that we might never come thither so he ascended into Heaven to prepare a place for us which we have no right unto What should I say If we looke inward we finde our Creator's mercies if we looke upward his mercy reacheth unto the Heavens if downeward the earth is full of his goodnesse and so is the broad Sea if we looke about us what is it that he hath not given us Ayre to breath in Fire to warme us Water to coole and cleanse us Cloathes to cover us Foode to nourish us Fruits to refresh us yea Delicates to please us Beasts to serve us Angells to attend us Heaven to receive us and which is above all his owne Sonne to redeeme us whithersoever we turne our eyes we cannot looke besides his bounty O consider of these his mercies you that forget God and then though there were no Hell no punishment for sinne yet you would not transgresse Hast thou any braines or heart to conceive what it is he hath bestowed what thou hast received what thou hast deserved No surely for if thou hadst braines and wert a wise man it would make thee mad as Salomon speakes in another sense Eccl. 7. 7. or if thou hadst a heart not like a stone or an Adamant the consideration of Gods love and thy odious unthankefulnesse would make it split and breake in peeces But heare it againe First thou wert created by him a man and not a beast in England not in Aethiopia in this cleare and bright time of the Gospell not in the darkenesse of Paganisme or Popery Secondly thou wert redeemed out of Hell by his precious blood he spared not himselfe that his Father might spare thee Oh thinke what flames the damned endure which thou mayst escape if thou wilt thy selfe me thinkes this should melt a heart of Adamant Thirdly he hath preserved thee here from manyfold dangers of body and soule Fourthly he hath all thy life long plentifully and graciously blessed thee with many and manifold good things And lastly promised thee not onely felicity on earth but in Heaven if thou wilt serve him § 127. BEsides as these mercies are great in themselves so our unworthinesse doth greater them more being shewed to us who are no lesse rebellious to him then he is beneficiall to us And is all this nothing to move thee dost thou thus requite him art thou so farre from loveing and fearing him that thou hatest others which doe O monstrous ingratitude oh foolish man to looke for other then great then double damnation O that such soveraigne favours as these should not onely not profit thee but turne to thy destruction through thy wilfull blind and perverse nature He is thy Lord by a manifold right his tenure of us is diversly held and thou his servant by all manner of obligations indeed our tenure of him is but single he is ours onely by faith in Christ Gal. 3. 26. First he is thy Lord by the right of creation thou being his workmanship made by him Secondly by the right of redemption being his purchase bought by him Thirdly of preservation being kept upheld and maintained by him Fourthly thou art his by uocation even of his family having admitted thee a member of his visible Church Fifthly his also if it be not thine owne fault by sanctification whereby he possesseth thee Sixtly and lastly he would have thee of his court by glorification that he might crowne thee every way his Yea he hath removed so many evills and conferred so many good things upon thee that they are beyond thought or imagination for if the whole Heaven were turned to a booke and all the Angells deputed writers they could not set downe all the good which Christ hath done us Now favours bestowed and deliverances from danger binds to gratitude and the more bonds of duty the more plagues for neglect Hath God contrived so many wayes to save us and shall not we take all occasions to glorifie him Hath he done so much for us and shall we deny him any thing that he requires though it were our lives yea our soules much more our lusts we have hard hearts if the blood of the Lambe cannot soften them stony bowells if so many mercies cannot melt us Was he crucified for our sinnes and shall we by our sinnes crucifie him againe Doe we take his wages and doe his enemy service Is this the fruit of his benificence of our thankfulnesse Is this thâ— recompence of his love to doe that which he hates and hate those whom he loves O for shame thinke upon it and at his instance be perswaded by whose blood you were redeemed from all these evills and interrested in all these good things The Apostle could not finde out a more heart-breaking argument to enforce a sacrificing of our selves to God then to conjure us by the mercies of God in Christ Rom. 12. 1. and indeed we could not be unthankefull if we thought upon what the Lord gives and what he forgives but if the thought of these things will not move thee Lord have
mercy upon thee For as it is a fearefull marke of a reprobate alwayes to abuse Gods mercy and patience to the hardening of our selves in our evill courses so good turnes aggravate unkindnesses and our offences are increased with our obligations yea there is not one of these favours of those warnings which I have mentioned or which thou hast received that shall not once be a wirnesse against thee as appeares by 1 Sam. 2. where God saith unto Ely by the Prophet Did not I doe such and such things for thee and thy fathers house wherefore then hast thou done thus and thus And likewise by Chap. 15. where the Lord reproving Saul for his disobedience exceedingly aggravates his sinne by what he had formerly done for him yea how doth the Lord by the Prophet Nathan aggravate Davids fact by repeating the many and severall favours and deliverances which formerly he had extended to him 2 Sa. 12. 7. to 13. § 128 YEa even this very Booke shall be a witnesse and rise up in judgement against thee as Plutarch told Trajane the Emperour touching his letter of advise and those very eyes that read it and that understanding and will which hath conceived and consented unto the equity and truth of it shall be cited as witnesses against thee And in the meane time thou shalt never hereafter drinke sweare whore seduce hate persecute or reproach any for well doing but thy conscience as a sergeant shall arrest thee upon it yea this Booke shall gnaw thee at the heart with a Memorandum of Hell that thou shalt with O that I could abandon my sinnes or else that I had never had such a warning But then perhaps the gate of mercy will bee shut and though thou wouldest gladly repent yet it will be too late then shalt thou begin to say O what a warning had I such a time what an opportunity did I then let slip woe is me that ever I was borne and woe is me that ever I had such a warning which cannot choose but double my damnation hereafter as now it doubles my feare and horror Even thus and no otherwise will it fare with thee when once thine eyes are opened and opened they shall be for though Sathan and thy corrupt conscience doe sleep and suffer thee to sleep for a while yet at least upon thy death bed or in hell when there shall bee no more hope or meanes of recovery they will both wake against thee and awaken thee up to everlasting anguish and unquietnesse yea God shall once enliven and make quick the sense of thy benummed conscience and make thee know his power which wouldest never take notice of his goodnesse he will then teach thee with a vengeance as Gidâ—on taught the men of Succoth vvith briers and thorns Those carelesse guests made light of their calling to come unto the marriage of the Kings sonne but they found at last vvhen they vvere shut out that there vvas no jesting and the rich man lift up his eyes in hell Luke 16. 23. those scorching flames opened them to purpose they vvere never opened before § 129. THis is the difference between a godly wise man and a deluded worldling that which the one doth now judge to be vaine the other shall hereafter finde to be so when it is too late O the want of consideration what is spoken and who speaks is the cause of all impiety and neglect of obedience The reason why Samuel returned to his sleepe one time after another when God called him was he ignorantly thought it was only mans voyce and for the same reason thou wilt not listen to what justice and truth speakes in this behalfe otherwise thou wouldest search the Scriptures and try whether my doctrine and allegations be of God or no Acts 17. 11. and being of God and agreeing with the pensell of the Holy Ghost for otherwise thou art free entertaine these lines as if they were an Epistle sent unto thee from heaven and writ by God himselfe to invite and call thee to repentance and though thou canst not imitate Zacheas who was called but once and came quickly to Christ yet thou wouldest imitate Peter and at this last crowing of the Cocke remember the words of Iesus which saith take heed to your selves least at any time your hearts he oppressed with surfeiting and drunkennesse and cares of this life least that day come on you at nnawares Luke 21. 34. and againe whatsoever ye doe unto the least of mine ye do it unto me and weighing them with thy selfe goe out of thy â—innes by repentance as he went out of the high Priests Hall And so doing it should bee unto thee as Ionathans three Arrowes were to David which occasioned his escape from Saul's fury or as David's Harpe was to Saul which frighted away the evill spirit from him 1 Samuel 16. 23. yea as the Angels was to Peter that opened the Iron gates loosed his bands brought him out of Prison and delivered him form the thraldome of his enemies yea if thou beest thine owne friend it shall serve thee as a Buoy to keep thy the ship of soule from splitting upon the Shelf of presumption which is my prayer and hope and should bee my joy to see it these things have I said that ye might be saved You know the good counsell of Sauls servant ledd him in a doubt to the man of God but his owne curiosity ledd him to the Witch of Endor 1 Sam. 9. 6. And that little which Craesus King of Lydia learn'd of Solon saved his life and if Pilate would have taken that faire warning which his wife gave him as hee sate to judge Christ it might have saved his soule Matth. 27. 19. and so may this thine if thou wilt be warned by it But if this nor no other warning wil serve thee if neither present blessings nor hope of eternall reward will doe any good if neither the Preachers of God in exhorting nor the goodnesse of God in calling nor the will of God in commanding nor the Spirit of God in moving can prevaile with thee trâ—â—ble to think what a fearefull doome will follow for they shall tremble at the voyce of his condemnation that have shut their eares at the voyce of his exhortation Prov. 1. 24. to 32. And so much of the sixth aggravation § 130. SEventhly this will above measure aggravate thy doome and adde to thy torment that thou seducest yea enforcest others to sinne and drawest them to perdition with thee for the infection of sinne is much worse than the act and misleades into evill sinne more and shall suffer more then the actors and although to commit such things as thou doest single and alone were enough yea too much to condemn thee yet because thou drawest others with thee to the same sins thy damnation shall be farre greater For they whom thou hast taught to doe ill increase thy sinne as fast as they increase their owne
1 Pet. 1. 15. members of Christs body 1 Corinth 12. 27. bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Ep. 5. 30. and being Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. If the Goates at the great day shall bee bid depart into everlasting torment for not feeding cloathing visiting Matt. 25. 41. to .46 what shall be done to those that persecute Christ in his members But let as many as have eares heare what God hath threatned in his word against such I will produce but a few of many the Holy Ghost affirmes that hee will destroy them for ever and root them out of the land of the living whose tongues imagine mischiefe and are like a sharpe Razor that cutteth deceitfully loving to speake evill more then good Ps. 522. to .5 that hee will confound such as persecute his children and destroy them with a double destruction Ier. 17. 18. yea that he will render unto their enemies sevenfold into their bâ—some their reproach wherewith they have reproached the Lord Psal. 79. 12. O consider this yee that forget God least he teare you in peeces and there be none that can deliver you In fine that hee will raine upon them snares of fire and brimstone with stormes and tempests Psal. 11. 6. and after all cast them into a furnace of fire where shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth for evermore when the just whom they now despise shall shine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father Matthew 13. 42. 43. Men may dip their tongues in venome and their pens in poyson to speak against the righteous but the Lord will once revenge the cause of his poore ones he will not alwayes hold his peace nor hide his face well may the vengeance of this sin sleepe but it can never dye yea as truly as God hath threatned to curse all them that curse his children Gen. 27. 29. so as truly will he performe it in one kind or other either cursing them in their bodies by sending some foule disease or in their estates by suddenly consuming them or in their names by blemishing and blasting them or in their seed by not prospering them or in their minds by darkening them or in their hearts by hardening them or in their consciences by terrifying them or in their wits by distracting them or in their soules by damning them It were endlesse for the Sea of examples hath no bottome to recite all which Scripture and Ecclesiasticall history makes mention of with the variety of fearefull and incredible judgements both spirituall and corporall which God hath executed upon them even in this life though I count it a mercy to smart here if they dye penitent rather then bee reserved to those flames which are easelesse and endlesse that fearefull damnation made up of an extremity universality and eternity of torments Yea if God caused two and forty little children to bee devoured of wild Beares for calling Elisha bald-head 2 Kings 2 24. how can these aged persecutors hope to escape yea what vengeance shall bee prepared or is enough for them If God will come in flames of fire to render vengeance unto them which knowe him not how terrible will hee appeare to these his profest enemies who wittingly willingly and maliciously oppose him and his image all they can § 132. OBjection But thou hast only used thy tongue against them whereas some have shed the blood of the Saints Well suppose it bee so yet what should they suffer from thee if they were at thy mercy It is not so materiall what thou doest as what thou desirest the very purpose of treason though the fact bee hindered is treason not the outward action but the inward affection is all in all with God who measures the work by the will as men measure the will by the worke But to take only what is confest the persecution of the tongue is a greater evill then thou art aware of Wee reade that Chams scoffing only brought his Fathers curse and God's upon that And that their sinne which brought a scandall upon the holy Land and made all the people to murmure against Moses dyed by a plague from the Lord and was the cause that they never entered into it they found it was no jesting matter Numbers 14. 37. Now wee may judge of their sin by their punishment yet their sinne was not halfe so bad as theirs is who amongst us cause the way of truth to be evill spoken of for this is either atheisme or frenzie or blasphemy or rather all these and thou shalt one day wish with Hecebolus that thy tongue had been rivetted to the roof of thy mouth from thy conception rather then thou haddest sinned so against the brethren wounded their weake consciences and so risen up against Christ 1 Cor. 8. 12. yea to be a scoffer is the depth of sinne such an one is upon the very threshold of hell as being set downe in a resolute contempt of all goodnesse Besides some men will better abide a stake then some others can a moâ—k Zedechiah could happily have found in his heart to have harkened to the Prophets counsell but that this lay in his way I am afraid of the Iemes least they deliver me unto the Chaldeans hands and they mocke me Ier. 38. 19. It was death to him to be mocked A generous nature is more wounded with the tongue then with the hand yea above hell there is not a greater punishment then to become a Sanniâ— a subject of scâ—rne Sampson bore with more patience the boring out of his eyes then the 〈…〉 of the Philistims they made a feast to their gods no Musitian would serve but Sampson he must now be their sport that was once their terror every wit every hand playes upon him who is not ready to cast his bone and his jest at such a captiveâ— so as doubtlesse he wished himselfe no lesse dease then blind and that his soule might have gone out with his eyes oppression is able to make a wife man mad Eccl. 7. 9. and the greater the courage is the more painefull the insultation Alcibiades did professe that neither the proscription of his goods nor his banishment nor the wounds received in his body were so grievous to him as one scornefull word of his enemy Clestiphon Yea O Saviour thine eare was more painefully pierced then thy browes or hands or feete it could not but goe deepe into thy soule to heare those bitter and girding reproaches from them Thou camest to save And hereupon good Queene Esther in her prayers to God for her people doth humbly deprecate this height of infelicity O let them not laugh at our ruines And David acknowledg'd it for a singular token of Gods favour that his enemies did not triumph over him Psal. 41. 11. Thou thinkest not tongue-taunts to be persecution but thou shalt one day heare it so pronounc't in thy bill of inditement Ishmael did but flout Isaac yet St. Paul saith he
of any is much more abominable every way both in it selfe and in the sight of God then is that wrong which is offered unto his body Now thou art a soule murtherer yea many are the soules which thou hast intentionally and as much as in thee lyeth slaine with death eternall and what canst thou expect without repentance and an answerable endeavour to win soules as fast to God as formerly thou hast to Sathan but to bee many fathoms deeper in Hell then other menâ— will God powre out his curse and vengeance on them which make the blind stumble to the hurt of his body Deut. 27. 18. and will he not much more do this to soule-destroyersâ— Objection But thou like those Disciples Iohn 6. 60. wilt think this a hard saying neither canst thou believe that thou art a soule murtherer though I have made it undeniable in Section the 100. 101. 113. 134. 115. 116. 117. Answer But it will one day be a harder saying if you take not heed when Christ shall answer all your apologies with depart from me into everlasting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels Mat. 25. 41. Luk. 13. 25. to 29. As for further proofe of what I lay to thy charge I could easily shew thee how The daily scoffes reproaches c of thee and thy fellowes 1. Detaines many From entering into a religious course 2. Staggers many Which have made some progresse in the way 3. Keepes many From doing the good which they would or appearing the same which they are 4. Beates many Clean off from their profession 5. Hardens many And makes them resolve against goodnesse For there is no such rub in the way to Heaven as this Sathan hath not such a tryed shaft in all his quiver which makes our Saviour pronounce that man blessed that is not offended in him Matth. 11. 6. But of these severalls elsewhere least I should overmuch seeme to digresse only I grieve to see how they wrong themselves in thus wronging others for in that wicked men doe so mock and deride such as are in love with heavenly things it is hard to say whether they doe most offend in hindering the honour of God thereby or their neighbours wellfare or their own salvation What are the waters of thine own sinns so low that thou must have streames from every place to run into thine Oceanâ— thy owne buâ—then is unsupportable yet thou wilt adde to the weight other mens that thy rising may be irrecoverable Content thy selfe for assuredly thou shalt once pay deare for it either by teares or torment Yea let such take heed for the fire of Hell will be hot enough for a mans owne iniquities he needs not the iniquities of others like fuell and Bellowes to blow and increase the flame which if they well considered would make them cherish all good desires in the weake and to deale in this case as we use when we carry a smal Light in the winde hide it with our lap or hand that it may not go out Oh how much easier is it to subvert or cast down a thing then to erect it when even a base fellow could destroy that Temple in one day which was six and thirty yeares in seting up True it is if the barking of these Currs shall hinder us from walking on our way it is a signe we are very impotent yea if our love be so cold to Christ that we are ashamed for his sake to beare a few scoffs and reproaches from the world it is evident we are but counterfeits for for our comforts it shall not bee so with those whom God hath any interest in notwithstanding all the scoffes of Atheists and carelesse worldlings they shall not onely loose their labours herein but themselves too The faithfull will neither buy peace with dishonour nor take it up at interest of danger to ensue wel may they serve as Snuffers to qualifie our zeale andmake it burne brighter but never become such Extinguishers as to put it quite out either by persecutions or by perswasions So that their spitefull adversaries imagine but a vaine thing they shall be no more able to hinder any one from salvation whom God hath chosen to his Kingdome of grace and glory then Saul with his Courtiers could hinder David from attaining the promised Kingdome of Israel they may move the godly but not remove them They have often times afflicted me from my youth may Israel now say but they could not prevaile against me Psal. 129. 1. 2 It is given to the great Dragon and the Beast in the thirteenth of the Revelation to make warre with the Saints as well as with the rest which dwell upon the earth but hee shall not prevaile with any save those whose names are not written in the Booke of Life vers 8. if so let them not spare to doe their worst the winds may well tosse the Ship wherein Christ is but never overturn it if Christ have but once possest the affections there is no dispossessing him againe as that Cloth which is throughly dyed black will afterwards take no other colour The League that Heaven hath made Hell wants power to break who can separate the conjunctions of the Deity Whom God did predestinate saith Paul them also hee called and whom he called them also he justified and whom hee justified them hee also glorified Rom. 8. 30. They shall sooner blow up Hell with traines of Powder then breake the chaine of this dependant truth No power of man is able to withstand the will of God it shall stand firmer then the Firmament it is as possible to stop the motion of the Sun as the course of Gods predestination A fire in the heart overcommeth all other fires without as wee see in the Martyres which when the sweet doctrine of Christ had once gotten into their hearts it could not bee got out again by all the torments which wit and cruelty could devise and the reason is they over-looke these bug-bears and behold Christ calling the Spirit asisting the Father blessing the Angels comforting the Word directing and the Crown inviting Alasse if their scoffes and all they can say could flout us out of the integrity of our hearts when our fore Fathers feared not the flames we were feareful cowards Indeed the timorous Snaile puts out her hornes to feele for danger and puls them in againe without cause If the sluggard heares of a Lion in the way hee quakes but tell it to a Sampson or a David they wil go out to meet him yea let Aggabus tel Paul of bands at Ierusalem he answers I am ready not only to be bound but to dye at Ierusalem for the name of Iesus Act. 21. 13 The Horse neighs at the Trumpet the Leviathan laughs at the Speare so tell the resolved Christian of enemies or danger hee feares not hee cares not to carnall friends he sayes I know yee not to diswaders get yee behind me Sathan But what of all this
Fooles will beleive this before the feeles it and before it be too late Secondly like David's Foole he saith in his heart there is no God Psal. 14. 1. yea as if he were a brute beast he will beleive nothing but what he is led to by sense For suppose you tell such a covetous Laban or cruell Pharaoh that God seeth him when he is contriving his secretest plots against his people and withall takes notice of his oppression Gen. 31. 12. Exodus 3. 7. he will not regard it for Marius-like he esteemes it a great point of vertue to be skillfull in cosenage and Mammon is all the god he worships yea and herein he applauds his choyce no lesse then that Popish dolt did who having got the picture of St. Franc is curiously painted in his Closset said they talke of the Rhode at Rome and our Lady of Lauretta and Katherine of Sienna and Iames of Compostella but I have a picture at home meaning yellow pictures worth ten of them Thirdly Idiot-like bray him in a Morter as wheate is bray'd with a Pestell yet he will not depart from his foolishnesse Pro. 27. 22. for let God send never so many messengers to him and plagues upon him as he did upon Pharaoh he will not depart from his sinnes he must retaine if not all yet at least this his beloved sinne untill he is overwhelmed in the bottomlesse Ocean of his wrath yea let him heare even our Saviour himselfe say that he shall give an account at the day of judgement for every idle word Matth. 12. 36. yet he will goe on in his helliâ—h plots and perswade himselfe he shall give no account at all or let some Prophet of the Lord tell him what traines are laid to catch his soule and how many Principalities spirituall wickednesses and powers of darknesse lye in ambush against him Ephes. 6. 12. As El sha disclosed the traines and ambushments of the King of Syria against the King of Israel 2 King 6. 9. 10 which was as good a peece of service as could be he makes nothing on 't he shall speede as well as his fellowes and indeede so he shâ—ll even as Laban or Nabol or Dives doe in Hell if in due time he repent not and so restore what he hath wrongfully gotten as the worst of them would doe if they were suffered to returne out of Hell to their former riches Now that thou mayst repent while the day of thy life lasteth take one motive from the damned in Hell who would gladly repent now but cannot St. Augustin asketh this question what we thinke the rich glutton in Hell would doe if he were now in this life againe would he take paines or no quoth he would he not bestir himselfe rather then returne into that place of torment againe yes his teares should even strive with the sand in the hour-glasse he would doe any thing to seeke the Lord while he may be found Wherefore to day if ye will heare his voice harden not your bearts Yea as our Saviour Christ said to forewarne all revolters Remember Lot's wife so say I to forewarne all Arch-politicians and cunning Machevillians of the world remember poore Naboth's Vineyard § 160. FOurthly vertue is in farre lesse esteeme with the cunning Politician then riches As it fares with a naturall foole he is so farre from selling all that he hath to buy the rich Pearle of faith with the wise Merchant Matth. 13. 46. that he will sell this rich Pearle and all other grace to boote to purchase the triviall commodities of white and red earth and good reason as temporising States-men politicke Machevilians and hypocriticall Ambidexters thinke who make a shew of Religion but in their hearts laugh at it he knowes no other coyne he desires no other stampe yea to be rich thinkes this worldling is to be three parts of the way on-ward to perfection Indeed gold is the onely coverlet of imperfections t' is the fooles curtaine that can hide all his defects from the world yea from himselfe for though he have a want of all good and which is worse a sense of want of that want yet he thinkes himselfe in a very good estate and so much neerer to Heaven for having abundance of earth And yet if God did not give to some of them their riches in wrath he would not deny them the use of their owne as how often are men baser by being wealthier like Pierce Gavistone who as the Chronicle reports the more he was enriched the worse was his estate or whether it be that they have not so much wit as to know their money will buy them all necessaries of meate drinke apparell and the like or whether by a just judgment of God the Devill makes them his drudges to get and bring him in gold as the King of Spaine doth the poore Indians that he may keepe it in banke for the next prodigall to spend as ill as the other got it as how oft is that spent upon one Christmas revelling by the Son which was fourty yeares a getting by the Father I know not but sure I am that though with that Priest 2 King 12. 9. they can put a world of gold and silver into their chests yet they cannot take it out againe to doe themselves good for the Devill keepes the key as Iehoash the King of Israel did of that chest vers 10. So that a covetous griper is like Tantalus who standeth up to the chin in water and hath all kinds of fruits hanging over his head but is not suffered to tast them Or like an Asse who is laden with gold but feeds upon thistles Or like the Indians who though they have all the gold amongst them yet are the most beggerly and naked people alive For what is he other then a rich begger or a begger in the midst of his riches when upon all his estate there is set a spell and his wealth sayes to him in effect touch not tast not handle not But O fooles incomparable Aristippus cared onely for the body as if he had had no soule Zeno but for the soule as if he had had no body Achitophel for his family alone as if he had had neither body nor soule of his owne to care for but these care neither for soule nor body nor family for he both tyres and starves them but for a little mucke to leave behind them Fiftly as a foole can finde in his heart to be surety for a stranger yea yeild himselfe to Prison for anothers enlargment Pro. 17. 18. so the politick worldling and cruell oppressor can finde in his heart to goe to Hell for another he will damne his owne soule to leave his Sonne rich yea what a deale of paines and care doth the covetous man take for his owne damnation he scarce weares a good garment or eates a liberall meale or takes a quiet sleepe but torments himselfe to get that for getting whereof he shall
would have as much against what they say which must be endured Reade a late Treatise called THE VICTORY OF PATIENCE In the meane time thinke what account you shall give of that you have read FINIS THE TABLE A ADmonition admonitions and corrections the chiefe offices of friendship 826. no admonishing a drunkard 52. he is incapable of good counsell 106. drunkards and swearers contemne it 98 admonition to sellers of drinke Officers c. 711. Adultery looke drunkennesse Agents some for Christ some for Sathan 714. Sathans agents have many advantages above Gods servants in winning soules 714 and keeping 727. and improving them 734. Aggravation the drunkards sin aggravated by eleven circumstances 465. Atheisme drunkards and al vicious men Atheists in heart 229. 558. 590. B BElieve drunkards will believe nothing except their senses say Amen to it 623. they have no faith in the Scriptures 229. few men believe the whole written Word 590. they seeme to believe the promises but really and indeed believe no part 558. Bitter why so bitter and tart 9. Blessings no blessings without God blesse them to us 658. C CEnsure 347. of it foure reasons 349. Chide them sharply when they pray for them heartly 848. Children wel born children are touched to the quick with the injuries of their parents 824. wicked men children of the divel and partake of his nature 407. those whom they hate traduce c. children of God and partake of his nature 407. each must do the works of their father 402. Combine wicked men combine against the godly 391. and lay divellish plots to destroy them ibid. Company evill a maine cause of drunkennesse 286. exhortation to avoid evill company 856. and keepe good company 858. that it is lawful to shun their company and how 776. five reasons why 781. I that they may look into themselves 782. 2 that we may not be infected by them 787. 3 that we may not be infeoffed in their punishments 805. 4 because their company wil bereave us of much comfort 811. 5 that we may be at peace 821 many objections about leaving their society answered 796. excuses for keeping company taken away 860. drunkards would have our company in sinne 382. and likewise in torment 436. they think it will be some ease to have company 448. but it will prove contrary 449 Confident why worldlings are so jocund and confident 109. Consideration want of it the cause of all impiety 490. Consciences of wicked men will be awakned when perhaps the gate of mercy will be shut 488. Constancy and inconstancy 840. change in the vicious as rare a vertue as constancy in the vertuous ibid. Contempt of religion the greatest rub in the way to heaven 532 Corruption will mix with our purest devotions 574. Covenant that we will forsake the divel and all his works constantly believe c. one part of the covenant of grace â—64 Covetousnesse a cause of drunkennesse 275. covetous men fooles 613. in 6. main particulars made good 621 Cowardlinesse one speciall cause of drunkennesse 282. it will not suffer a man to doe well 749. but this is base blood 753. a coward pot-valiant will kill and stay 48. Counsell we should go to counsell and advise with others 668. wicked men give divellish counsell to others against the godly 392. Custome of sin takes away the sense of fin 427. D DEath as men live so commonly they dye 236. defering repentance til death 579. death may be sudden and give a man no leave to be sicke 580. or if it be not repentance is no easie work 581. and late repentance is seldome true ibid. death in a good cause shall pleasure not hurt us 769. which hath made many preserre it before profit pleasure c. 770. Degrees Sathan workes men by degrees to the heigth of impiety and not all at once 423. Drunkennesse seven causes of it 259. the transcendency of the sin 694. it is the root of all evill 27. the rot of all good 33. it disables and indisposeth a man to all good 32. the cause of adultery 54. and of murther 50. brings poverty 62. deformes a man 66. debilitates the body 40. beastiates the soule 59. findes men fooâ—es or makes them so 124 examples of drinke besotting men 129 discovers all secrets 82. makes dry and they cure sinne with sinne 78 no dispossessing of a drunken divel 231. wee ought not bee drunk to save our lives 768. Drunkards not to be reckoned among men 2. for they are beasts and wherein 7. yea they exceed beasts in beastlinesse 5. are inferiour to them in five particulars 10. they shame their creation 14. the drunkards outward deformities 37. his inward infirmities 40. he is his own executioner 19. 47. one drunkard tongue enough for twenty men 80. his vaine babling 85. scurrilous jesting 86. wicked talking 87. impious swearing 89. his discourse and behaviour on the Ale-bench 115. to drink is all his exercise 144. all his labour is to satisfie his lusts 74. they drink not for the love of drink if you will believe them 272. which being so doubles their sin 274. they drink more spirits in a night then their flesh and brains be worth 145. Drunkards transform themselves into the condition of evill Angels 25. and practise nothing but the art of debauching men 307. how they intise 319. what they thinke of him they cannot seduce 521. but in time of their distresse they think otherwise ibid. how they will enforce men to pledg their heâ—lths 320. how impatient of deniall 321. an unpardonable crime not to drinke as they doe 137. to damne their own soules the least part of their mischiefe 331. one true drunkard makes a multitude 332. if the divel would surrender his place it should be to some good fellow or other 334. the divell speakes in and workes by them as once he did by the Serpent 299. how drunkards smarme in every corner 336. Sathan more men on earth to fight for him then the Trinity which made us 301. Drunkards like Iulian who never did a man a good turn but it was to damn his soule 339. wherefore keepe out of their reach 714. see the danger and know their aime 714. refraine dispute with them or thou wilt not hold out 773. punishment of drunkards 147. 456. they are reserved to the great day ibid. the drunkard hath beene too long sicke to bee recovered 690. they have a way to evade all Gods threatnings 542. E ENmity betweene the wicked and godly 341. proclaimed by God in Paradise 430. Envie if drunkards cannot seduce us they will envie and hate us 341. how their enuy vents it self at their mouths 1. by censuring the sober 347. whereof foure reasons 349. secondly by slandering them 358. whereof seven reasons 366. againe at their hands many wayes 391. of which five reasons 402. Evill we are more prone to then good 717. Example of the greatest Number 165. let Custome 162. be added the greatest Men 169. let Reason 202. be
righteousnesse but rather like bogs and marishes are fit to breed nothing but vermine frogs and serpents that is all manner of abominable sinnes and lothsome wickednesse More particularly it keepes them from repenting Esa. 22. 12. 13. and all saving knowledge Esa. 28. 7. debarreth them from regeneration Christs righteousnesse and that heavenly inheritance Rom. 13. 13. 14. Gal. 5. 21. 1 Cor. 6. 10. by it the spirit is quenched Eph. 5. 18. and the body of sinne with all it's lusts strengthened 1 Pet. 2. 11. yea the soule by it is made like a City broken downe and without walls Pro. 25. 28. besides it keepes them in finall impenitencie Esay 5. 11. 12. Pro. 23. 35. Neither can that soyle which brings forth this vice like ground sown with salt bring forth any other thing which is good I meane so long as a man is such as snow can never be made hot so long as it is snow yea where drunkennesse reignes or carries the raynes there cannot dwell the least good that heart is empty of all grace and indeed how should such a worthy princesse as grace is endure such rogues for her bed-fellowes so many filthy lusts as are in the Drunkards heart to lodge with her yea as smoake drives Bees from their hive so drunkennesse drives all the graces from such an heart And how should the Holy-Ghost which delights to dwell in the heart of an holy man but scorne to be an inmate where drunkennesse is an inhabitant noysome lusts and evill cogitations drive him away if the Divell comes in the Holy-Ghost will goe out And therefore the Scripture tells us that the spirit went from Saul when he sinned 1 Sam. 16. 14. and so on the contrary when the Holy Spirit enters into the heart of a man all sinnes in some measure are abandoned as when the King comes into the Tower all the prisoners goe out The Drunkards heart is like Mare mortuum for as no fish will live there so no grace will thrive here it is the roote of all evill the rot of all good Much traveling makes bad way if one goe but now and then over a Meadow the grasse will neverthelesse grow but when it is made a common through-fare and beaten roade for all passengers this maketh the path bare so the frequent custome of sinne in any heart when there is a perpetuall concourse of all filthinesse hinders yea kills every good motion as fast as it springs up and this is a sinne which turnes a man wholly into sinne The Drunkard resembles Vejovis that Heathen god who could doe no good but hurt at will and is like Ahab who sold himselfe to worke wickednesse yea worse if worse can be for the Drunkard wholely dedicates resignes surrenders and gives himselfe up to serve sinne and Sathan his whole imployment is onely to drinke drab quarrell sweare scoffe slaunder and seduce as if to sinne were his trade and he could doe nothing else like the Devill who was a sinner from the beginning a sinner to the end To say that sinne were in him would be improper for hee is nothing else but sinne in the abstract as St. Austin speakes even a very Chaos of sinne bunged up for as when a man is overcome with anger we say hee is in heate and when wee say such a man is in drinke we imply more then that drinke is in him yea when we call a man a Drunkard we imply more then that he is drunke or hath beene drunke for it argues frequency and lastly as when Simon Peter told Simon Magus thou art in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity hee implyed that not onely these were in him but hee in them so both more is implyed and it is more proper to say of a sotted and sordid Drunkard hee is sinne then a sinner yea that man of sinne is not fuller of sin then such an one so that as Solomon saith speaking of the vertuous woman many daughters have done vertuously but thou surpassest them all so may I say of a Drunkard many sinners have done wickedly but thou surpassest them all § 14. BUt to roave no longer in generalls having given you a superficiall view of this Monster and the summe of that which he makes his onely Summum bonum in a lumpe or as it were wrapt up I come now to strip him naked and turne his inside outward by acquainting you with such speciall and particular observations as best deserve our discovery and the worlds notice In handling whereof it is not to be expected that I should observe a distinct propriety in referring all particulars to their generall heads for as much as many of them are coincident one with another Neither will I undertake to observe an exact order in his description seeing hee keepes none at all in his life my principall care being to paint him really and historically not poetically every way as he is his words as he speakes them his deeds as he acts them even to the very life and present him upon the Stage such as the Spectators may verily thinke they either see him or the Devill in his likenesse as Sr. Tho. More concluded touching Erasmus when he but heard him speake having never before seene the man § 15. The first thing I 'le fall upon shall be His body touching which I will lay open 1 his outward deformities 2 HIs inward infirmities 1 His outward bodily deformities are many and those odious as if you observe it The Drunkard commonly hath Vertumnus like a brasill Nose a swolne and inflamed Face beset with goodly Chowles and Rubies as if it were both rost and sod swimming running glaring gogle Eyes bleared rowling and red a Mouth nasty with offensive fumes alwayes foaming or driveling a fevorish Body a Sicke and giddy Braine a Mind d spearst a boyâ—ing stomacke rotten Teeth a stinking Breath a drumming Eare a palsied Hand gouty staggering Legs that â—aine would goe but cannot a drawling stammering temulentive Tongue clambd to the roofe and gumms in fine not to speake of his odious gestures lothsome nastinesse or beastly behaviour his belching hickups vomittings his ridiculous postures and how easily he is knockt downe whose hamstrings Bacchus hath already cut in two nor of the unmeasurable grosenesse of such whose onely element is Ale especially your Ale-wives who like the Germane Froas are all cheekes to the belly and all belly to the knees whose dugs and chins meete without any forceing of either because you may dayly see such fustilugs walking in the streets like so many Tunnes each moving upon two pottle pots his essentiall parts are so obscured his Sense so dulled his Eyes so dazeled his Face so distorted his Countenance so deformed his Ioynts so infeebled and his whole body and minde so transformed that hee is become the child of folly and derision of the world a laughing stock to fooles a lothing stock to the Godly ridiculous to all Yea
Drunkard spits out in defiance as it were of God and all prohibitions to the contrary Yea I dare affirme it had some one of them three thousand pounds per Annum his meanes would hardly pay those small twelve penny multes which our Statute imposes upon swearers were it duly executed And if so to what number wil the oathes amount which are sworne throughout the whole land yea in some one Alehouse or Taverne where they sit all day in troopes doing that in earnest which wee have seene boyes doe in sport stand on their heads and shake their heeles against Heaven where even to heare how the name of the Lord Iesus is pierced would make a dumbe man speake a dead man almost to quake Did you never heare how Caesar was used in the Senate house if not yet you know how a kennell of Hounds will fall upon the poore Hare one catcheth the head another the leg a third the throate and amongst them shee is torne in peeces even so these hellish miscreants these bodily and visible Devills having their tongues fired and edged from Hell fall upon the Lord lesus one cryes Wounds another Blood a third Hearâ— a fourth Body a fifth Soule and never leave stabbing and tearing him with their stinges till no whole place be left Thus they pierce his side with oathes and teare all his wounds open againe whereas the 〈◊〉 did but crucifie him below on the earth when hee came to suffer these crucifie him above in Heaven where hee sits on his throne And which I feare to thinke it may bee a question whether there bee more oathes broken or kept for woe is mee one sells an oath for a bribe another lends an oath for favour another casts it away for malice c. but the Drunkard without any incitement tumbleth out oathes at adventure and is as lavish of them as of ill language O misery O wickednesse What shall I say that ever any who weares Christs badge and beares his name should thus rise up against him that ever those tongues which dare call God Father should suffer themselves thus to be moved and possessed by that uncleane Spirit that ever those mouthes which have received the sacred Body and Blood of the Lord of life should endure to swallow these odious morsells of the Devills carving are these Christians dare they shew their faces in the Temple yes they dare § 30. BUt as the Church doth Not owne such wicked and prophane â—retches for her children so if they had their due like dirt in the house of God they should be throwne out into the streete or as excrements and bad humors in mans body which is never at ease till it bee thereof disburthened as St. Auguâ—â—ine speakes Neither could they blame any except themselves in case they were marked with the blacke cole of infamy and their company avoided as the Apostle adviseth Rom. 16. 17. 2 Thes. 3. 6. 14. Eph. 5. 5. 7. 1. Cor. 5. 5. 11. 1 Tim. 1. 20. if they were to us as Lepers were among the Iewes or as men full of plague soares are amongst us for as the Holy Pages before quoted warrant this so there are many good reasons for it as First because even the Gospell and the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles and an evill scandall raised upon the whole Church through their superlative wickednesse Rom. 2. 24. As what else but the unchristianlike behaâ—iour of such Christians hath caused the Turkes even to detest the true Religion And what was it that alienated the Indians from the Christian Religion and made them refuse the Gospell brought by the Spaniards but this they saw their lives more savage then those savages Yea it made the poore Indians resolve that what religion soever the Spaniards were of they would be of the contrary thinking it unpossible that such cruell and bloody deeds could proceed from any true Religion or that hee could be a good God who had such evill Sonnes and the argument is of force for who are Scythians if these be Saints who are Canniballs if these be Catholiques Whereas in the primitive times more of them were wonne to the faith by the holy lives of Christians then by the doctrine which they taught they made the world to reade in their lives that they did believe in their hearts and caused the Heathen to say this is a good God whose servants are so good for thus they reasoned these men are surely of God and without doubt looke for a world to come Neither was the Gospell thus honoured by some few onely but by all that profes't it For Tertullian witnesseth that in his time a Christian was knowne from another man only by the holinesse and uprightnesse of his life and conversation But as for prime Christians viz. the auncient Fathers their labours their learning their sincerity to men and devotion to God was the wonder of the world Whereas all the difference betweene these and very infidells is only this the one are infidells in their hearts the other are infidells in their lives as Augustine pithily And sure I am that in those purer times the Church would have denied her blessing to such Sonnes of Belial as these are who make a trade of sinne as though there were no God to judge nor Hell to punish and so live as though they had no soules to save such as have shaken out of their hearts the feare of God the shame of the world the love of Heaven the dread of Hell not caring what be thought or spoken of them here or what becomes of them hereafter yea such a monstrous menstruous brood that like a certaine mountaine in Arabia breede and bring forth nothing but monsters whose deeds are too fowle for my words being such as ought not to be once named amongst Christians as the Apostle speakes Eph. 5. 3 4. such as neither Moses nor Aaron Câ—sar nor Paul Minister of the word nor Minister of the sword finde reverence in their hearts or obedience in their lives being like mettal often fired and quenched so churlish that it will sooner break than bow for they contemn all authority as boyes grown tall and stubborn contemn the rod yea even such as speake â—vill of them that are in authority and whose mouths utter swelling and proud words against such as are in dignity as S. Peter and S. Iude hath it yea they be mockers of all that march not under the pay of the Devill § 31 SEcondly whom but themselves could they blame when they infect almost al that come neere them as have not little boyes in the streets learned of them to wrap out oathes almost as frequently as themselves yea through their frequent and accustomary swearing our children learn to speak English and oaths together and so to blaspheme God almost as soone as he hath made them Now the good husbandman weeds his field of hurtful plants that they may not spoyle the good corne and
stomackes being accustomed unto them when one that is regenerate shrinkes under the burthen of wandering thoughts and want of proficiency It is this the one is in his element the state of nature the other taken forth now a fifth in the river is not afraid of drowning Yea let a man dive under whole tunnes of water in the Sea he feeles not any weight it hath because the water is in it's proper place and no element doth weigh downe in it's owne place but take the same man forth and lay but one vessell upon his shoulders he feeles it a great burthen and very weighty so every small sinne to a holy man who is in the state of Regeneration hath a tender conscience and weigheth his sinne by the ballance of the Sanctuary is of great weight but to a naturall man who hath a brawny conscience is plunged over head and eares in sensuallity and weigheth his sinne by the ballance of his owne carnall reason it is a light thing not worth the regarding yea so long as they remaine in this estate they are dead in sin Eph. 2. 1. Rev. 3. 1. Now lay a mountaine upon a dead man hee feeles not once the weight Well then may these doe much evill to others but small hope is there that others should doe good upon them or reforme them from this sinne of swearing no it is an evill which for insolencie and grouth scornes to be slaine either by tongue or pen but like the Princes of Middian it calls for Gideon himselfe even the power of the magistrate to fall thereon § 35 INdeed a course might be taken by the State to make them leave it though nothing shall ever be able to make them feare an oath should they see never so many stroke dead while they are jesting with these edged tooles as diverse have beene I will onely instance three examples A Serving man in Lincolneshire for every trifle used to sweare Gods pretious blood and would not be warned by his friends to leave it at last he was visited with a grievous sicknesse in which time he could not be perswaded to repent of it but hearing the bell towle in the very anguish of death he started up in his bed and swore by the former oath that bell towled for him whereupon immediatly the blood in abundance from all the joynts of his body as it were in streames did issue out most fearefully from mouth nosthrils knees heeles and toes withall other joynts not one left free and so died Earle Godwine wishing at the Kings table that the bread hee eate might choake him if he were guilty of Alpâ—red's death whom he had before slaine was presently choaked and fell downe dead It was usuall with Iohn Peter mentioned in the booke of Martyrs to say if it be not true I pray God I may rot ere I dye and God saying Amen to it he rotted away indeede For what 's the use they would make of Gods judgments in the like cases â— Even the same that the Philistins of Asâ—dod made of their fellowes destruction when God so fearefully plagued them for keeping and prophaning of his Arke which was this peradventure it is Gods hand that smâ—t them for so they reasoned and so these would halfe believe yet it may be it is but a chance that hath happened unto them 1 Sam. 6. 9. when yet they saw that all which were guilty suffered in the judgement and onely they so these would but halfe believe if they should see the like judgements executed upon their fellowes The onely way to make them leave their swearing is let them have it upon their carkases and then though the belly hath no eares yet the back would feele Or let them for every oath bee injoyned and enforced to a months silence as Tibertâ—s the Emperor condemned a great railer to a whole yeares yea as he among the Indians take it on Aelian's credit that told a lye thrice was condemned to perpetuall silence so I am sure it were happy for the Church if these swearers were so silenced except they would forbeare their swearing Or let their purses pay for it and this would touch them to the quicke this is a tryed remedy the land hath had experience of it when there was an act made by King Henry the fifth and his Parliament that if any Duke swore an oath hee should pay forty shillings a Barron twenty shillings a Knight or an Esquire ten shillings a Yeoman three shillings foure pence a Servant whipt and the same as well executed as inacted no man was once heard to sweare or very rarely And would not the like penalty now work the like effect â— yes undoubtedly for men stand more upon their silver or upon their sides smarting then upon their soules Have you not heard how that Host answered his guests when they could get no flesh at his house in Lent yet might have it in other places â— alasse said he we are bound and they are but sworn the tale lookes like mirth but the meaning is in good earnest too many feare an Obligation more than Religion and are more carefull of a Recognizance then of their Conscience What most mens care is touching spirituall evills and eternall reward is lively exprest by Salomon because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to do evill Eccle. 8. 11. Ignorant worldlings thinke because God strikes not he minds not Ps. 50. 21. but O foole though hee come softly to Judgement yet he commeth surely and in the end what hee wanted in swiftnesse shall be supplyed in severenesse Yea were that good statute lately enacted by our gracious King and his Nobles thorowly strictly and severely put in execution without partiallity we should finde another manner of reformation touching oaths then now we see beâ—ides the pore should be richly maintained and none be in want but swearers whose want also were the onely way to make them rich to recover their soules and procure all blessings from God upon their persons and estates so all should be gainers whereas now though we have good laws provided the matter is as well mended touching oaths as it was once in Lyons touching Stewes of which Hugo Card nalis said that whereas Innocentius found foure at his comming thether he had left them but one indeed that reached from one end of the City to the other urbs est jam tota lupanar for wee have not lesse but more swearing since that prohibition by reason that mans nature most lusteth after that which is most forbidden and slights the fruite of that tree which is easily climbed so that for want of due execution because of oathes the Land doth mourne Hos. 4. 3. and threatens to spue out her inhabitants because of drunkennesse And so much of the drunkards swearing § 36. NOw when the pots for a while have stopt all their mouths though every man
is an argument sufficient to prove them fooles What saith wise Salomon a Fooles voiâ—e is knowne by a multitude of words and babling Drunkards account it not wisdome to speake few things or words yea they can better aford you a sea of words then a drop of wit as marke whether their discourse be not more sound then substance winde then matter Yea tell me whether a talkative drunkard bee not an unbraced Drum able to beate a wise man out of his wits except he should stop his eares or absent his person when such intrude themselves into his company We reade that Horace was put into a sweat almost into a feaver by the accidentall detention of a bablers tongue But to goe on ever where is least braine saith Socrates there is most tongue and lowdest even as a Brewers cart upon the stones makes most noyse when his vessells are emptiest Indeed when a modest man gave thankes to God with a submisse and low voice an impudent criticall gallant found fault with him that hee said Grace no lowder but he gave him a bitter reply make me but a foâ—â—e and I shall speake as lowd as you but that will marre the Grace quite A babling tongue sheweth great pride and little knowledge but how seldome is the tongue liberall where the heart is full Spintharus gives this praise of Epaminondas that he hardly ever met with one that knew more then he or spake lesse profound knowledge sayes little deepe rivers passe away in silence but what a murmur and bubling yea sometimes what a roaring doe they make in the shallowes Yea both the greatest knowers and the greatest doers are ever the least talkers Sampson slew a Lyon yet he made no words of it whereas they that have busie tongues have commonly lazie hands which also proves that they have vaine hearts The lesse vertue the greater report who can wonder to finde a flood in the tongue when the heart is empty Indeed when once a Rabbi little learned and lesse modest usurped all the discourse at table one not for want of ignorance â—uch admiring him asked his friend in private whether he did not take such a man for a great sâ—holler but what was the answer he may be learned quoth he for ought I know but I never heard learning make such a noyse The full vessell gives you a soft answeare but found liquor so the knowing and sollid man will either be silent or his words shall be better then silence whereas they that speake much seldome speake well § 39. BUt to make it undeniable that Drunkards are fooles see how drunkennesse either finds men fooles or makes them fooles that follow it First it commonly finds them fooles for excesse is a true argument of folly Plutâ—rch was wont to laugh at those that would be counted wise as Plato and yet would be drunke with Alexander Indeed we use to say when the drinke is in the wit is out but surely if the wit were not first out drinke in excesse would not be admitted in A wise man will moderate his appetite master his unruly affections gainesay all unreasonable requests whereas to be overcome with excesse and overswayed by every idle solicitor is the cognizance of a foole Yea who more sottish then he which refuseth to be a Saint that he may be a beast who more foolish then those prophane Esaâ—s that will fell their birth-right reason and the blessing of grace here and glory hereafter for a messe of pottage a little sensuall delight and with Adam part with their â—alvations for an Apple Yea Esau was a foole for selling away his birth-right but in â—elling it away for a messe of pottage he was twice a foole What greater folly and madnesse saith St. Gregory then for a little worldly pleasure to loose an eternall kingdome and then rest in torment for evermore Many censure Herods grosse impotencie and yet second it with a worse giveing away their pretious soules for the short pleasure of sinne for what is halfe a kingdome yea the whole world to a soule so much therefore is there madnesse greater as their losse is more Yea the Drunkard is a foole touching temporalls I would faine know whether is wisest the prodigall waster or the covetous griper he that with a wanton eye a liquorish tongue and a gamesome hand indiscreetly ravells out his Auncecestors faire possessions it may be a hundred pounds per Annum in three yeares and then leads the rest of his dayes in prison there to repent at leisure having for his attendants sorrow griefe diriâ—ion beggery contempt c. or he that to get a hundred pounds per Annum and onely possesse not use the same after he hath got it perhaps three yeares is content to be weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth in the prison of Hell for evermore without question these two are both fooles alike In a word what greater folly then for a little tickling of the palate a kinde of running banquet to hazard the losse of eternall comfort and expose ones selfe to a devouring fire an everlasting burning Isay. 33. 14. surely in this case if a man were not either foolish or drunke before hand he could never yeeld to be made drunke Secondly or in case they have wit and other good naturall parts before and those well improved yet this vice makes them become fooles for drunkennesse banisheth wit Reason is so clowded with those fogs and mists which ascend up out of the kitchen of the stomacke to the braine that their wits runne a wollgathering as the saying is A full belly makes an empty braine when a masse of moysture like the first Chaos is in the stomacke all the faculties of the soule are void and without forme and darknesse is upon the face of it untill there be another fiat even a voice from Heaven commanding a new light Drunkennesse takes from men wit memory and all other their good parts as how many of these quagmirists have lost their soules sight by overmuch drinking as Dionysius the Tyrant did his bodily How many old men through a long custome in this vice are grown sottish and stupid as if their spirits were buried in beefepots whom wee may fitly compare to the people of Pandorum a Country in the Indies who as they say have white heads in their youth which turne cole black in their old age Yea drunkennesse besots the strongest braine and beastiates even the bravest spirits When the Grecians that sage Nation fell to this vice they mightily decayed in braine and take this for a rule while Bacchus is a mans chiefe god Apollo will never keep him company Neither are men rob'd by it of their naturall parts only but drunkennesse darkens the light both of nature and grace and so yeelds men over unto Sathan to bee led as it were blindfold into all manner of sinne and wickednesse as we shall see anon Yea which is most remarkable this may seeme to be the drunkards
oft doth one commend or condemne me for one thing and another for the contrary Yea the famous Alderguts or gulpe-thirsts of our time not onely thinke excessive drinking worthy of all honour during life and so ratifie those ancient presidents but they looke their associates should not cease to honour them being dead by mâ—ntioning their rare exployts herein like Darius who caused it to be engraven upon his tombe for an honour I could drinke great store of wine and beare it well But O you sottish sensualists how hath the Devill bewitched you to magnifie honour and applaud all that are enthralled to this worse then swiniâ—h swilling and on the other side to vilifie reproach and undervalue all that hate and loath it in their judgments or else renounce it in their practice is it possible that the reasonable soule of man not professedly barbarous should be capable of such a monster certainely if I did not know the truth and probate of it by ocular and experimentall demonstrations from day to day I could hardly bring my understanding to believe that men that Christians should be of so reprobate a judgement as to affect admire adore c. so foule so base so beastly so unamiable so unfruitfull unprofitable unpleasant unnaturall a vice as this is in most mens judgements and experience Nay I cannot believe what I both see and heare in this case for it is not possible for the most corrupted heart to thinke that any should be honoured for villany and for honesty be contemned but rather that every Drunkard in his more serious cogitations thinkes of his fellow dying in this sinne a fit saint to be canonized for the Devill for not seldome are wicked mens judgments forced to yeeld unto that truth against which their affections maintaine a rebellion And so we see that what Seneca said long since when wine was sold in Apothecaries shops and dranke rather in time of sicknesse then in health namely that the time would come when honour should be ascribed unto drunkennesse and that to drinke much wine should be reputed a vertue is fulfilled in our age that very time is come Non habet â—lterius quod nostris potibus addâ—s Posteritas They drinke not for strength but lust and pride to shew how full of Sathan they be and how neere to swine O wofull glory § 43 MEn were not so temperate in former times as we read of Cyrus and many others that did never eate but of hunger nor drinke but for thirst and then but a little but they more abound in excesse at this present for he is a rare Drunkard yea a rare man in these dayes that forbeares to drinke untill hee be thirsty for as if they scorned such an occasion they drink before they are â—ry they drink untill they become dry so that thirst overtakes drunkennesse as fooles runne into the river to avoyd a shower of raine All drunkards all you who know no other calling but to visite Tavernes know that I speake true that you drinke one liquour to draw on another not to quench but to increase thirst not to qualifie but to inkindle heat in which their swinish swilling they resemble so many Froggs in a puddle or water-Snakes in a pond for their whole exercise yea religion is to drink they even drowne themselves on the dry land O what deluges of wine and strong drinke doth one true drunkard devoure and cause to bee devoured who never drinkes but double for he must be pledged yea if there be ten in company every one must drink as much as he and he will drinke untill his eyes stare like two blazing starres and Drawers or Tapsters those Sergeants of the maw will see that the pots shall neither be full nor empty They drinke more spirits in a night then their flesh and brains be worth for if it be possible they will choake rather then confesse Beere good drinke But in the meane time how many thousands which are hard driven with poverty or by the exigents of warre might be relieved with that these men spend like beasts whiles that is throwne out of one swines nose and mouth and guts which would refresh a whole family O wofull calamity of mankind saith S. Augustine how many may we find that doe urge and compell those that be already satisfied to drinke more then becometh them and yet will deny even a cup of small drinke to the poore that beg it for Gods sake and for Christs sake they pinch the hungry to pamper the full withhold drinke from the thirsty to make others drunke with too great abundance § 44. BUt O how just a punishment were famine after such a satiety and pestilence after famine for such as turne the Sanctuary of life into the shambles of death O Lord it is thy unspeakeable mercy that our land which hath beene so long sicke of this drunken disease and so often surfitted of this sinne doth not spue us all out which are the inhabitants The Lord of most glorious Majesty and infinite purity sees all heares all knowes all and yet behold we live nay the Lord still causes Heaven Earth Sea Land all Creatures to waite upon us and bring us in all due provision nay he hath not long since abounded even in that blessing and graine which hath bene most abused to drunkennesse here is patience here is mercy here is bounty O that we could stay here and suffer our selves to lose our selves in the meditation and admiration of this wonderfullnesse But what 's the reason God will not punish the righteous with the wicked Gen. 18. 25. he knoweth how to deliver the godly and to reserve the wicked these brute beasts who walke after the flesh in the lusts of uncleannesse and count it pleasure to riot unto the great day to be punished 2 Peter 2. 9. 13. whose judgement is not farre off and whose damâ—ation sleepeth not ver 3. For as surely as the word of God pronounceth many a woe unto them as woe to Drunkards saith I saith that are mighty to drinke wine and unâ—o them that are strong to powre in stroâ—g drinke that continue drinking till the wine doth inflame them Woe saith Habakuk unto him that giveth his neighbour drinke till hee be drunken Woe saith Solomon to them that tarry long at the wine to them that goe and seeke mixt wine Woe to his body which is a temporall woe woe to his soule which is a spirituall woe woe to both body and soule which is an eternall woe howle ye Drunkards saith Ioel weepe yee saith St. Iames Isaiah 5. 22. Habakuk 2. 15. Ioel. 1. 5. Iames 5. 1. 5 Yea which of Gods Servants hath not a woe in his mouth to throw at this sinne so every tittle of this word shall be accomplished God will one day hold the cup of vengance to their lips and bid them drinke their fills Yea as Drunkards are Sathans eldest Sonnes so they shall have
a double portion of vengance whereas riot in the forenoone hath beene merry in the afternoone drunke at night gone to bed starke mad in the morning of their resurrection it shall rise sober into everlasting sorrow they finde not the beginning and progresse so sweete as the farewell of iâ— shall be bitter for as sure as God is in Heaven if they forsake not their swilling which they are no more able to doe then they are able to eate a rocke the Devill hath so besotted them they shall once pay deare for it even in a bed of urquenchable flames I speake not of the many temporall judgments which God brings upon them even in this life though to mention them alone were omni-sufficient if they thirsted not after their owne ruine as I could tell them from Lâ—vit the 26. and Dent. the 28. that all curses threatned all temporall plagues and judgments which befall men in this life are inflicted upon them for sinne and disobedience But I speake of those torments which are both intoâ—lerable and interminable which can neither be indured nor avoided when once entred into If I say you persevere in this your brutish sensuallity and will needs Dives like drinke here without thirst you shall thirst hereafter without drinke yea though that fire be hot the thirst great and a drop of water be but a little yet in this hot fire and great thirst that little drop shall be denied you Luke 16. For know this that without repentence Paul will be found a true Prophet who saith that no Drunkard shall ever enter into the kingdome of Heaven 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. And Isaiab no lesse who saith that Hell enlargeth it selfe for Drunkards and openeth her mouth without measure that all those may descend into it who follow drunkennesse and preferre the pleasing of their palats before the saving of their soules Isaiah 5. 11. 14. for as they shall be excluded and shut out of Heaven so they shall be for evermore damned body and soule in Hell Christ shall say unto them at the great day of accounts depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared for the Devill and his Angells Math. 25. 41. As they make their belly their god and their shame their glory so damnation shall bee their end Phil. 3. 19. yea their end is a damnation without end it is heauy and miserable that their end is damnation but it is worse and more miserable that their damnation is without end wickednesse hath but a time but the punishment of wickednesse is beyond all time Neither is the extremity of the paine inferiour to the Perpetuity of it for the paines and sufferings of the damned are ten thousand times more then can be immagined by any heart as deepe as the Sea and can be rather indured then expressed it is a death never to be painted to the life no pen nor pencill nor art nor heart can comprehend it Yea if all the land were paper and all the water inke every plant a pen and every other creature a ready writer yet they could not set downe the least peece of the great paines of Hell fire For should we first burne off one hand then another after that each arme and so all the parts of the body it were intollerable yet it is nothing to the burning of body and soule in Hell should we indure ten thousand yeares torments in Hell it were much but nothing to eternity should we suffer one paine it were enough but if we come there our paines shall be even for number and kindes infinitely various as our pleasures have bene here every sense and member every power and faculty both of soule and body shall have their severall objects of wretchednesse and that without intermission or end or ease or patience to indure it § 45. NEither let drunkards ever hope to escape this punishment except in due time they for sake this sinne for if every transgression without repentance deserves the wages of death eternall as a just recompence of reward Heb. 2. 2. Rom. 6. 23. how much more this accursed and damnable sinne of drunkennesse which both causeth and is attended upon by almost all other sinnes as hath beene shewed And yet if thou canst after all this but truly repent and lay hold upon Christ by a lively faith which ever manifesteth it selfe by the fruits of a godly life and conversation know withall that though thy sinnes have beene never so many for multitude never so great for magnitude God is very ready to forgive them and this I can assure thee of yea I can shew thee thy pardon from the great King of Heaven for all that is past the tenour whereofis Let the wicked for sake his way and the unrighteous his owne imaginations and let him returne to the Lord and hee will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Isai. 55. 7. and againe Ezec. 18. if the wicked will turne from all his sinnes which he hath committed and keepe all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely â— ve and not die all his transgressions which he hath committed they shall not bee once mentioned unto him but in his righteousnesse that he hath done hee shall live because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed he shall save his soule alive ver 21. 22. 23. 27. 28. other the like places you have oel 2. 12. 13. 14. Yea I can shew thee this very case in a president 1 Cor. 6. 10. 11. where we reade of certaine Corinthians that had bin given to this sinne of drunkennesse who upon their repentance were both washed sanctified and justified And St. Ambrose tells of one that being a spectacle of drunkennesse proved after his conversion a patterne of sobriety Yea know this that Gods mercy is greater than thy sin what ever it be thou canst not be so infinite in sinning as hee is infinite in pardoning if thou repent let us change our sins God will change his sentence God is more mercifull saith Nazianzen then man can be sinfull if hee bee sorrowfull none can bee so bad as God is good the Seed of the woman is able to bruse this Serpents head wherefore if you preferre not hell to heaven abandon this vice But withall know that if it shall come to passe that the drunkard when he heareth the words of this curse namely these threatnings before rehearsed shall Pharaoh like harden his heart and blesse himself in his wickednesse saying I shall have peace although I walk according to the stub bornnesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst the Lord will not be mercifull to that man but then his wrath and jealousie shall smoak against him and every curse that is written in his Law shal light upon him and the Lord shall put out his name from under heaven as himselfe speakes Deutero 29. 19 20. which
Grape for as it was his first planting of Vines there so it was in all probability the first time hee had tryed and experimented the operation of wine And as for Lot he drank liberally with intent only to comfort himselfe and his daughters in regard of the losse of their mother and many other crosses lately sustained and was overtaken unawares Neither did any of these drinke with an intent to exceed measure and to bee drunke neither did they use it often the one only once the other but twice and that by the instigation of his ungracious daughters and so makes nothing or very little for the excuse of common drunkkards who like so many flyes live wholly by sucking But thou art not drunke with Wine no peradventure thou hast no wine to be drunk with yet if thou be overcome with strong drinke of what kinde soever it be thou wilt be found a trespasser against sobriety and consequently against God himself It is notwhat you call the thing that doth the hurt but what hurt it doth if it maketh either the head heauy or the heart outragious or the eyes to stare or the tongue to stammer or the feete to stagger or the stomacke to worke like yeast in a barrell thou canst not excuse it Indeed I have heard of a mad fellow that excused his taking of a purse who when one seeing him goe towards the place of execution said how now neighbour whether goe you what 's the matter answered nothing but mistaking a word I should have said to such an one good morrow I said deliver but as this would not save him from the Gallowes so no more will these poore excuses save thee from Gods heauy displeasure § 48. But thou hast yet to say for thou wilt excuse thy excessive drinking by others example and alledge that it is the usuall custome of the place and the common practice of the people among whom thou livest yea whom thou livest by and art daily conversant withall as for the most part that which is patronized by usualnesse slips into the opinion of lawfulnesse and hereupon thou art as thou supposest the rather to be borne withall if thou doe like other men seeing singularity would make thee odious and cause thee to be scorned and derided of all I answere indeed custome and example of the greatest number sayes much for it but that much is nothing for it is God's expresse charge Exod. 23. 2. thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe evill and St. Paul's everlasting rule Rom. 12. 2. fashion not your selves like unto this world Besides if custome of place or multitude of people could authorize any sinne then every sinne might stand upon it's justification yea no fancy so mad can fall into humane imagination that meets not with the example of some publique custome as I could easily prove if it were needefull yea I can hardly forbeare to make a list of their severalls for there is no countrey without some customes as strange to others as pleasing to themselves and use brings the fight of our judgements asleepe the barbarous Heathen are not more strange to us then wee are to them subjects have divers lustres whence the diversity of opinions is chiefly ingendred one nation vieweth a thing with one visage and thereon it stayes another with another To bee briefe if custome and example could authorize drunkennesse why could it not as well authorize that abominable sinne of Sodomy for Sodomy it selfe was once the common practice of a whole City and so for Turcisme Iudâ—isine paganisine and Popery for these take up nine parts of the world But tell me were it a good plea to commit a felony and say that others doe so or if never so many should leape into the Sea or cast themselves into the fire or breake their owne necks would this encourage any that are wise to do the like why then wilt thou leape into Hell and cast away thy soule because others do so Alasse although custome and community commendeth that which is good yet it mightily aggravateth that which is evill a good thing the more common it is the better it is but an evill thing the more Common the worser yea custome grounded neither upon reason nor Religion is the worst and most barbarous kinde of Tyranny a common fashion dissonant from Gods word is but a common sinne which often bringeth common and universall judgment and therefore thou canst not joyne with them in their sinnes and be disjoyned from them in their punishments But seeing there is no such authority given to sinne as by example and that this excuse is so common in every offenders mouth Others or every one doth so and so therefore why not I or every one is of this or that judgment and are you wiser then al considering that this is made a generall plea almost in all cases Do not such and such the like who are wiser and greater and better men then your selfe for I have ever noted that this one artlesse perswasion of Others doe so prevailes more with the world then all the places of reason I will answer it the more largely and fully and prove that example either of the greatest number or the greatest men or the greatest schollers yea the best and holiest men let custome and reason as it is now depraved together with good intentions be added thereunto are but uncertaine yea deceitfull guides to follow and that the best or all these will prove but a poore plea another day God having given us his Word which is a certaine and infallible guide to direct us and rule to walke by and square all our actions together with a strait command not to swerve therfrom either to the right or left hand First we ought not to follow the example of the greatest number for the greatest number goe the broad way to destruction and but a few the narrow way which leadeth unto life as our Saviour witnesseth Mat. 7. 13. 14. yea saith St. Iohn the whole world lieth in wickednesse the 1 â—oh 5. 19. whereas they whom Christ hath chosen out of it are but a little flocke Luk. 12. 32. the number of those whom Sa than shall deceive is as the sand of the Sea Rev. 20. 8. whereas they that beleeve the Gospell are few in number Isai. 53. 1. Rom. 10. 16. the one may be compared to a little flocke of Kids but the other like the Arromites fill the country for besides Turkes Iewes and Infidells Herefie hath one part Hypocrisie another Prophanesse a third Lukewarmnesse a a fourth c. 2 Cor. 4. 4. so that God hath the least part that owes all Lord thou hast but a few names in Sardy Re. 3. 4. And this the Scripture verifies of all ages there could not be found eight righteous persons in the old world for one was an impious Cham all Sodom afforded not ten Eliah speaking of the outward visible Church in his time
the wisest men many of the wise and the ancient and the learned with Nicodemus are to learne this lesson that except they be borne againe they cannot enter into the kingdome of Heaven Iohn 3. 4 9. and they that give themselves to be so bookish are often times so blockish that they forget God who made them Now as our Saviour said to him which thought he had done all One thing is behind Luk. 18. 22. so may I say to these who thinke they know all one thing is behinde and that is the true knowledge of God of Christ of themselves and how they may be saved and hee which knowes not thus much although I cannot say he is a starke foole yet I may truely say hee is halfe a foole and halfe a wise man as Ona-Centaure was halfe a man and halfe an Asse for all learning and knowledge without this is but as a wodden Diamond in a Lattin ring and others who know lesse and are lesse learned may be more wise It was a true and just reprehension wherewith the High Priest snib'd the Councell as they were set to condemne Christ and a great deale better then hee meant it Ye know nothing at al Iohn 11. 49. hee spake right for if wee know not the Lord Iesus we know nothing at all our knowledge is either nothing or nothing worth What saith Aristotle no more then the knowledge of goodnesse maketh one to be named a good man no more doth the knowledge of wisdome onely cause any person properly to bee called a wise man saving knowledge of the trueth workes a love of the trueth knowne yea it is an uniforme consent of knowledge and action hee onely is wise that is wise for his owne soule he whose conscience pulleth all hee heares and reades to his heart and his heart to God who turneth his knowledg to faith his faith to feeling and all to walke worthy of his Redeemer he that subdues his sensuall desires and appetites to the more noble faculties of reason and understanding and makes that understanding of his serve him by whom it is and doth understand he that subdues his lusts to his will submits his will to reason his reason to faith his faith his reason his will himselfe to the will of God this is practicall experimentall and saving knowledge to which the other is but a bare name or title for what is the notionall sweetnesse of honey to the experimentall tast of it It is one thing to know what riches are and where they be and another thing to be master of them it is not the knowing but the possessing of them that makes rich Faith and Holinesse are the nerves and sinewes yea the soule of saving knowledge the best knowledge is about the best things and the perfection of all knowledge to know God and our selves as being the marrow pith or kernell of Christianity and it is much to know a little in this kinde What said Aristippus to one that boasted how much hee had learned learning consisteth not in the quantity but in the quality not in the greatnesse but in the goodnesse of it Wee know a little gold is of more worth then much drosse a precious stone is a very little thing yet it is preferred before many other stones of greater bulke yea a little Diamond is more worth then a rockie mountaine so one drop of wisdome guided by the feare of God is more worth then all humane learning one sparke of spiritual experimental and saving knowledge is worth a whole flame of secular wisdome and learning one scruple of holinesse one drame of faith one graine of grace is more worth then many pounds of naturall parts But learning and grace do not alwayes keepe company together yea oh Lord how many are there that have a depth of knowledge yet are not soule wise that have a library of Divinity in their heads and not so much as the least catechisme in their consciences No rare thing for men to abound in speculation and be barren in devotion to have full braines and empty hearts clear judgement and defiled affections fluent tongues but lame feet yea you shall heare a flood in the tongue when you cannot see one drop in the life But see how justly they are served they might bee holy and will not therefore though they would bee soule wise yet they shall not the scorner seeketh wisdome but findeth it not Pro. 14. 6. Let them know never so much they are resolved to be never the better and they which are unwilling to obey God thinks unworthy to know § 51. NO wicked man is a wise man for as God is the giver of wisdome so hee reveales himselfe savingly to none but his children the godly First God only is the giver of it For as no man can see the Sunne but by the light of the Sunne so no man doth know the secrets of God but by the revelation of God Mat. 16. 16 17. to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of Heaven wee must have hearts eyes and eares sanctified from above Deut. 29. 2 3 4. Ps. 111. 10. Luk. 24. 45. Ioh. 15. 15. Rom 8. 14. 15. No learning nor experience will serve to know the riches of the glory of Gods inheritance in the Saints to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Eph. 1. 17. 18. and 3. 19. for as meere sense is uncapeable of the rules of reason so reason is no lesse uncapeable of the things that are supernaturall Yea the true knowledge of the nature and state of the soule must come by his inspiration that gave the substance As the soule is the lamp of the body and reason of the soule and religion of reason and faith of religion so Christ is the light and life of faith 2. God reveales himselfe savingly to none but the godly and such as he knows will improve their knowledge to his glory even as husbandmen will not cast their seed but into fruitfull ground which will returne them a good harvest the secrets of the Lord saith David are revealed to them that feare him and his covenant is to give them understanding Psa. 25. 14. these secrets are hid from the wicked neither hath hee made any such covenant with them the faithfull are like Moses to whom God shewed himselfe Exod. 3. like Simeon that imbraced Christ in his armes Lu. 2. 28 like Iohn the beloved Disciple that leaned an his bosome Ioh. 13. 25. like the three Disciples that went with him up the mount to see his glory Matth. 17. like the Apostles whose understandings he opened Luk 24. 45. and to whom hee expounded all things whereas to unbelievers he speakes all things as it were in Parables Mar. 4. 34. see this in Abrahams example shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do saith God Gen. 18. 17. As if this were an offence in God if he should tell the righteous no more then hee tells the wicked They which love God
from mee a Lyon shall slay thee and so it fell out 1 Kings 20. 35. 36. Not to smite a Prophet when God commands is no lesse sinne then to smite a Prophet when God forbids when hee commands even very cruelty is obedience as Abraham's killing of his onely Son had bene the most heroicall and religious act thâ—t ever wee read of Why was Sacrifice it selfe good but because it was commanded What difference was there betweene slaughter and Sacrifice but obedience The violation of the least charge of a God is mortall no pretences can warrant the transgression of a divine command which made Nehemiah and should have done that man of God also 1 King 13. not onely distrust a Prophet but reject his counsell with scorne that perswaded him to the violation of a law Nehemiah 6. 10. 11. 12. One prohibition is enough for a good man God as he is one so doth he perfectly agree with himselfe if any private spirit crosse a written word let him be accursed Wherefore have a better warrant for the practise then either Reason or good intentions or thou maist goe to Hell notwithstanding for there is nothing more dangerous then to mint Gods services in our owne braines § 54. BUt thou wilt say if neither custome of the greatest number nor of the greatest men nor of the greatest Schollers nor of the best men though thou hast Reason for thy doing it and good Intentions in the doing of it is a sufficient warrant for thy actions but that all these be crooked and deceitfull guides then what may bee a safe guide and a sure and infallible rule in all cases to steere by and square the course of thy life Answ. As a rule directeth the Artificer in his worke and keepeth him from erring so doth Gods word direct the Religious in their lives and keepe them from erring The right way is the signified Will of God and whatsoever swarves from or is repugnant to the right is wrong and crooked Law and Precept is a streight line to shew us whether we doe misbeleeve or mislive we have a most sure Word of the Prophets and Apostles sayes Peter 2 Peter 1. 19. a sure foundation saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 3. 11. Eph. 2. 20. and as many as walke according to this rule peace shall bee upon them and the Israell of God Gal. 6. 16. search the Scriptures saith our Saviour for in them ye thinke to have eternall life and they are they which testifie of me Iohn 5. 39. All Beleevers are tied to the Scriptures as the Iewes are tyed to their Cabala the Turkes to their Alcaron Logicians to the Axioms of their Aristotle Physitians to the Aphorismes of their Hippocrates and Galen Geometricians to the compasses of Euclid Rhetoricians to the Precepts of Tully Lawyers to the Maxims of their Iustinian and Grammarians to the rules of their Priscian and it hath ever beene the care of Christians to sticke close to the written Word having alwayes and in all cases an eye thereunto even as the Load-stone what way soever the wind bloweth turnes alwayes to the North Pole it is as a Load Star to guide the ships of their soules and bodies in the right way to Heaven And without this written Word a man in the world is as a ship on the Sea without a guide The holy Scriptures are a store house of all good instructions it is the Christians Armory wherein are many Sheilds to defend our selves and many Swords to offend our Enemies yea each precept as a Sword will both defend and slay It is like the Tower of David build for defence a thousand shields hang therein and all the Targets of the strong men Cant. 4. 4. it is a cleare glasse wherein wee may see our beauty and deformity yea the least spots of evill and be directed to wipe them out It is a light saith Theophilus which discovereth unto us all the slights and snares of our spirituall adversaries yea nothing can deceive them saith he that reade the Scriptures Thy word saith David is a lanthorne to my feete and a light unto my pathes Psal. 119. 105. this Ariadnes clew of thred guides the beleever through the worlds maze of temptations unto the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God It is an Apothecaries shop saith St. Basil full of all soveraigne Medicines wherein every man may have cure for his disease and there is no part or passion of our Soules saith St. Chrysostome but needeth physicke and cure from the holy Scriptures In fine it is their counseller it is their wisdome it is their strength it is their food it is their Physicke it is their wealth it is their joy it is their life it is their all in all if they have this they want nothing if they want this they have nothing But see one of these particulars illustrated for I will not spin out each of these Metaphors into a long continued Allegory Suppose any little David a child of God be set upon by the greatest spirituall Goliah that ever was namely the World or the Flesh or the Devill himselfe let him but chose out of this brook the Scripture a few stones precepts threats promises keepe them in the Scrippe of his memory hurle them with the Arme of a strong faith from the string of his tongue as occasion serveth at the combatant with the level of Christian prudence even the stoutest of them shall be compelled to leave the field and give up his weapons As for example if thou be tempted to pride answer it 's written that God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble Iames 4. 6. That all proud persons are under the Devills regiment his subjects and vassalls Iob. 41. 25. If to cruelty that they shall have judgment mercilesse which shew not mercy Iames 2. 13. If to contemne reproofe or hate thy reprover that hee which hardeneth his necke when he is reproved shall suddenly be destroyed and cannot be cured Pro 29. 1. If to sweare that â—athes caâ—se the land to mourne Hosea 4. 2. 3. And that the curse of God shall never depart from the house of the swearer untill it be consumed Zach. 5. 3. 4. If to covetousnesse that the love of money causeth many to fall into divers temptations and snares and many foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction 1 Tim. 6. 9. 10. If to Hypocrisie that it is the sin against which our Saviour pronounced seven woes in one Chapter and adjudge to the lowest place in Hell Math. 23. If to despaire through the consideration of thy manifold sinnes and infirmities that Christ came not to call the righteous but weary and heavie laden sinners to repentance Math. 9. 13. and 11. 28. that he who strives most and not hee who sinnes least shall be best accepted with God If to lust that the Law ordaine death for the Adulterer Levit. 20. 10. and the Gospell excludes the fornicator out of Heaven 1
who think as good be buried as so much debarred of their appetites so fares it with these touching their soules for use what meanes you will to reclame them they will reject it What saith S. Basil shall we speake to drunkards wee had as good round a dead man in the eare yea certainly saith another he is drunk himselfe that prophanes reason so as to urge it to a drunken man in regard whereof S. Augustine compares drunkennesse to the pit of hell into which when a man is once fallen there is no redemption Whoring is a deep ditch yet some few shall a man see returne to lay hold on the wayes of life one of a thousand but scarce one drunkard of ten thousand Indeed S. Ambrose mentions one and another by a moderne Divine of ours is confest and but one a peece of all that ever they knew or heard of I speake of drunkards not of one drunken such who rarely and casually have Noah like beene surprised and overtaken at unawares but if once a custome ever a necessity Drunkennesse beastiates the heart and spoiles the braine overthrowes the faculties and organs of repentance and resolution It is a sinne of that nature that it hardens and makes up the heart against all repentings Yea the Holy Ghost by the Prophet Hosea tells us that it takes away the heart Hosea 4. 11. And we find it too true for commonly it is accompanied wâ—th finall impenitence which is the greatest evill that is incident to man in this life in that it is a certaine forerunner of eternall condemnation yea it is much to bee feared that the Lord hath done by them as by Ieremiah hee threatneth the Babylonians even given them over to a perpetuall drunkennesse Ier. 51. 39. And is it not most just with God that hee who will put out his naturall light should have his spirituall extinguished he that will deprive himselfe of reason should loose also the guide and pylot of reason Gods Spirit and Grace he that will wittingly and willingly make himselfe an habitation of uncleane spirits should not dispossesse them at his owne pleasure that their deaths should bee answerable to their lives as commonly such as a mans delights and cares are in health such are both his thoughts and speeches on his death-bed Some that have beene used to swearing have dyed with oathes and curses in their mouthes Some persecutors have dyed raging blaspheming and despiting the Spirit of grace Some Usurers have died while in their conceit they were telling their money and casting it up after ten in the hundred Yea one being used to play at Tables all his life with great delight cried out upon his death-bed size-ace cater-trey c. I deny not but God may raise a Lazarus of this kind though he bee dead in excesse dead in sense yea though he be buried and stinkes againe thorow long custome in filthines and breath into his nosthrils againe the breath of life whereby he may become a living soule but rarely is it seene that he doth so § 58. NEither speak I of what God can do for with him all things are possible but with men with drunkards it is in a manner impossible for surely if there were the least possibility of their leaving it if they were not altogether hardened past feeling and past grace then would they now abstaine whilst the plague is hot amongst us But alasse even at this present when many lawfull and indifferent actions are unexpedient these warped wicked wretched men neither feare nor cease to roare drinke drab sweare c. so difficult is the work like Iairus Minstrels they cannot forbeare to play and revell even in the time and place of mourning Dives-like they must have exquisite musick merry company dainty fare c. every day so little are they mooved with Gods displeasure and this grievous judgement Yea notwithstanding it is for their sakes that judgements are upon us and that their crying sinnes have pierced the heavens and brought downe the Plague upon thousands as when Achan sinned Israel was beaten neither did the wickednesse of Peor stretch so far as the Plague yea the Adultery of those few Gibeoâ—ites to the Levites wife was the occasion of six and twenty thousand mens deaths besides all their wives and children together with forty thousand and odd of the Israelites Iudg. 20. when the death of those few malefactors would have saved all theirs and put away evill from Israel vers 13. yea if the Campe of Israel suffered so much for one Achan's fault what may wee expect that have such a multitude of Achans amongst us Notwithstanding I say it is for their sakes that judgements are upon us yet they of al men are least sensible of them as it fared with Ionas who for all that grievous tempest was for his sake yet Ionas alone was fast asleep and the Disciples in another case as wherefore was that unspeakable agony of Christ but for the sinnes of his Disciples and chosen and yet even then the Disciples were asleepe But why doe I make the comparison when betweene them there is no comparison for the fire of Gods wrath being kindled amongst us for their sakes they doe but warme themselves at the flame sining so much the more freely and merrily even drinking in iniquity as the fish drinketh in water and living as if they were neither beholding to God nor affraid of him both out of his debt and danger yea as if the Plague were not only welcome unto them but they would fall to courting of their owne destruction as if with Calanus they hated to dye a naturall death The pleasure of the world is like that Colchian hony whereof Zenophon's Souldiers no sooner tasted then they were miserably distempered those that tooke little were drunk those that took more were mad those that tooke most were dead so most men are either intoxicated or infatuated or killed out right with this deceitfull world that they are not sensible of their feares or dangers It is like a kind of melancholy called Chorus Sancti Viti which who so hath it can doe nothing but laugh and dance untill they be dead or cured as it made Argos in the Poet and another mentioned by Aristotle sit all day laughing and clapping their hands as if they had beene upon a stage at a Theater Wickednesse makes guilty men feare where is no cause these have cause enough but no grace to feare they are so besotted with a stupid security that they are not affected with any danger yea they account it the chiefest vertue to be bold fearelesse and carelesse according to that Ier. 5. where the Prophet complaines unto God thou hast smitten them but they have not sorrowed thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a stone and have refused to returne verse 3. which was Pharaoh's case who though his backe were all blew and sore with stripes
the Chronicle But these have their aime are reputed generous and brave blades which commendations is like the praise that Homer gives of Paris that is praising the beauty of his Locks but making him to be the ruine of his country or like that which is spoken of Pope Boniface the eight viz. that he was famous yet for nothing but his wickednesse Since they cannot be notable they would be notorious and with Caâ—ne marked though for murtherers Opinion is all they stand upon and that from men more gallant then wise that have more heart then braine yea more lust pride and ignorance then either Yea the fame and reputation of good fellowship with them is more sweete then life then salvation for they had rather be famous men upon earth though it be for infamy then glorified Saints in Heaven yea they had rather goe to Hell then be counted Puritans for shaking hands with their old associats wherin they resemble Saul who stood more upon the praise of men then the favour of God or Vlysses who pretended to love his native country Ithaca so dearely that for it he would refuse to be immortall or the Lord Cordes with whom it was a common by-word that he would be content to be in Hell seven yeares so he might have the honour of winning Cales from the English or some unconscionable Fathers who will goe to the Devill to make their Sonnes Gentlemen live miserably and damne their owne soules that their's may be left rich they so love their children above themselves for as these so drunkards are proud of basenesse I can feele their Pulses beate hither But when all 's done a good name is more to be respected then a great Forsooth they would get a name and indeede they doe get the names of common drunkards which will never be done away Or admit they get the name of good fellowes how ridiculous is that name when it is gotten Achitophel hath a name Iudas hath a name Beelzebub hath a name the powder Traytors have got them a name but it were happy for such names if they might dye for they will stinke while they live and so doth the drunkards when he hath obtained the name of good fellow in my judgment and if I cannot beate the Vulgar from their contrary opinion yet I will be sure the Vulgar shall never beate it into me I could here tell you of another pride which occasions many to drinke and keepe company Pride of wit not that drunkards are thereof guilty but as Narcissus doted upon his owne shadow so they conceit of their owne Embryan discourse as the Crow of her owne Birds that it is fairer and better then ordinary or else they would not be at such charges to have you heare it If ye doubt his pride marke whether all his discourse tends not either to the praise of himselfe or the dispraise of others unlesse his praysing of another may redound also to his owne praise But wherein doth his vainelye and the excellency of his braine consist The Beane of all his honour lyes in scoffes and jeeres for take from these Aspes but their poyson and sting you undoe them they have nothing left of any use all their worth lyes in witcrackers as some in the Netherlands have their wealth in Squibs and fire-workes others in Mouse-traps and Tinderboxes Now in case he hath broken a jest well he sits him downe and sings plaudits to his own braine and not onely falls in love with all as Pygmalion fell in love with his Ivory Image but if others doe not commend and admire it for rare and excellent as though it were found in the Phoenix nest he thinkes he hath great wrong It is not enough that he thinkes himselfe wise but we also must thinke him so though he knowes in his conscience wee thinke wrong as once a Souldier to have his friends in England thinke him somebody gave it out that he was Captaine of a hundred when his conscience told him and one of the company was able to reply that they were not men but Vermine which were under his conduct Indeed it were happy for him if he wanted the wit he hath herein and Sathan should doe him a greater pleasure if he did not so prompt him in scoffes for like Absalom's haire it proves but an ornament to hange himselfe withall the best office his wit doth him is either to spit out friends with his tongue or laugh them into enemies When one brake a bitter jest upon his friend he requited him with his Dagger saying I cannot breake a jest but I can breake your head Now he payes deere for a jest who spends his time and mony and sells his honesty for it but most unhappy is that wit which stirres up enemies against the owner and proves a snare to it selfe well may such an one have a good wiâ— but sure I am a foole hath the keeping of it And so much of the fift cause for I feare to be tedious § 68. SIxtly sottish feare and base cowardlinesse is another maine cause both of this and almost all other sinnes men dare not refuse to goe to the Taverne when the motion is made and they seldome meete one another but they make the motion nor refuse when they come there to doe as the rest that is to drinke drunke be it to the wounding of conscience hazard of health life soule c. for feare of seeming singular Oh how hard a thing is it for a coward to shew his dislike of this sinne in some companies where he shall be scoft at and call'd Puritane if he will not revell it with them in a shorelesse excesse And indeed better be possest with any Devill almost then this bashfull Devill for it will give a man no respite But like as Agrippa his Dog had a Devill tied to his coller and Paracelsus another confined to his Sword pommell so the Coward hath a Devill alwayes at his elbow to divert him from good actions or to provok him to evill How many men out of a proud ignorant and timerous bashfulnesse miserably wrong their owne soules lest the standers by should censure them much like that Lacedaemonian child who suffered his belly and guts to be torne out by a Cub or young Fox which he had stolne and kept close under his garment rather then he would discover his theft or like Eurydamas the wrestler who vvhen his Teeth vvere dasht out by his adversary dissembled the paine and swallowed downe his Teeth blood and all to the end he which gave the blow might not perceive the mischiefe or rather like Herod who at the request of his Minion cut off Iohn Baptists head and why forsooth for he was very sory she made that her demand and had rather she should have required halfe his kingdome but because they which sate at table with him should finde him as good as his word Marke 6. 26. 27. O vaine and wicked Herod not
powder some likely to take fire yea he is like some cunning Enginere that can invent new instruments according to the present occasion and he inventeth all he can and puts in practise all that he inventâ—th Yea if men have so many slights to compasse their matters how can the compasser himselfe hold his fingers If the Serpents seed bee so subtile what doe you thinke of this old Serpent Yea so many snares and engines are laid by the professed enemy of man to intrap our soules that wee may with reverence and love wonder at the mercy of God in our delivery for wee fall O God we fall to the lowest hell if thou prevent us not if thou sustaine us not all our weaknesse is in our selves all our strength is in thee Neverthelesse wee can thanke none but our selves if wee yeeld for though that old Saba blowes many an intiseing blast to carry us away from our true alleagiance to Christ Iesus our King yet the minde of man is not capeable of a violation either from man or Sathan and who then can I tax for mine owne yeelding but my selfe § 74. NOw to speake of or nominate all sorts of seducers much more to shew the several slights which wicked men use that they may make us associate them in their lewdnesse is impossible yea I may as well weigh the fire or measure the winde as well reckon up the moates in the Sun paint Eccho to the life make the Moone a new coate and assoone finde out the motion of a bird in the aire the way of a Serpent upon a stone and the way of a Ship in the midst of the Sea which are all too wonderfull for me Prov. 30. 18. 19. yea had I the gift of prophecy and knew all secrets touching the same I should need two hundred tongues and six hundred pens and a mouth of steele with an Iron voyce if I should declare their severall diversities For the foure and twenty letters in the Alphabet make not more variety of words in divers languages then the Serpents subtilty produceth diversity of stratagems in severall persons and I could easilier tell you what good they omit then what evill they doe O the many waies that Sathan through mens help hath to seduce us and the many tempâ—â—rs he hath in every corner to set upon us where shall a man come and not find a seducer and a drunkard of all other tempters as he never ceaseth to seduce so hee seldome misses of prevailing But though the Springs and Wards of temptation are so infinite that it is impossible to decypher them all yet according to the measure of the line whereof God hath distributed unto me I will discover how the drunkard seduceth and so goe a middle way betweene saying all and nothing and by looking upon him you may more then guesse at the rest Neither will I undertake to tell all for that the time would bee too short or this Treatise too long if I should stand upon every severall slight which drunkards have to seduce yea talking Fabiâ—s would be tyred before hee can relate halfe of what were requisite to be â—poken of them it would require whole volumes for not a fewlines nor leaves would containe the same Besides notions when they exceede are wont as nayles to drive out one another and these which I have purposely selected out are the principall most behovefull and best deserving our discovery and the worlds notice § 75. THat none are either affected or addicted to seduce like drunkards let their deeds which come now to bee discovered manifest The drunkards chiefe delight is to infect others the Serpents speciall venome as I said before wherewith these his elfes bee intoxicated is to make others more beasts then themselves yea drunkards being the divels deputies to turne others into beasts will make themselves divels wherein they have a notable dexterity making the Ale-house or Tavern their studie their circle the pot themselves the conjurers mens soules the hire reputation of good fellowship the char me the characters healths the goblin raised is the spirit of the buttery and to drink God out of their hearts health out of their bodies wit out of their heads strength out of their joynts all the money out of their purses all the drink out of the Brewers barrels wife and children out of doores the land out of quiet plenty out of the Kingdome is all their businesse These agents for the Divell drunkards practise nothing but the art of debauching men for they will take no pains unlesse the Divel set them on work though in this case being set like beasts to draw in the divels teame they will leade captive unstable soules to sinne with câ—rds of vanity and as it were with a cartrope Isaiah 5. 18. for to sinne these pernicious sedusers divels in the shape of men are no niggards of their paines Oh how much is hell beholding to them yea seldome ever doe wee finde goodnesse so industrious the children of light are not alwaies the forwardest in their generation Besides they have many obstacles 1 Thes. 2. 18. we would have come unto you once and again saith Paul to his converts but Sathan hindred us Our way is like Câ—shie's full of rubs but they like Ahimaaz take the plaine and beaten path mischiefe is nimble and he that intends evill will breake his sleepe to do it Iudas and that bench of gray-headed Priests and Elders will be awake when Peter and his fellow Disciples notwithstanding Christ charged them to watch with him but one houre are fast asleepe Matth. 26. 40. to 51. the 〈◊〉 sower is in the field when the husbandman is in his bed Mat. 13. 25 yea they that worship â—he beast and his Image never rest day nor night Revel 14. 11. But never did opportunity meet with any that made more use of it then doe these seducers they will husband it to proofe and like some cunning Antagonist loose not an inch of their advantage their diligâ—nce is admirable the Pharisâ—es would take great paines compassâ— sea and land to make one like themselâ—â—s Matth. 23. 15. and Seminary Priests will come from Rome to draw one from the true religion so what will not some drunkards do or spend to make a sober man a drunkard or to drinke another drunkard under the Table which may cast a blush upon our cheekes who are nothing so industrious to winne soules to God § 76. NOw for the effecting of this though these Milo's be they never so strong oftentimes meet with some Titorâ—us or other â—â—â—onger thâ—â— they who throwes them undâ—â— thâ— Table what comparable to drinking of healths which Aâ—tistbenes cals the only occasion and meaneâ— of surfeiting and dâ—sordâ—r another very fâ—â—ly thepulley or â—â—ooingâ—horn to al drunkennes and excessâ— â—or thâ—ir drinking and beginning of healths is purposely and serves to no other end but to draw meâ— on to drinke more liberally then elsâ—
and ther is no subtilty like that which deceives a man and hath thankes for the labour for as our Saviour saith blessed is the man that is not offended at their scoffes Matth. 11. 6. so blessed is the man that is not taken with their wiles for herein alone consists the difference hee whom the Lord loves shall bee delivered from their meritricious allâ—rements Eccles. 7. 26. and he whom the Lord abhors shall fall into their snares Prov. 22. 14. § 87. NOw if they cannot seduce us they wil envie and â—ate us First they will envie us because wee will not run with them to the same excesse of ryâ—t 1 Iohn 3. 12. Prov. 29. 27. Psalme 69. 12. Every man is borne a Caine envying that good in another which hee wants himselfe but a swinish drunkard delights to see the temperance sobriety and other eminent graces of him that feares God and will not doe as he doth as sore eyes delight to look upon the Sun Lot vexed himselfe because hee saw men bad these because men are good not that God's Law is broken but because others keepe it better than themselves It is true envie knowes what it will not confesse but experience shewes that sordid drunkards are as full of envie towards such as will not consort with them as a Serpent is full of poyson And you may know it by this token doe they not make it their Grace both before and after dinner to disgrace such an Innocent O that so many Loayes and Fishes as did feed five thousand in the Wildernes would but stop their mouths that envie and speake evill of such as they know no other fault by but their vertue they pick their owne sorrowes out of the joyes of other men and out of others sorrowes likewise they assume their owne joyes whereas worth begets in those that are magnanimous emulation in base minds it contrarily begets envie will you know the reason Hee that hath lost all good himselfe is vexed to see it in another and can no way be pacified except that other become as bad as himselfe as Demonâ—des having himselfe crooked feet and losing both his shoes to be even with him that had found them desired the gods that the parties feete might he as crooked as his shoes were But how just is it with God that this fire of enuy should be punished with the fire of Hell § 88. SEcondly as is their enuy such is their hatred and malice they hate the good because they will not be so evill as themselves Micha 3. 2. Mathew 10. 22. Iohn 15. 19. 1 King 22. 8. Proverbs 29. 27. The temperance and sobriety of a good man is as great a vexation to them as their conversation is to him for as if Nature had made them antipathites to vertue they so hate righteousnesse that they will hate a man for it and say of good living as Festus did of great learning it makes a man mad but they cannot know who are sober that are mad themselves Neither is this of theirs an ordinary hatred for they even eate their owne hearts in anger that they cannot eate ours in revenge we pray for the opening of their eyes and they pray for the pulling out of ours we desire the turning of their hearts and they wish the outting of our throats no such concord no such discord saith one of the Learned as that which proceeds from Religion My name â—aith Luther is more odious unto them then any thiefe or mutherer as Christ was more detestable to the Iewes then Barrabas Behold sâ—â—h David mine enâ—â—ies for they are many and they hate me with a â—ruell hatred Psal. 25. 19. yea so cruell that it makes their teeth gnash and their hearts burst againe Acts 7. 54. which made the truth's adversaries give St. Paul stripes above measure and the Heathen Emperours to devise such cruel Tortures for all those which but profest themselves Christians You cannot anger a sotted drunkard worse then to doe well yea he hates you more bitterly for this and the credit you gaine thereby then if you had cheated him of his patrimony with your owne discredit That there is no hatred so virulent and bitter as that which is occasioned by verâ—uous living and professing of Christ's name our Saviour himselfe proves copiously Math. 10. Lâ—k 21. where he shewes that it makes them forget all naturall affection whethâ—r it be that which descends as of Parents to children or that which which ascends as of children to Parents or that which is mutuall of Friends Kindred or Brethren one to another so that be they never so neere allied they shall betray â—â—ch other and cause them to dye even for his names sake as the Text hath it Neither doth their malice extend it selfe to this or that person onely but these Hamans so hate the Religious that they wish as Caligula once did of the Romans that they had all but one head thaâ— so they might cut it off at a blow were it in their power Ester 3. 6. 8. 9. 13. Micha 3. 2. Psal. 83. 4. But our comfort is they have not so much authority as malice resembling the Serpent Porphyrus which abounds with poyson but can hurt none for want of â—eeth § 89. NOw you must know that this envy and hatred of theirs is too strong to containe it selfe within the heart and thereupon breakes forth at their mouth and hands Besides seeing the former stratagems will not prevaile and that they cannot allure nor perswade to drunkennesse and the like sinnes and so worke their wills upon the sober and conscionable by subtilty faire meanes they wil seek to compel and enforce them to do as they do like as when lustfull Amnon could not winne Tamer by faire meanes he deflowers her by force For as the Devill who raignes as a Prince in the world of the ungodly Eph. 2. 2. is for strength a Lyon and a Fox for wit so is the world it self if it cannot infect us it will afflict us if it cannot corrupt our soules it will taynt our good names it is not like some bashfull Suter easily answered but so impudent that while we have breath it will never give us over thinking that so long as there is life there is hope Now to effect their end and bring about their purpose they use divers and sundry meanes venting their hearts at their mouthes in words and by action in their hands with their mouthes they wil censure scoffe at revile raile on nicke-name slander falsely accuse curse threaten c. and with their hands they will at least if they may be permitted imprison smite hurt and lastly if all this will not doe they will kill us as there be more wayes to the wood then one To reckon up all the trickes they doe and would use if the law restrained them not and to reckon up how many Creatures in the Vniverse were a taske equally possible and endlesse
undermine us 1 Samuel 18. 17. 21. 25. Ieremiah 18. 18. Acts 6. 9. 10. yea lay divellish plots to destroy us Daniel 6. Exodus I. 9. 10. Psalme 83. 3 4 5. Acts 4. 26 27. and 19. Chap. and 23. 10 14. Secondly they would deliver us up and falsely accuse us to the Magistrates I Sam. 22. 9. 10. and 23. 19. 20. and 26. 1. Acts 6. 8. to 13. and 24. 13. Thirdly they would perswade and give devilish counsell to them against us Rev. 2. 14. Ier. 38. 4. Act. 17. 13. and never leave untill they had in the fourth place shut us up in Prison I Kings 22. 27. ler. 36. 5. and 15. 10. Luk. 21. 12 Acts 5. 18. and 12. 4. and 4. 3. and 22. 25. and 28. 17. 2 Cor. 11. 23. and in case we would not yet yeeld to associate them in evill doing nor conforme to their lewd and wicked customes then would they give us bodily correction as First they would strike us 1 Kings 22. 24. Ier. 20. 2. and 37. 15. Acts 23. 2. 2 Cor. 11. 23. 24. 25. Secondly they would hurt and mayme us Numb 14. 10. ludges 16. 21. Acts 14. 19. Thirdly if all this would not doe in the last place these drunkards and vicious livers would kill us for being so refractory they would make us either bow or breake they would kill our bodâ—es if they could not corrupt our soules if we would not part with our innocency we should part with our lives as it fared with the three children that were put into the fiery furnace because they would not worship the golden Image as others did Dan 3. and all the Prophets of the Lord whom Iezabel slew because she could not bring them to her owne bow I King 18. 4. and those numberlesse Martyrs whose soules St. Iohn saw under the Altar Rev. 6. which were killed because they would not doe and say as the rest yea even for the word of God and for the testimony which they maintained ve 9. And why fares it not so with us why doe not the same drunkards vicious liveers and other enemies of holinesse which now enuy hate censure scoffe at nicke-name raile on and slander us even strike maime and kill us but because their hands are tyed by the Law I dare say it fares with many of them because they cannot have their wills as it did with Achilles who is feigned to eate his owne heart because he might not be suffered to fight Why are not our Sanctuaries turned into Shambles and our beds made to swim with our bloods long before this but that the God of Israel hath crossed the confederacy of Balack It is no thank to wicked men that their wickednesse doth not prosper the woâ—ld would soone be over-runne with evills if men might be so ill as they would Alasse if our Gracious King and State did not maintaine true Religion and countenance the sâ—me it would be otherwise then it is with the people of God as the Word of God and former experience witnesseth § 103. 1 FIrst the word of God witnesseth the same as looke but Rev. 13. and you shall find it foretold by the Holy Ghost that so many should be killed as would not worship and give honour to the Image of the Beâ—st that man of sin that man of pride that opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called god or that is worshipped 2 Thes. 2. 4. and our Saviour foretelleth that we shall not onely be hated of all men and Nations for his names sake but be killed and put to death Mat. 24. 9. Yea he affirmeth expressely that we should not onely receive this hard measure from strangers and enemies onely but from our deerest and neerest friends that the Brother should betray the Brother to death the Father the Sonne and that children should rise up against their Parents and cause them to dye even for his names sake Matâ— 10. 21. 22. meaning when they are not restrained by godly Kings and their wholesome Lawes Neither doe we want examples to make good these testimonies for by whom was upright Abel persecuted and slaine but by his owne Brother Caine Who scoffed at righteous Nâ—ah but his owne Sonne Chaâ—m By whom was that vertuous and religious Lady Barbara put to death for embracing the Christian faith but by her owne Father Dioscorus And lastly by whom was our Saviour Christ betrayed but by his owne Disciple ludas 2. But to goe on experience as well as the Scripture proves it In the time of the tenne persecutions it was no more then sacrifice or dye In the time of Queene Mary the Martyrs must either deny their faith disclaime their pure Religion and service of God worship that bloody whore of Rome according to her damnable traditions or be chained to a stake and burnt either part with their faithes or part with their lives if they would not obey them rather then God they had a Law by which men ought to dye Yea at this present although we blessed be God and our Gracious Protector for it endure little but the lash of evill tongues which is the most favourable persecution yet in Spaine and other places our brethren doe groane under a mercilesse Inquisition Oh the quintessence of cruelty that they have wrung out unto them the rehearsall whereof would make a mans eares to tingle and his heart to tremble For as in the time of the ten persecutions it would cost a man his life to professe himselfe a Christian the Heathen Emperors making it death by their Edicts and as in the time of Queene Mary if one profest himselfe a Protestant he was sure to be burnt so in Spaine at this day some have beene burnt and others put into an agony of seven yeares continuance which is worse for having a Testament about them in the English tongue or a Bible in their house or declaring their faith some other way And can any doubt but drunkards would deale as cruelly with us if they might be permitted It is easie to guesse how cruell their hands would be in case the Law restrained them not who even draw blood with their tongues as how will drunkards shoot their shafts up to the feathers in the disgrace of such as will not humor them and never give over so long as they have an Arrow in their Quiver to heare them would even make a man think they were generated out of the Dragons tooth as Orpian is said to be made by Pallas In briefe for I might be endlesse in the prosecution of this take one example which might serve insteed of all that hath beene spoken What was the reason our Saviour Christ the Master himselfe was envied Math. 26 15 contemned Math. 12. 24. and 13. 55 rejoyced at in his misery and distresse Math. 27. 29. hated Iohn 7. 7. murmured against Luk. 15. 2. had his Doctrine withstood and contraried Luk. 5. 21. Math. 9. 34. his actions
he had beene dayes in the country Nay hath not the Devill made as good use of some famous drunkard as Sampson did of that Jaw-bone of an Asse Iudg. 15. wherewith he slew a thousand men § 113. NOw wherein doe they overcome and what is it these spirituall Kings and their Regiments chiefely fight for for having made cleare way I come now at length to prove the second part of my former proposition namely that their utmost aime and end whether they seeke to intise or enforce us to sinne with them is that they may have our company hereafter in the burning lake but to win soules each from other and what thinke you doe drunkards the seede of the Serpent and children of the Devill more delight in then the murther of soules and why doe they so subtilly perswade and so violently enforce us to sinne with them but that they may pluck us out of Christs fould and bring us into the same place of torment whether they are going This is the very end and purpose of all their warring against the seede of the woman For as nothing but the dishonour and rape of Tamer could please Amnon and nothing but the blood of Amnon could satisfie Absalom and nothing but the heart of Absalom could content Ioab and nothing but the death of Ioab could pacifie Salomon so nothing but our soules will satisfie the Serpent and his seede This is the very Pricke White and Butt whereat they shoote all their Arrowes and lay their levell If any shall say this word is too big for my mouth I wish them first heare and then determine The Devill by these as through so many Bowes shootes a deadly Arrowe at thy soule as Lycian Pandorus did at Menelaus the Grecian but God like Pallas turneth by the Shaft and makes it hit upon the body goods or good name as that upon the buckler of his girdle Why thinke you are all their frownes and frumps and censures and scoffes Why so many slanders and stigmaticall nick-names raised and cast upon the Religious why are they the alone object of their scorne and derision but that they may flout them out of their faith dampe or quench the spirit where they perceive it is kendled but that they may baffle them out and make them ashamed of their holy profession and religious course and consequently pull them back to the world Why did the Heathen Emperours so violently oppose and so cruelly persecute the Christians but to make them become Heathens too Why did Bonner and Gardiner with the rest of that crew in the time of Queene Mary burne at the stake all that truely profest the purity of Religion but to winne them from Christ Why did St. Paul before his conversion breath out threatnings and slaughters against the Disciples why did he persecute them even to strang cities shut up in Prison and punish them throughout all the Synagogues but that he might make them renounce Christ and his religion and compell them to blaspheme as himselfe confesseth Acts 26. 10. 11. Why did the high Priests so consult and contrive about putting Lazarus to death after he was raised and Christ also that raised him but because for his fake many of the Iewes went away and beleeved in Iesus as the Holy-Ghost affirmes Iohn 12. 10. 11. see also Chap. 11. 48. Lastly if there were not many men so cursedly wretched as to delight in the murther of soâ—les what should holy David so much and in so many places use these and the like expressions They have laid waite for my soule Psa. 59. 2. 3. They rewarded me evill for good to have spoyled my soule Psal. 35. 12. Mine enemies the wicked compasse me round about for my soule Psa. 17. 9. They gather themselves together and lay waite for my soule Psalme 56. 6. and many the like which was not more his case then it is ours for all their ayme when they either tempt or afflict us is that they may make us square our lives according to their rule as that Gyant did proportion the bodies of all his guests to the bed of his Harlot either by stretching out if they wanted in length or cutting off if they did exceed and consequently draw us to perdition They rather wish all damned with themselves then any to bee freed from their owne Prison and as in the blessed there is perfect charity so in the damned there is perfect envie neither the good would be saved nor the wicked would be damned alone wherefore they seeke to winne all they can § 114. WHen once a man is got out of the snare of the Divell he will doe what he can to pluck others after him As by his sinnes and bad example hee hath drawn others from God so now he will all hee can draw others with himselfe to God Saul converted will build up as fast as ever he plucked downe and preach as zealously as ever he persecuted But take a view of each case in severall persons and first of the godly We read that Noah and Lot hazarded their own peace and safety such was their charity to preserve theirs that afflicted them they did admonish others like Prophets and advise them like Fathers but both in vaine these holy men seemed to them as one that mocked and they did more then seeme to mocke them againe We read likewise how Andrew was no sooner converted and become Christ's Disciple but instantly hee seeketh out his brother Simon to gaine him also to the same faith Iohn 1. 41. And of Philip that he did the like to Nathaniel verse 45. And of the woman of Samaria that she did the like to many of her neighbours Iohn 4. 28. to 41. And of the twelve Apostles that so soone as they were endued with the Holy Ghost they spread the Gospell throughout the whole world and with so good successe that wee reade of three thousand soules converted by one of them at one time namely by Peter so well did he obey Christ's command who said unto him when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Luk. 22. 32. Yea Moses so thirsted after the salvation of Israel that rather then hee would bee saved without them hee desired the Lord to blot him out of the Booke of Life Exodus 32. 32. and Paul to this purpose saith I could wish my selfe to be separated from Christ for my brethren that age my kinsmen according to the flesh meaning the Iewes Rom. 9. 3. Their charity and spirituall thirst after salvation was much like the naturall thirst of Alexander who being with his troopes in the Field and in extremity of thirst when one presentted him an Helmet of water he refused it saying si solus bibero hos maeror occupabit or that of Rodolphus the Emperour who in his warres against Octocarus King of Bohemia being offered drink by a rusticke that attended his harnesse when both he and his whole Army were ready to perish with thirst refused it saying
not take warning by the word that gentle warner the next shall be harder the third and fourth harder then that yea as al the ten plagues did exceede one another so the eleventh single exceeds them all together innumerable are the curses of God against finners but the last is the worst comprehending and transcending al the rest the fearefullest plagues God still reserves for the upshot all the former doe but make way for the last When the Dreame and the Miracle and the Prophet had done what they could upon Nebuchadnezzar God calls forth his temporall judgements and bids them see what they can doe if they will not yet serve he hath eternal ones which will make them repent every veine of their hearts and soules that they did not repent sooner Oh that I could give you but a glimpse of it that you did but see it to the end you might never feele it that so you might be won if not out of faith yet out of feare for certainly this were the hopefullest meanes of prevention for though diverse theeves have robd passengers within sight of the Gallowes yet if a sinner could see but one glimpse of hell or bee suffered to looke one moment into that fiery Lake hee would rather choose to dye tenne thousand deaths then commit one sinne and indeed therefore are wee dissolute because we doe not thinke what a judgement there is after our dissolution because wee make it the least and last thing we thinke on yea it is death wee think to think upon death and we cannot indure that dolefull bell which summons us to judgement Something you have heard of it here and in Section the 44. But alasse I may as well with a Cole paint out the Sunne in all his splendor as with my pen or tongue expresse the joyes of Heaven which they willingly part withall or those torments of hell which they strive to purchase For as one said that nothing but the eloquence of Tully could sufficiently set forth Tullie's eloquence so none can expresse those everlasting torments but hee that is from everlasting to everlasting and should either man or Angell goe about the worke when with that Philosopher hee had taken a seven-nights time to consider of it hee might aske a fortnight more and at the fortnights end a moneth more and be at his wits end at the worlds end before he could make a satisfiing answer otherthen his was that the longer he thought of it the more difficult he found it alasse the paine of the body is but the body of paine the anguish of the soule is the soule of anguish § 121. BUt to be everlastingly in Hell to lye for ever in a bed of quenchles flames is not all for as thy sinnes have exceeded so shall thy sufferings exceed as thou hast had a double portion of sinne to other men here so thou shalt have a double portion of torment to them hereafter the number and measure of torments shall be according to the multitude and magnitude of offences mighty sinners shall be mightily punished for God will reward every man according to his workes Revel 20. 12. 13. and 22. 12. As our workes are better or worse so shall our joyes in heaven our paines in hell bee more or lesse as every one hath beene more wicked he shall bee more wretched Capernaum exceeding Sodome and Gomorrah in sin shall feele also an excesse of punishment and the willfull servant shall receive more stripes then the ignorant Luk. 1â— 47. 48. Mat. 10. 15 which being so viz. that every man shall be punished according to merit what will become of thee surely thy sins are so prodigious that they scorne any proportion under a whole volume of plagues But see wherein thy sinnes exceed other mens that shall go to the same place of torment how every sinne receiveth weight and increase in regard of circumstances and how thou after thine hardnes and heart which cannot repent heapest unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the just judgment of God who will reward every man according to his workes Rom. 2. 5 6. The particulars which greaten aggravate and adde weight to thy sinnes and make them above measure sinfull are so diverse and sundry that I may not insist upon all yet some are of such import that I dare not omit them First the civill justitiary who omiâ—tâ—th the performance of those good duties which the Law requireâ—h is in a damnable condition but thou in a farre worse who wilfully runnest on in the commission of those sinnes which the Law flatly forbids It was the not slaying of Agag 1 Sam. 15. that lost Saul his Kingdome and the favour of God The not circumcising of Moses his first borne Exodus 4. had like to have cost him his life The not relieving of poore Lazarus Luk. 16. was the rich mans ruine It was not the evill servants spending his Masters money which cast him into prison but the not gaining with it he did not evill with his Talent no it was enough to condemne him that he did nothing with it Now if barrennesse bee sent into the fire how can rapine looke to escape if omission of good works be whipped with Rodds surely commission of impieties shall be scourged with Scorpions The old world did but eat and drink build and plant marry and bee merry and were swept away with the Beesom of an universall deluge which things were in themselves lawfull what then shall become of Lyers Swearers Drunkards Adulterers malicious monsters scandalous sinners whose workes are in themselves simply unlawfull If the civily righteous shall not bee saved in that great and terrible day where then shall all ungodly drunkards and deboyshed swilbowles appeare Heaven is our Goale we all runne loe the Scribes and Pharisies are before thee what safty can it bee to come short of those that come short of heaven Except your righteousnes exceed c. Meroz was cursed by the Angell because they came not to helpe the Lord in the day of battell Iudges 5. 23. they fought not against God yet because they did not fight for him they are cursed And if they that stand in a luke-warm neutrality shall be spewed up sure the palpable and notorious offender who takes up armes against God and opposes all goodnesse shall bee trodden under foot of a provoked justice O consider this and lay it to heart you that commit sinnes of all sorts and sizes you that can tear heaven with your blasphemies and bandy the dreadfull name of God in your impure mouthes by your bloody oaths and execrations yee that dare exercise your saucy wits in prophane scoffes at Religion yee that can neigh after strange flesh c. § 122. SEcondly the sinnes which thou committest are against knowledge and conscience and so farre greater then the same sinnes if another should doe them ignorantly The servant that knowes his masters will and if he
When the heart is changed and set towards God all the members will follow after it as the rest of the creatures after the Sunne when it ariseth the tongue will praise him the foot will follow him the eare will attend him the hand will serve him nothing will stay after the heart but every one goes like hand-maides after their Mistresse which makes David presenting himself before God summon his thoughts speeches actions c. saying all that is within me praise his holy name Psal. 103. 1. Prov. 23. 26. so that it is a true rule he that hath not in him all Christian graces in their measure hath none and he that hath any one truly hath all For as in the first birth the whole person is borne and not some peeces so it is in the second the whole person is borne againe though not wholly how much the regenerate man is changed from what hee was wont to be may be seene 1 Corinth 6. 9. 10. 11. Tit. 3. 3. to 8. Rom. 6. 4. to 23. and here upon Christ is compared to purging fire and Fullers Sope to signifie how hee should fine and purg purifie and cleanse his people Mal 3. 2. 3. God never adopteth any his children but he bestowes love tokens upon them which are the earnest of his Spirit in their hearts 2 Cor. 1. 22. and his saving graces as an earnest and for a signe that they shal overcome their Ghostly enemies and live everlastingly with him in heaven as he gave Hezekiah the going backe of the Sunne tenne degrees for a signe that hee should be delivered out of the hands of the King of Ashur and have added to his dayes fifteene yeares 2 Kings 20. 6. 8. 11 Alasse though there bee scarce a man on earth but he thinks to goe to heaven yet heaven is not for every one but for the Saints would any man have a lot in Canaan let him bee a sure to bee a true Israelite And so we see there must of necessity bee a manifest change that fruitfulnesse is the best argument he hath begotten us anew that the signes of salvation are to be sought in our selves as the cause in Iesus Christ that wee must become new creatures as S. Paul hath it 2 Cor. 5. 17. talk with new tongues Mar. 16. 17. and walk in new wyaes Matth. 2. 12. hating what we once loved and loving what we formerly hated then shall we have new names Rev. 2. 17. put on new garments and have a portion in the new Ierusalem Revel 21. otherwise not Take notice of this all ye carnall worldlings who are the same that yee were alwayes even from the beginning ' and think the same a speciall commendations too though you have small reason for it for that wee need no more to condemne us then what we brought into the world with us Besides doe you live willingly in your sinnes Let mee tell you ye are dead in your sinnes this life is a death and wee need no better proofe that you are dead then because you feele not your deadnesse § 150. SEcondly that thou hast not repented nor doest yet believe is plaine for as faith is a gift of God whereby the elect soule is sirmly perswaded not only that the whole word of God is true but that Christ and all his benefit doe belong unto her so it is an honourable and an operative grace alwayes accompanied with other graces over bearing fruit and repentance being a fruit of faith is a whole change of the mind and a very sore displeasure against a mans selfe for sinne as it is sin and a breach of God's holy Lawes and for offending so good a God so mercifull a Father with a setled purpose of hateing and for sakeing all sinne and yeilding universall obedience for the time to come wherefore hast thou a true lively and a justifying faith it will manifest it selfe by a holy life For as fire may bee decerned by heat and life by motion so a mans faith may bee decerned by his workes for though faith alone justifieth yet justifying faith is never alone but ever accompanied with good workes and other saving graces as the Queene though in her state and office shee be alone yet shee goeth not without her Maids of honour Tttus 3. 8. spirituall graces the beauties of the soule and good workes the beauty of graces and our justification is to bee proved by the fruits of our sanctification faith and workes are as inseparable as the root and the sap the Sun and its light and wheresoever they are not both present they are both absent I am 2. 17. 24. faith purifies the heart Act. 15. 9. worketh by love Galath 5. 6. and sanctifieth the whole man throughout 1 Thes. 5. 23. Act. 26. 18. for as if our repentance bee sound it will make us grieve for sins of all sorts secret as well as known originall as well as actuall of omission as of commission lesser viz. thoughts as well as greater yea as well for the evill which cleaves to our best workes as for the evill workes Rom. 7. 21. and as heartily and unfainedly desire that we may never commit it as that God should never impute it 2. Tim. 2. 19. Againe it will worke tendernesse of conscience and such a true filiall feare of God that we shall feare to displease him not so much because hee is just to punish us as for his mercy and goodnesse sake and more feare the breach of the Law then the curse which we may know by asking our owne hearts these questions Whether we would refuse a booty if we had as fit an opportunity to take it and no man perceive the same as Achan had Whether wee would refuse a bribe like Elisha though wee should meet with one which were as willing and able to give it as Naaman Whether we would not deceive though we were in such an of fice as the false Steward whose Master referred all unto him and knew not when he kept any thing backe Whether wee would not yeeld in case it should be said unto us as the Divell said to Christ all this will I give thee if thou wilt commit such a sinne Whether we have a Spirit without guile Psa. 32. 2. and be the same in Closet and Market as being no lesse seene in the one then in the other Whether we more love to be then seeme or be thought good as Plato spake of his friend Phocion and seeke more the power of godlinesse then the shew of it Iob 1. 1. For Christians should be like Aples of gold with Pictures of silver whose inside is better then their outside but both good and hee serveth God best who serveth him most out of sight that wheresoever hee is keepes a narrower watch over his very thoughts then any other can doe of his actions and no mans censure troubles him more then his owne Againe whether wee are as carefull to avoide the occasions of sinne as sinne
their God deceiveth them with needlesse feares and scruples as once Rabshekâ—h would have perswaded the Iewes touching their trust and confidence 2 King 18. 22. 25 30. 32. 33. 35. The beleive what they see and feele and Know they beleeve the lawes of the Land that there be places and kinds of punishment here below and that they have bodies to suffer temporall smart if they transgresse and this makes them abstaine from Murther Fellony and the like but they beleeve not things invisible and to come for if they did they would as well yea much more feare him that hath power to cast both body and soule into Hell as they doe the temporall Magistrate that hath onely power to kill the body they would thinke it a very hard bargaine to winne the whole world and lose their owne soules Luk. 9. 25. but enough of this having proved the Drunkard an Atheist Sect. the 146. § 155. SEcondly another maine reason is ignorance yea ignorance if we rightly consider it is the cause of all sinne sinne indeed at first was the cause of ignorance but now ignorance is the cause of sinne Swearing and lying and killing and steaâ—eing and whoring I may well adde drunkennesse abound saith the Prophet because there is no knowledge of God in the Land Hosea 4. 1. 2. It is a people that doe erre in their hearts saith God why because they have not knowne my wayes Psal. 95. 10. yee are deceived saith our Saviour because ye know not the Scriptures neither the power of God Matth. 22. 29. when Christ wept over Hierusalem what was the cause even their blindnesse If thou hadst knowne saith he at the least in this thy day those things which how are hid from thine eyes Luk. 19. 42. Because men know not the wages of evill therefore they doe it and because they would securely doe it therefore they refuse to know it Oh that men knew how good it is to obay to disobay how evill then should we have a new world but the Devill takes an order for that where he can prevaile and therefore he hath the Poâ—e in one part of the world who will allow his subjects I meane the Layty no divine learning the Turke in another who denies to his any learning at all and this is no small advantage unto him for that Edict of Iulianus the Emperour whereby it was interdicted unto Christians to be admitted into Scholes Lectures and other exercises of learning was esteemed a more pernicious engine and machination against the Christiâ—n faith then were all the sanguinary perâ—ecutions of his predecessors Ob But blessed be God and our gracious Soveraigne may some say this is not our case we have plenty of light in our Horizon our Land abounds both with humane and divine learning Aâ—sw Very true and it is a blessing which we can never be sufficiently thankfull for and yet the Devill takes such an order that the odds is not much betweene our light and their darknesse for either Wizard-like he preseâ—â—s things in a false glasse or Sorcerer-like he makes things appeare other then they are by deception of our spirituall sight or Sophister-like he darkens the truth which the Word will not suffer to bee conceald with subtils distinctions as a man that puts out the candle with snuffing it or Casuistlike he fills mens heads with a world of Problemes and Paradoxes their hearts and consciences with a thousand needlesse and endlesse questions unprofitable cold and bloodlesse impertinencies whereby the sound and saving knowledge of Iesus Christ and him crucified which was the onely care and studie of St. Paul I Cor. 2. 2. is the portion but of a few even amongst us as the effect shewes for are not most men to whom the Gospell is so gloriously preach't cheifely guided according to the Rudiments of the world and not after Christ Col. 2. 8. Quest. But will any now in this cleare Sunne-shine of the Gospell be perswaded that they know not Christ crucified Answer It is too true that few know him for if they knew Christ they could not but love him and loving him they would keepe his commandements Iob. 14. 15. for hereby saith St. Iohn is it knowne that we know him if we keepe his Commandements 1 Ioh. 2. 3. but he that saith I know him and yet keepeth not his Commandements is a lyer and there is no truth in him ver the 4. Rightly a man knowes no more then he practiseth it is said of Christ 2 Cor. 5. 21. that he knew no sin because he did no sin in which sense he knowes no good that doth no good and he may know much that cannot utter much as a Martyr answered Bishop Bonner My Lord I cannot dispute for the truth but I caâ— dye for the truth a good argument to prove that he knew Christ for mens actions expresse their knowledge better then their words Vertue is ordained a wife for knowledge and where â—hese two joyne there will proceede from them a Noble prodiene a generation of good workes but they that wander in by pathes declare themselves ignorant of the right way of salvation Rom. 3. 17. That is but a raw knowledge which is not digested into practise What 's the difference betweene Christianity and infidelity but holinesse For as Rhetoricke is the Art of speaking well and Logicke the art of disputing well and Magistracy the art of governing well so Christianity is the art of liveing well It is not worth the name of knowledge that may be heard onely and not seene good discourse is but the froth of wisdome the pure and solid substance of it is in well framed actions when we are wise in our hands as the Dutch are said to be These things if ye know happy are ye if ye doe them Iohn 13. 17. and in Deut. 4. 6. keepe the Commandements of God and doe them for this is your wisdome and understanding before God and men The Knowledge that saves us is more then a bare apprehension of God it knowes his power and therefore feares him knowes his justice and therefore serves him knowes his mercy and therefore trusts him knowes his goodnesse and therefore loves him c. for he that hath the saving knowledge of God hath every other grace there is a sweete correspondence betweene every one where there is any one in truth As in the generation the head is not without the body nor the body without each member nor the soule without it's powers and faculties so in the regeneration where there is any one grace in truth there is every one 2 Cor. 5. 17. but see it in particulars They that know thy name saith the Psalmist will trust in thee Psal. 9. 10. there 's saith Let him that rejeyceth rejoyce in this that he understandeth and knoweth me Ier 9. 24. ther 's joy Hee that knoweth God heareth us I Ioh. 4. 6. there is an awfull attention to the Word preach't If thou knewest me
saith our Saviour thou wouldest have asked of me Iohn 4. 10. ther 's the Spirit of prayer and supplication He that knoweth God loveth God and the children of God I Iohn 4. 7. 8. He that knoweth God keepeth his Commandements I Iohn 2. 3. Now I know thee saith Iob to God I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes Iob. 42. 5. 6. He that knoweth God is borne of God I Iohn 4. 7. there is love obedience hurnility godly sorrow regeneration I might goe on and instance in every other grace For as feeleing is inseparable to all the Organs of sense the eye sees and feeles the care heares and feeles the palat tastes feeles the nosthrills smell and feele so knowledge is involved in every grace faith knowes and beleives charity knowes and loves patience knowes and suffers temperance knowes and abstaines humility knowes and stoopes repentance knowes and mournes obedience knowes and does confidence knowes and rejoyees hope knowes and expects compassion knowes and pities Yea as there is a power of water in every thing that growes it is fatnesse in the Olive sweetnesse in the Figg cheerefulnesse in the Grape strength in the Oake talenesse in the Cedar rednesse in the Rose whitenesse in the Lilly c. so knowledge is in the hand obedience in the mouth benediction in the knee humility in the eye compassion in the heart charity in the whole body and soule piety Alasse if menhad the true knowledge of Iesus Christ it would disperse and dispell all the blacke clouds of their raigning finnes in a moment as the Sunne doth no sooner shew his face but the darknesse vanisheth or as Caesar did no sooner looke upon his enemies but they were gone Egypt swarmed with Locusts till the west winde came that left not one He cannot delight in sinne nor dote upon the world that knowes Christ savingly § 156. OB. But the objection which as they thinke cannot be answered like the invincible Nauy in 88. is this We see by experience that the strictest livers are seldome the wisest men yea who more vicious then many that know most Answ I am not ignorant that some Fooles have made other Fooles beleeve that none trouble themselves about Religion but the simplest yea the most holy and religious in all ages have beene accounted Fooles and mad men El sha was counted no better by that man of the Sword 2 King 9. 11. in Hosea's time the Prophet was esteemed a foole and the spirituall man mad Hosea 9. 7. yea our Saviour Christ with open mouth was proclaimed mad by his carnall hearers Iohn 10. 20. Mar. 3. 21. and Paul the like by Festus Acts 26. 24. yea all the Apostles were reputed Fooles 1 Cor. 4. 10. and this hath beene the worlds vote ever since the sincere Christian was so reputed in Pliny's time and after in St. Austins time yea Iulian the Pelagian could gibe St. Austin that he had none of the wise Sages nor the learned Senate of Philosophers on his side but onely a company of meane trades-men and handycrafts-men of the vulgar sort that toke part with him whose answer was thou reproachest the weake things of the world which God hath chosen to confound the things which are mighty And is it otherwise now Is not the honest devout orthodox Christian the plain dealing and religious man hee that declares his meaning by his words that cannot or will not lye and desemble shift and flatter temporise and accommodate buy promotion supplant growe rich take bribes he that will rather suffer then do evill ordinarily esteemed an idiot or silly asse yes by all that are craftily wicked as you may heare out of their owne mouths Wisd. 5. 3. to 9. To worldly men Christian wisdome seemes folly saith S. Gregory and well it may for even the wisdome of God is foolishnesse with the world 1 Cor. 1. 18. 23. But shall we therfore take it for grant that they are wisest because they suppose and say they are no for first as he must have a sweet breath that can judge who hath a sweet breath so to judge who is a wise man is onely the office of a wise man Secondly the Lawes of our Land wil not admit a delinquent for a witnesse af-after he is found guilty neither will Irand they stand convicted of folly Sections the 34. 38. 39. 40. 51. 91. 157. 184. 190. But if they will put themselves upon a faire tryall they shall have an equall proceeding or if they will heare the case argued if reason give not sentence on the good mans side let mee suffer as a slanâ—erer Indeed wisdome hath alwayes carried that shew of excellency that not only the good have highly affected it as Salomon who prayed for wisdome and Moses who studied for wisdome and the Queene of Sheba who travelled for wisdome but the very wicked have laboured for it who are ashamed of other vertues so that wisdome is not only justified of her children but also of the children of folly Knowledge is so faire a virgiâ—â— that every cleare eye is in love with her it is a pearle despised of none but Swineâ—O the pleasure that rationall men take in it they that care not for one dramme of goodnesse would yet have a full scale of knowledge though they never mind to do good yet there is no good which they would not know among all the trees of the garden none so pleaseth them as the tree of knowledge As wisdome is excellent above all so it is affected of all as oyle was both of the wise and foolish Virgins it hath beene a mark which every man hath shot at ever since Eve sought to be as wise aâ— her Maker But as an hundred shootes for one that hits the marke some short some over and some aside so an hundred ayme at wisdome for one that lights upon it â—cclesiastes 7. 28. Yea as many thinke themselves good fellowes for one that is a good-fellow indeed so many thinke themselves wisemen for one that is wise indeed Of all sorts of men in the world none repute themselves or are reputed by others wiser then the profound humanist and cunning politician and the yet neither of these may compare with the goâ—ly 〈◊〉 for wisdome and knowledge § 157. FIrst not the humanist for they are not alwayes the wisest which know most as I have proved at large â— 50. 51. I will further confirme it There are a generation of men that mightily thirst after wisdome and knowledge and to get it they are no niggards of their labour for they leave nothing unstudied but themselves they know all parts and places of the created world can discourse of every thing visible and invisible divine humane and mundane whether it bee meant of substances or accidents are ignorant of nothing but the way to heaven are acquainted with all Lawes and customes save the Law of God and customes of Christianity they are strangers no where but in the Court
irregular Physitian who prescribes a wholsome diet to others when himselfe feeds foully and surfets with intemperance which in reason is to play the foole and to imitate the Miletians who as Aristotle writeth were not fooles but did the selfe samethings that fooles were accustomed to doe wherein this is all the difference a man shall be the rather punished and the more because he hath knowne good and done evill for knowledge without grace will but sinke men lower in Hell And great reason shall all such have who either know and believe not or believe and repent not or repent and amend not or amend and persevere not in well doing to cry out upon their death-beds as Tully did in his latter age would God I had never known what wisdome meant Again as themselves are never the better for their great wisdome and learning so no more are others for commonly they resemble dark Lanthornes which have light but so shut up and reserved as if it were not and what is the difference betwixt concealed skill and ignorance It is the nature and praise of good to be communicative whereas if their hidden knowledge do ever looke out it casts so sparing a light that it onely argues it self to have an unprofitable being Wee know the Unicorne hath buâ— one horne but hee doth more good with that then other beasts do with two so an holy man doth more good with a little knowledge then a worldling with a great deale yea he thinks himselfe as happy in giving light to others as in receiving it into himselfe Now suppose a mans greatest learning be religion and his knowledge only lyes in the best things as the weaker vessell may hold the better liquor yet a competent estate well husbanded is better then avast patrimony neglected Never any meere man since the first knew so much as Salomon many that have known lesse have had more command of themselves True it is in some kind of skill they out strip even the best of Gods people who if they are put to it may answer as Themistocles did when one invited him to touch a Lute for as he said I cannot siddle but I can make a small Town a great State so may the godly say wee cannot give a solid reason in nature why Nilus should over flow only in the Summer when watersare at the lowest why the Load-stone should draw Iron or incline to the Pole-starre how the heat of the stomack and the strength of the net her chap should be so great why a flash of lightning should melt the Sword without making any impression in the Scabbard kill the child in the wombe and never hurt the mother how the waters should stand upon an heape and yet not overflow the earth why the clouds above being heavie with water should not fal to the earth suddainly seeing every heavie thing descendeth except the reason which God giveth Gen. 1. 6. and Iob 26. 8. but we know the mystery of the Gospell and what it is to be borne anew and can give a solid reason of our faith wee know that God is reconciled to us the law satisfied for us our sins pardoned our soules acquitted and that we are in the favour of God which many with their great learning doe not know And thus the godly are proved wiser then the wisest humanist that wants grace § 158. SEcondly they are wiser then the most cunning Politician that lives For to judge aright the greatest Politician is the greatest foole for he turnes all his religion into hypocrisie into statisme yea into atheisme making Christianity a very footstoole to policy Indeed they are wiser in their generation then the children of light and are so acknowledged by the Holy Ghost Luk. 16. 8. But why not that there is a deficiency of power in the godly but will for could not David go as far as Achitohpel could not Paul shew as much cunning as Tertullus yes surely if they would But because their Master Christ hath commanded them to bee innocent as Doves they have vowed in an Heroicall disposition with Abraham Gen. 14. 22. that the King of Sodome shall not make them rich no crooked or indirect meanes shal bring them in profit they will not be beholding to the King of Hell for a Shoo tye and hereupon the Foxes wiles never enter into the Lions head But take these Politicians as they are in their owne Element and it may peremptorily bee spoken of them as one speakes of women that in mischiefe they are wiser then men neere upon as that old Serpent the Divell yea they are so arted in subtilties through time and practise that they will have trickes in their sconces to over-reach the Divell himselfe indeed he hath one trick beyond all theirs for like a cunning fencer hee that taught them al their tricks kept this one to himselfe namely how to cheat them of their soules But to go on These are not wise as Serpents according to our Saviours counsell but wise Serpents that is wise in evill not wise in that which is good or if you will wise in goods not wise in grace For as that old Serpent seemed to boast that he was richer then Christ when he said all these are mine so the politician may truly say for the most part I am wiser then my plain dealing neighbour by five hundred pounds but see their wisdome displayed They are such cunning dissemblers that like Pope Alexander the sixth what they think they never speake why is this cast away saith Iudas crafty cub he would have had it himself as the Fox would disswade other beasts from that booty which hee meanes to make his owne or like a fellow that rides to the pillory they go not the way they looke they will cut a mans throat under colour of curtesie as Vlysses by gold and forged letters was the means of stoning Palamedes even while he made shew of defending him and then to wipe off all suspicion from themselves their gesture and countenance shall be like Iulius Caesar's who seeing Pompie's head fel a weeping as if he had beene sorry for it when by his onely meanes it was cut off so like Rowers in a Boat whilst in their pretence they looke one way in their intent they go the quite contrary It is observed of the Fox that he will stand by the river and let his taile play in the water till the Fish come flocking about it and then with a jerke he swoopes them out with his paw these are such Foxes they will not looke towards the booty they ayme at yea they are so politicke that no man shall be able to determine either by their gesture vvords or actions what they â—esolve for their vvords like an Italian Torch vvill prove your bane vvhen they seeme to give you most light and best direction they vvill say as Elisha to the Syrian Army follow me and I will lead you to the man whom yee seeke vvhen they lead
be tormented so himselfe is voluntarily miserable here and elsewhere that others may be happy And yet let him with Pope Iohn the 22. leave behind him 250. Tunnes of gold even all this will not make his Sonne happy ' it s well if it make him not more unhappy No neither it nor the whole world without grace shall ever make him contented as it fared with Alexander who having conquered this world was troubled that there was no more worlds for him to conquer Besides in a short time this Sonne of his must part with his wealth also for either his râ—ches shall be taken from him as they were from Iob or else he from his riches as the rich man was from his substance and wealth Wherefore it were more policy a great deale for him to make his Sonne good then great for godlinesse is great gaine as the Apostle well phraseth it 1 Tim. 6. 6. because it gaines God himselfe and so his blessing upon all outward meanes Hagg. 1. 6. c. O that thou hadst the wit to know how when all is done to be saved and to have thy children saved is the best plot to know that the Proverbe which saith Happy that child whose father is gone to the Devill is farre from being Canonicall Sixtly and lastly he estemes not of things according to their true value but preferreth bables and trifles before things of greatest worth which is the most remarkable property of a naturall foole that is As Iudas preferred thirty peeces of silver before Him that was the price of the world and ransome of mankinde so the Politician preferres earth yea Hell to Heaven time even a moment of time to eternity his body before his soule which if a man have once lost he hath nothing else to loose yea his outward estate before either soule or body Whereas the godly care for the soule as for the cheife jewell and only treasure and for the body for the soules sake and for this world for the bodies sake and settle their inheritance in no land but the land of promise their end being to possesse a kingdome without end They are not like Shebna who built his Sepulcher in one countrey and was buried in another but like our English Merchants that traffique in Turkie and get wealth in Turkie yet plant not in Turkie but transport for England Gods people are not like the first Indians that hang'd Bugles at their eares while they left their gold on the dunghills It cannot be said of them as it may of the most that they worship the golden Calfe because they consider that pecunia the world 's Queene I meane that world whereof the Devill is King extends her regiments but to the brim of the grave and is not currant one step farther Yea they are so farre from being of these mens minds who are of Alexander's mind who as the Philosopher said yesterday the whole world did not content him now ten cubits containe him that they thinke him none of the wisest who being askt whether he would rather be Socrates or Croesus the one an industrious and painfull Philosopher the other 2 man flowing in all abundance was so discreete as to answer that for this life he would be Croesus but for the life to come Socrates But to returne to the worlds wiseman let him be offered his choice as oftimes he is whether he will forgoe himselfe I meane his faith which is the summe of all or such a booty he will forgoe his faith and consequently his soule himselfe and all that is truely his like the foolish Maâ—iner that seeing a fish in the Sea leaps into the water to catch that which together with his life he looseth or like Narcissus who to embrace his shadow drowned himselfe yea set life and death before him as Moses did before the Israelites Deut. 30. 15. 19. 20. and withall shew him from Matth. 25. 46. that this life offered is eternall felicity that death threatned everlasting woe and misery which words are of such extent that as a worthy Writer hath it though all the men that ever have or shall be created were Briareus-like hundred handed and should at once take pens in their hundred hands and should do nothing else for ten hundred thousand millions of yeares but summe up in figures as many hundred thousand millions as they could yet never could they reduce to a totall or confine within number this trisillable word e-ter-nall or that word of foure sillables e-ver-last-ing and then bid him choose which of the two hee likes best his heart which is harder than an Adamant will make answer take Heaven Paradise that eternal felicity and future happines who will it is good for me to be rich and happy while I live much like Cardinall Burbonius who said hee would not leave his part in Paris for his part is Paradise or Themistocles who was not ashamed of this damnable speech in his mouth If a man should shew me two severall wayes the one leading to Heaven the other to Hell of the twaine I would choose the latter wherin he is more sottish then the Indians and more heathenish then the infidels of Florida Virginia New-England and Kanida who for a Copper Kettle and a few toyes as Beades and Hatchets will depart from the purest Gold and sell you a whole country even the houses and ground which they dwell upon for the whole world is not worth one soule But worldly hearts are penny wise and pound foolish they know how to set high prises upon the worthlesse trash of this world but for heavenly things or the God that owes them this they shamfully under-value like Iudas who valued Mary's oyntment which she bestowed upon the feet of Christ at three hundred peeces of silver and sold his Master on whom that odor was spent at thirty And this is one reason As the affection which an adulterer beareth to a strumpet doth exceedingly diminish the love which he should beare to his lawfull wife so the love that wicked men beare to these vain and transitory things wondrously diminish that zeale and affection which they should bear towards Christ and heavenly things But it is farre otherwise with the godly for as they that are after the flesh savour the things of the flesh so they that are after the Spirit savour the things of the Spirit and our opinion onely endeareth and increaseth the price of things When one boasted how faire a shee-slave hee had bought for a pound another made reply that she was to deare of a groat Commodities are but as they are commonly valued Now because transitory things in the next life beare no value at all and because there is nothing firme under the firmament they hold it very good coveting what they may have and cannot leave behind them And though others most love what they must leave and think that money will buy any thing like foolish Magus who thought the Holy Ghost himselfe
the Sunne of the soule Reason and Faith the two Eyes I am the light of the world saith our Saviour he that followeth me meaning by a lively Faith shall not walke in darknesse but shall have the light of life Iohn 8. 12. and more see two eyes then one Yea the day with one eye doth for more things descry then night can doe with more then Argus eyes Vnregenerate men who want faith are like blind Sampson without his guide So that we must have minds lifted above nature to see and love things above nature heavenly wisdome to see heavenly truth or else that truth which is saving will be to us a mystery yea seeme foolishnesse 1 Cor. 2. 7 8 14. wheras the spirit reveales all things to the beleiver even the deepe things of God 1 Cor. 2. 10 12 15 16. giving him a mouth and wisdome where agâ—inst all his adversaries shall not be able to speake or resist Luke 21. 15. Wherefore get faith and thou hast mounted another step to wisdome entred a third roome of this Palace Fourthly he must be frequent and fervent in prayer to God for the direction of his holy Spirit for First humble and faithfull prayer ushered in by meditation is the cure of all obscurity especially being accompanied with fervor and fervency If any lacke wisdome saith St. Iames let him aske of God which giveth to all men liberally and reproacheth no man and it shall be given him Iam. 1. 5. marke the words it is said if any wherefore let no man deny his soule this comfort againe aske and have it cannot come upon eaâ—ier termes yea God seemes to like this sute so well in Solomon as if he were beholding to his Creature for wishing good to it â—elfe yea more whatsoever we aske in prayer if we beleeve we shall have it Math. 21. 22. And in vaine doe we expect that Almes of Grace for which we doe not so much as beg Secondly as Sampsons companions could never have found out his Riddle if they had not plowed with his heyfer so no man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 3. And as none can behold the light of the Sunne but by the benefit of the Sunne so none can know God who is called the Father of lights in the plurall number because of the degrees and diversities of his gifts nor the things of God but by the revelation of God 1 Cor. 12. 8. Math. 16. 17. with the Spirits helpe the meanes can never be too weake without never strong enough One excellent and necessary prerogative of the spirituall man is this he hath God for his teacher he learnes the counsells of God of that spirit which only knoweth God's counsells Luke 21. 15. For though his outward man receives the elements and rudiments of Religion by breeding and education yet his inward man receiveth them by heavenly infpiration For as spirituall wisdome is not the fruite of time and study as the naturall is so it hath a higher fountaine then nature to feede it even the Spirit of God which is no small priviledge for the Scholler learnes quickly when the Holy Ghost is his teacher the eye sees distinctly when the Holy Ghost doth enlighten it When Christ taught in the Temple they askt how knoweth this man the Scriptures seeing he never learned them so it is a wonder what learning some men have that have no learning like Priscilla and Aquila poore Tent-makers which were able to schole Apollos that great Clarke a man renowned for his learning What can we say to it for no other reason can be given for it but as Christ said Father so it pleaseth thee For as Iacob came so soone with his Venison that his father askt him how he came by it so suddenly and Iacob answered because the Lord thy God brought it suddenly to my hands so holy and righteous men can give no other reason why they understand the words of God so easily and the wicked doe conceive them so hardly but that God brings the meaning suddenly to their hearts as we reade Luk. 24. that Christ standing in the midst of his Apostles after he was risen from the dead opened their understandings that they might understand clearely the Scriptures and what vvas vvritten of him in the lavv of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes vers 44. 45. Loe hovv suddenly their knovvledge came unto them But see vvhat a generall promise God in the person of vvisdome hath made to all that serve him Pro 1. 23. Wherefore importune God the Father for the dirâ—ction of his holy Spirit and thou shalt at the least have light enough on earth to bring thee to the light of Heaven But in praying for wisdome observe one caution doe not pray for it without putting difference There is a speculative knowledge in the braine common to hypocrites with Gods children Heb. 6. 4. and there is an experimentall and saving knowledge in the heart peculiar to the godly alone Eph. 4. 8. and 5. 8. pray especially for the last of these let thine hearts desire be to know God in Christ Christ in faith faith in good workes to know Gods will that thou mayst doe it and before the knowledge of all other things desire to know thy selfe and in thy selfe not so much thy strength as thy weakenesse pray that thine heart may be insteed of a Commentary to helpe thee understand such points of religion as are most needfull and necessary and that thy life may be an exposition of thy inward man that there may be a sweete harmony betwixt Gods truth thy judgement and whole conversation that what the naturall man knowes by thinking thou mayst double by feeling the same in thine heart and affections as indeed experimentall and saving knowledge is no lesse felt then knowne and I cannot tell how comes rather out of the abundance of the heart then by extreame study or rather is sent by God unto good men like the Ramme that was brought to Abraham when he would have sacrificed his Sonne Isaac But if thou shalt pray unto God for knowledge without making a difference and shalt stand more upon the quantity then the quality so resembling the curre in the fable which preferred the shadow to the meate or those parents among the Heathen which sacrificed to the gods for children but not for good children or Nero's Mother who being told that her Sonne should be Emperour but to her griefe and sorrow answered so my Sonne have the Empire let my sorrow and griefe be what it will or Eudoxus whose wish and prayer to the gods was that hee might once view the Sunne neere at hand to comprehend his forme greatnesse and beauty on condition he were immediately burnt and consumed by it God will either crosse thee in thy desire as he did those anticke builders Gen. 11. 3. to 10. who purposed a Tower the top whereof should reach unto Heaven
for no other cause but to get them a Name And what if the height had answered their desire Or as he doth dayly men and women that had rather be rich or honourable then good or if he doe grant their desires yet he will grant it them in judgement as he did a King to the Israelites and Quailes with which he fed their bodies but withal sending leannesse into their soules or as he granted a Boy to Sr. Thomas Moor's Lady who being sicke of Daughters prayed importunately for a Boy and nothing but a Boy would serve whereupon she had a Boy which as Sr. Thomas wittily and twittingly told her would be a Boy so long as he lived or as Christ committed his purse to Iudas when as he gave his holy Spirit to his faithfull Apostles or as Bacchus is feighned to deale with Midas who desiring of him that whatsoever he touch't might instantly bee converted into gold granted his request but so as it became his bane for his wine became gold his bread gold the feathers of his bed his shirt his garments and every thing else were all turned into that hard mettall whereby he was halfe starved with hunger and halfe with cold as Fulgentius relates he would gladly now have unprayed his prayers Alas even the wicked for the most part have their desire yea more then their hearts can wish as the Psalmist speakes Psal. 73. 7. 9. but what 's the issue they set their mouthes against Heaven like an unruly jade that being full fed kickes at his master yea how often doth wisdome without grace prove like a faire estate in the hands of a foole which not seldome becomes the ovvners ruine or like Absolom's haire which vvas an ornament vvherevvith he hanged himselfe yea vvisdome vvithout grace is nothing else but a cunning way of undoing our selves at the last for is not many mens knowledge to them like the Arke to the Philistâ—nes which did them more hurt then good A wicked mans knowledge may make him prouder not better more rebellious not more serviceable thy wisdome and thy knowledge saith Isay they have caused thee to rebell Isa. 47. 10. O how many doe mischiefe insteed of good with their knowledge like Hâ—rod whom you shall see turning over the Bible searching the Scriptures examining the Prophets but to what end and purpose to know good but to doe evill yea the greatest evill under the Sunne slay Christ in the cradle with many their knowledge and learning is not for God and for Gideon but for Antichrist and for Babylon And so of all other gifts how many are the worâ—e for them As give Saul a Kingdome and he will tyrannize give Nabal plenty and he will be drunke give Iudas an Apostleship and he will sell his Master for money Wherefore in praying for wisdome pray not so much for braine-knowledge as to be soule-wife nor more for wisdome it selfe then for a blessing upon it that God will so sanctifie it unto thee that he may have glory thy selfe and others good by the same for for want of this many are able to speake like Angells in the Church while they live like Devills abroad Ob But I cannot pray or not to purpose Answ As we poure some water into the Pumpe that thereby we may fetch up more so let us pray that we may pray more and better When the Mill is set on going an easie wind keepes it so and a stronger encreaseth the motion Ob But I have often prayed and yet remaine as stupid as a stone Answ Though with Peter thou hast fished all night and caught nothing yet cast out thy net againe pray still and the issue shall more then recompence the delay yea thy perseverance in prayer will prove that thou hast mounted another step to wisdome entred a fourth roome of this Palace § 165 FIftly he must use the meanes as well as pray acquaint himselfe with the Scriptures for they and they alone are able to make a man wise unto salvation as St. Paul tells Timothy 2 Tim. 3. 15. we must not in the search of heavenly matters either follow the blind guide carnall reason or the deceitfull guide our corrupt hearts but the undeceiveable guide of Gods Word which is truth it selfe And great need there is For as we cannot see the foulenesse of our faces unlesse it be told us by some other or wee take a glasse and looke our selves therein so neither can we see the blemishes of our soules which is a notable degree of spirituall vvisdome but either God must make it knovvne unto us by his Spirit or vve must collect the same out of the Scriptures that Coelestiall glasse though this also must be done by the Spirits helpe Now if thou wilt truly profit by reading the Scriptures resolve to make them the rule of thy life What is the reason many are conversant in those divine and heavenly mysteries all the dayes of their life and yet are neither the wiser nor the better resembling Wormes in a booke or fish in the Sea which though they are bred and nourished therein yet the one is never the more learned nor the other one jot the salter or like some Athenian Gentlemen in our City who were wont to spend all their time in measuring of Pauls yet know not the length of it or some Innes of Court Gentlemen that studie the Law but being borne to great meanes never intend to practise it or rather some Physitians who learne the use of Physicke and prescribe it to others finding sweetnesse and profit thereby but will not once tast thereof themselves knowing it unpleasant Yea what is the reason that in studying the Scriptures they resemble the rustick Sayler who sees Gods wonders in the deepe but so as they rather appeare his playfellowes then the stirrers of his zeale yea that the very meanes of their reformation should become the very fuel of their wickednesse whereas the story of God makes others no lesse good then wise who improve their time by it as some do at a game at Chesse who by way of returne learn both Arithmeticke and Geometry The reason is this naturall and ungodly men read and heare the Scriptures and mind not or mind and understand not or understand and remember not or remember and practise not no this they intend not of all the rest and they which are unwilling to obey God thinks unworthy to know When the Serpent taught knowledge hee said if ye eat the forbidden fruit your eyes shall be opened and you shall know good and evill Gen. 3. 5. But God teacheth another lesson and saith if ye will not eat the forbidden fruit your eyes shall be opened and you shall know good and evil Rom. 12. 2. Indeed an holy submission to the word is the A B C the Primmer and Grammar the first lesson and the last lesson of a Christian so to know the good and perfect and acceptable will of God that wee our selves
become good and perfect and acceptable in Gods sight Romans 12. 2. is all in all Touching wisdome it is the beginning the middle and the end they that observe the Commandements have a good understanding saith David Psal 111. 10. and proves it true by his owne example and experience I understood saith he more then the ancient and became wiser then my teachers because I kept thy precepts Psalme 119. 97 98 99 100. and he was brought up to little else but keeping his Fathers sheep only his aym was that the word might make him not witty but holy teach him to follow vertue and embrace wisdome not talk of it and therefore God gave him both goodnesse and wisdome as hee gave Salomon wisdome and riches and honour when his petition was only for wisdome Briefly he that can say with David I love thy Law and keep thy precepts and hate all the wayes of falshood Ps. 119 79. 104. may follow with David I have more understanding then my teachers and know more then the ancient verse 98. to 107. But as David could not understand why the wicked prospered untill he went into the Sanctuary of God Psalm 73. 17. and as Aaron might not enter into the sanctuary where God did answer untill hee had sanctified himselfe so if we will understand mysteries and heare God himselfe speake we must put off our sins as Moses put off his shoes Exodus 3. 5. or else we shall be like images that have eares and cannot heare Psal. 115. 6. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Wherefore bee studious in the Scriptures and follow that rule adde nothing of thine owne unto it but obedience and subjection and thou hast mounted another step to wisdome entred a fifth room of this Palace § 166. SIxthly and lastly he must do touching his spirituall estate as worldly men do touching their temporall possessions goe to counsell take advise of the Learned I meane the Ministers when hee is in any doubt as who knowes the spots of his owne face but either by the reflection of a glasse or by the relation of others and in a worke of great consequence it argues the candor and modesty of a man to desire a coadjutor Now the Priests lippes saith Malachi preserve knowledge and the people seek the Law at his mouth for hee is the messenger of the Lord of Hostâ— Mal. 2. 7. Yea there is use to bee made of our friends private Christians we ought to borrow our friends eyes and lend them ours for that we do not more love our selves above others then we see others better then our selves we can more easily see a moate in anothers eye then a beame in our owne Matth 7. 3 It is not amisse sometimes to goe from home to heare what newes there is at home as Tarlton told the Queene hee was going to London to heare what newes at Court so a wise man will gather much knowledge of himself from others observation lookers on many times see more then the actors doe Tully said hee could better heare the newes of Rome at Antium then at Rome it selfe neither can Paris tell more newes of France or Madril of Spaine then our Exchange in London of both Yea what Traveller is able to speake so much of forraigne parts as hee that lookes no further then his studie Besides every man in his owne cause is a party and therefore partiall so that hee which learnes of none but himselfe hath a foole to his teacher yea Salomâ—n no lesse then nine times brands him for a foole who refuseth admonition But herein observe one caution neither advise nor consult with brutish sensualists for their knowledge is ignorance their wisdome folly their sight blindnesse c. they neither consider what reason speaketh or religion commandeth but what the will and appetite affecteth for will is the axeltree lusts and passions the wheeles whereupon all their actions are carried and doe runne appetite being their lord reason the servant and religion their slave whereas religion should govern their judgments judgment and reason their wils and affections as Adam should have done Eve These are the six steps which lead up to the palace of wisdome answerable to those six steps which led up to Salomons Throne which all must ascend by that meane to enter the more of them you have ascended he nearer you are to heaven If you have once attained this precious grace of sâ—ving knowledge you will as much as in you lies â—moloy the same to the glory of the giver There be some that care not to know and there be some that care for nothing else but to know many strive after and pray for knowledg but why they would be wiser not holier by it it is their owne honour they seek not the honour of â—hrist if they may bee thought great Rabbies deep and profound Sâ—hollers this is the height of their ambition though neither the Church be benefited nor God glorified by it whereas they ought the contrary For as the grace of God is the fountaine from which our wisdom flowes so the glory of God should be the Ocean to which it should runne it is derived from the one and must bee directed to the other Yea that God may be honoured by our wisdome is the onely end for which he gives us to be wise and for default of this end he not seldome curseth the meanes whereby many striving to expell ignorance fall into error as an Empirick to cure one disease cauâ—eth a worse If you would know in speciall whom they are that in using their gifts seek not the glory of God you may discern them by these marks First they will have al the talk wheresoever they come like Parrats 2. They contemne others like the Pharisies 3. They will be wiser then God and not submit their judgements and opinions to his word like the Romish Pontifician Doctors who because the commandement thwarts their opinions and stands plainly forbidding images that images may stand they forbid the Commandement 4. They spurne at him which tells them of their faults like Abner 5. They jump with their superiours in every thing like the Herodians 6. They turn with the time like Demas 7. They seek their own credit by the discredit of others like the enemies of Paul 8. They love to heare their own praise like Herod 9. Above all they would have their owne wills like Iezabel let these men denie it if they can Yea I would faine know what fruit or effect these mens knowledge hath in them except it bee to enable them to dispute and discourse to increase wit or to increase wealth or to increase pride whether the utmost of their ayme be not to enrich dignifie and please themselves not once casting the eye of their soules at Gods glory or their neighbours good as let any fluent Herod or eloquent Turtullus tell me whether his knowledge puffs him noâ—â—p as if he had eaten a Spider and whether he seekes not more the
praise of his wit then the profit of his soule and feares not more an affront from his superiour then he feares hell Againe let any strong brain'd Achitophel tell me whether hee had not rather seeme wicked thâ—â— simple Any unrighteous Judge or Lawyer whether his whole ayme bee not the purchasing of land without either feare of God regard of men or the discharge of his duty and office Briefly so many as are puft up with their knowledge or doe not part with their sinnes shew that they never sought it for Gods glory but for their own honour and glory and certainly if we seeke nor Gods glory in doing his worke hee will give us no wages at the latter end But to apply what hath beene spoken If it be so that God reveales himselfe savingly to none but his children the godly and that none are soule wise but such as digest their knowledge into practise and imploy their wisdome to his glory that gave it and the good of themselves and others then your objection of what the world thinks like a childs bubble blowne into the aire is fallen to the ground and dissolved to nothing Alasse the world is no more fit to judge of cases of conscience then a blind man is fit to judge of colours Wherefore as the Orator would admit none but Rhetoricians to judge of his Orations so henceforward admit none but spirituall men to sway thee in spiritual matters and follow our Saviours counsell seeke to justifie thy judgement and practise to the children of wisdome of whom wisdome is justified and not to fooles by whom shee is daily crucified Only condole these blind mens disasters and drop some teares in pity and compassion for their great and greivous misery And so much for the objection § 167. NOw that I may fasten againe the thread of my discourse where I brake it and fall in where I left off let your thoughts return with me to the Law I meane to the Law of Christ and to the testimony alleadged and explained from § 142. to § 154. and you will easily confesse that Sathan hath hitherto gulled you and all in your case that he holds a paire of false spectacles before the eyes of wicked men and thereby perswades their deceitfull hearts that the bridge of Gods mercy is farre larger then it is and they give such credit therunto that while they thinke they are upon the bridge they go besides and so are sure in the end to fall and be drowned in the waters of eternall destruction Wherefore if thou meanest to fare better make not Christ a bolster for siâ—â—ne least the plaister prove worse then the sore nor Gods mercy a warrant for thy continuing in an evill course for this is to sin with an high hand or with a witnesse as we use to say which if thou doest thou shalt also perish with a witnesse Deuteronomy 29. 19 20 21. I have heard of a woman that presumed so much upon her husbands love that if he should find her in the bed of incontinency he would not harme her but it proved farre otherwise to her shame and ruine and so it will fare with thee in the end for hee that deliberately resolves to sinne doth what he can to make himselfe uncapeable of forgivenesse yea how should the crosse of Christ be a friend to them that are enemies to his crosse Philip. 3. 19. and trample upon him with their feet because hitherto hee hath borne the contumelies of their tongues and excesses of their lives O what a blasphemous imagination is this against Jesus Christ to think that he came into the world to bee a patron of sinne or a bolster whereupon we may more securely sleep in sensuallity and not to destroy the workes of the divell 1 Iohn 3. 3. 8. 9. 10. Oh that Christians should so live as if the practise of the Gospell were quite contrary to the rule of the Law but such men shew what they are for none but base minds and perverse dispositions saith Saint Bernard will therefore be evill because God is good and those that belong to Gods election wil never make that liberty which Christ hath purchased for them with his precious blood a cloak to cover their wickednesse but rather a spur to incite them to godlinesse they for whom Christ dyed will not presumptuously lavish on his score not caring what they spend because he is able to pay for all no they will live as though there were no Gospell dye as though there were no Law and nothing so soone leades an ingenuous mind to repentance as when hee considers Gods bountifulnesse and long suffering towards him Rom. 2. 4. there is mercy with thee saith David what that thou mightest be despised blasphemed c. no if you take him so you mistake him but that thou mightest be feared Psalm 130. 4. and the love of Christ constrained Paul to duty 2 Cor. 5. 14. § 168. WHereas nothing will do good upon thee for albeit I have informed thee how dangerous thine estate is that thou mightest plainly see it truly feare it and timely prevent it yet I have not the least or at most very little hope of thy yeelding For first these lines to thee are but as so many characters written in the water which leaves no impression behind them thou being lâ—ke one that beholdeth his natural face in a glasse who when he hath considered himselfe goeth his way and forgetteth immediately what manner of one he was Iames 1. 23. 24. or like some silly flie which being beat from the candle an hundred times and often â—inged there in yet will returne to it againe untill shee bee consumed If thou wilt behold thy case in another person look 2 King 8. 12 to 16. Proverbs 23. 35. All those Beasts which went into the Arke uncleane came likewise out uncleane Secondly though these sparks of grace may kindle piety in others yet not in thee for what is light to him that will shut his eyes against it And men of thy condition do on purpose stop their eares and wink with their eyes least they should see with their eyes and heare with their cares and understand with their hearts and so should bee converted as our Saviour shewes Matth. 13. 15. and Saint Paul Acts 28. 27. O if these Adders had not stopt their eares how long since had they beene charmed And indeed it were an unreasonable motion in me if I should request minds preposessed with prejudice to heare reason there is no disputing with him that denies Principles if they believe not Moses and the Prophets they would never be perswaded although one should bee sent unto them from the dead to testifie what a place of torment they are going unto Luk 16. 31. A brute beast is as capeable of good counsell as a drunkard once became a scorner for like Salomons foole braying in a moâ—â—ar will not alter him yea a very stone to which Ezekiâ—l compares a
thievish sinne that steals away mens time wealth wits that robs the poore of their due this slanderous sin that loades the world with tales and slanders against the Host of the living God this Atheisticall sinne that believes no more the threates and promises of God then if some Imposter had spoken them this hellish sinne which hardens and makes up the heart against all repentings this unnaturall sinne that puts off al thoughts of ones familie ones selfe and sends him on grazing with Nebuc hadnezzar this sinne this vile sinne thus transcendent let him first dwell upon and lay to heart the things formerly delivered that by this tast hee may learne to detest the drunkards qualities let him remove and take heed of all the forenamed causes especially of affecting popular applause and reputation of good fellowship that so the causes being removed and taken away the effect may cease to unlearn evill is the best kind of learning Next observe these Rules which I shall but touch whereof some are generall some more proper and peculiar The generall meanes are § 174. FIrst believe thine estate dangerous and that there is but one way to helpe thee viz. to repent what thou hast done and never more to doe what thou hast repented not fostering one knowne sin in thy soule for the only way to become good is first to believe that thou art evill and by accusing our selves we prevent Sathan by judging our selves we prevent God And lastly one hole in a Ship may sinke her one Bullet may kill a man aswel as twenty neither is repentance without amendment any more then to pump and never stop the leake 2. Secondly if thou beest convinced and resolvest upon a new course let thy resolution bee peremptory and constant If with these premonitions the Spirit vouchsafes to stirre in thy heart by good motions and holy purposes to obey God in lâ—tting thy sinnes go as once the Angel in the Poole of Bethesda take hold of opportunity and having eares to heare harken what the Spirit faith and take heed you harden not againe as Pharaoh and the Philistins did Thou knowest Pharaoh had many purposes to obey God in letting the children of Israel goe but still hardens againe as often as he purposed untill God had almost destroyed the whole Land yea after hee had stood out nine plagues when death entred within his Palaces he dismissed the people but presently after in all hast makes after them to fetch them back againe yea he could seeme religious when the fit tooke him every great plague put him into a Feaver and then he was godly of a sudden O pray for me now but when the fit was over Pharaâ—h was Pharâ—â—h againe as prophane as ever nine times hee began to relent and nine times againe hee hardened his heart but he was never good egg nor bird his beginning was naught his proceeding worse and who could looke for better at his later end and the Philistins being five times punished five times repented themselves and at last returned to their old by as againe in which they remained constant 1 Samuel 5. and 6. Chapters Againe Pilate had strong purposes and desires to let Christ goe yet at lenght condemned him to content the people Luke 23. 22. to 25. The young man in the Gospel resolved verily to follow Christ but turned backe and went away sorrowfull when hee heard the condition propounded of giving that he had to the poore Mat. 19. 22. Iudas was grieved for murthering Christ yet no change ensued hee after murthered himselfe all these conceptions dyed before they came to the birth therfore take heed least it should fare so with thee How many thousand good motions of the Holy Ghost prove still-borne and abortive through our negligence or be over-laid with our vanities we use them as Iulius Caesar did the Paper that concerned his owne life all the other petitions he read only that he put in his pocket and never look'd on it Men commonly regard the songs of Sion as they doe musicke which they heare at night in the streets whiles they are in bed perhaps they will step to the window and listen to it awhile as if they lik'd it but presently to bed againe O doe not like the Israelites who are said to heare God and in the same Chapter to worship the Calfe quench not the Spirit 1 Thes. 5. 19. If thou be upon the mountaine looke not backe againe upon Sodome as Lot's wife did If thou be within the Arke fly not out againe into the world as Nâ—ah's Crow did If thou bee well washed returne not againe to the mire as the Hog doth If thou beest clean purged turne not againe to thy filthy vomit as the Dog doth If thou be going towards the land of Canaan think not of the flesh-pots of Egypt If thou have set thy hand to the plow looke not behind thee for better not begin then leave off having begun better remaine cold then first bee hot then luke-warme and after key-cold againe For as in naturall things as water that which hath beene a little warmed becommeth more cold then if it had never had any heat in it so in spirituall the evill spirit having once forsaken a man if he returnes to that house after it is empty swept and garnished he bringeth with him seven more spirits worse then himselfe and the latter end of that man is worse then his beginning Matth. 12. 43. 45. Thus it fared with Iulian the apostate and Iudas the traitor who suffering the divell to enter into him when he had newly received the Sacrament he could never afterward be driven out againe so if the divell enter intothee after thouhastreceived this warning had these good purposes and made these holy resolutions he will possesse thee like Iudas stronger then he did before Oh it is a fearefull thing to receive the grace of God in vaine and a desperate thing being warned of a Rock wilfully to cast our selves upon it Wherefore resemble not the Chelidony stone which retaineth his vertue no longer then it is rub'd with gold nor the Iron which is no longer soft then it is in the fire Be not like those which are Sea-sicke who are much troubled while they are on ship-board but presently well againe when they come to shore for that good saith Gregory will doe us no good which is not made good by perseverance § 175 3 NOw if thou intendest to hold out in thy good purposes and meanest to bring thy thoughts to the birth thou must not be ashamed to confesse with that honest theife upon the crosse even before thy companions and fellow drunkards that thou art not now the same man thou wast both thy mind and judgement is châ—nged and so shall thy practise God assisting thee nay thou wiâ—â— not only forsake thy sin but their company too except they will forsake their old customes of drinking and scoffing and jeering at sobriety and
it how doth she hate her selve for loving so foule so filthy a fiend for to an understanding rectified the drukard is a strange Chimaera more prodigious then any monster being c. The Drunkard a strange Chimaera more prodigious then any Monster being in Visage a Man but a Brotheus in Heart a Swine in Head a Cephalus in Tongue an Aspe in Belly a Lumpe in Appetite a Leech in Sloth an Ignavus The Drunkard a strange Chimaera more prodigious then any Monster being a Ierffe for Excessive devouring a Goate for Lust. a Siren for Flattery a Hyaena for Subtilty a Panther for Cruelty The Drunkard a strange Chimaera more prodigious then any Monster being in Enuying a Basiliske in Antipathy to all good a Lexus in Hindering others from good a Remora in Life a Salamander in Conscience an Ostrich in Spirit a Devill 1. in surpassing others in sin 2. in tempting others to sin 3. in drawing others to perdition even the most despicable peece of all humanity and not worthy to be reckoned among the Creatures which God made § 177. SEcondly if thou vvouldst reclaime thy selfe from this vice have a speciall care to refraine the company of this drunken Route Pro. 23. 20. 1 cor 5 11. who not only make a sport of drunkennesse but delight also to make others drunke I say as Christ said beware of men Math. 10. 17. for he that goes into wicked company will come wicked out at least worse then he went in It is rare if wee denie not Christ with Peter in Caiaphas his house with Salomon it is hard having the Egyptian without her Idolls whereupon the Fuller in the Fable would not have the Colliar to live in his house least what he had made white the other should smut and collow yea be as wary and as wise as a Serpent to keepe out and get out of their company but as innocent as a Dove if it be poâ—â—ible while thou art in it and canst not choose remembring alwayes that they are but the Devills deputies yea humane Devills as once our Saviour called Peter being instrumentall to Sathan sathan himselfe get thee behind me Sathan Matth. 16. 23. they that will have his trade must have his name too Now by thy observing or not observing this Rule it will appeare whether there be any hope of thy reclaiming for all depends upon this yea could the most habituated incorrigible cauterized drunkard that is even dead in this sinne but for sake his ill company I should not once doubt of his recovery for doe but drive away these uncleane birds from the carkasle a million to a mite the Lord hath breathed into his nosthrills againe the breath of life and he is become a living soule Thirdly and lastly abstaine from drunken places which are even the nurseries of all ryot excesse and idlenesse making our land another Sodom and furnishing yearely our Jayles and Gallouses farre be it from me to blame a good calling to accuse the innocent in that calling I know the Lord hath many in the world in these houses but sure I am too many of them are even the dens and shops yea thrones of Sathan very sinkes of sinne which like so many common-shores or receptacles refuse not to welcome and encourage any in the most lothsome pollutions they are able to invent and put in ctise who if there were any hope of prevailing would be minded of their wickednesse in entertaining into their houses encouraging and complying with these traitors against God and of their danger in suffering so much impiety to rest within their gates for if one sinne of theft or of perjury is enough to â—ot the rasters to grind the stones to levell the walls and roof of any house with the ground Zac. 5. 4. what are the oathes the lyes the thefts the whoredomes the murthers the numberless and namelesse abominations that are committed there But should I speake to these I should but speed as Paul at Ephesus I should be cryed downe with great is Diana after some one Demetrius had told the rest of this occupation Sirâ— ye know that by this craft we have our wealth surely if feare of having their Signes pulled downe their Licences called in c. cannot prevaile it little booâ—es me to speake Only to you Church-wardens Constables and other Officers that love the Lord the Church the State your selves and people helpe the Lord the King and his lawes against this mighty sinne Present it indite it smite it every one shoote at it as a common enemy doe what you can to suppresse and prevent it Tell me not he is a friend a Gentleman such an ones kinsman that offends for he is better and greater and nearer to you that is offended learn to feare to love and obey your Maker and Saviour your gracious Protector yea learne this Normane distinction when William the first censured one that was both Bishop of Baieux and Earle of Kent his Apologie to the plaintife popeling was that he did not meddle with the Bishop but the Earle doe you the like let the Gentleman escape but stocke the drunkard meddle not with your friend and kinsman but for all that pay the drunkard or if you doe not to your power you shall have Ahab's wages his faults shall be beaten upon your backes 1 King 20. 42. But most of all are they to be desired who are within the commission of peace in God's name whose servants they professe themselves to be to remember him themselves their countrey their oathes to bend their strength power against this many headed monster that they will purge the country much more their own houses of this pernicious and viperous brood yea if there be any love of God any hatred of sin any zeale any courage any conscience of an oath away with drunkennesse out of your houses Towns Liberties balk none beare with none that offend say they be poore in whose houses the sinne is practised it is better one or two should loose their gaine than Towns of men should loose their wits their wealths their soules Oh beloved did you heare and see and smell and know what is done in some one Tavern or Ale house in the Land you would wonder that the earth could beare the house or the Sunne endure to looke upon it But alasse how many of these houses bee there in some one Towne how many of these Townes in some one Shiere and so upward You often complaine of bastardies Sheep-stealers robbers quarrellers and the like will you be eased of these diseases believe it these gather into the Ale-house as the humours doe into the stomack against an Ague-fit take them ther drive them thence with some strong Physick and you heale our Land at once of infinite distempers § 178. ANd so much to make the sick whole now to preserve the whole from being sick of this almost irrcoverable disease Wouldest thou keepe out of this snare of
the divell and drunkards consider in the first place that out of the premises ariseth this conclusion how we live in so corrupt an aire that wee need many Antidâ—tes to keepe us from being infected for lay altogether and the summe is that Sathan and his instruments are ever and every way practising to lift us out of vertues seate that we are compassed round with temptations even as the Sea compasseth the earth watching where it may conveniently get in here kissing the banks with flattering waves there swelling against it with roring billowes for if the divel can not winne men to hell as hee seemes an Angell of light hee will strive to accomplish it as he is a spirit of terror and what he cannot do by himselfe hee will by his instruments wicked men More particularly Consider that every man hath two great and importunate suters for his soule vertue and vice whose agents are good and evill men those that are agents for vertue leigers for Christ are chiefly his faithfull Ministers their commission is the Word the weapons of their warfare their tongues the only meanes they use is to intreat and beseech men by the mercies of Christ that they will be reconciled unto God the only motive to induce men hereunto is that if they will part with the sinfull pleasures of this life they shall have a glorious kingdome prepared for them in heaven which few have faith to believe and of them which doe fewer will undergo those grievous temptations and persecutions which usuaully accompany the profession of the Gospell For though the Gospell brings remission of sinne and remission of sinne occasions all true joy and peace internall and eternall peace with God and peace of conscience yet our warre with Sathan the World and the Flesh is wonderously increased thereby which makes divers that seeme to be of Christs band forsake him for with many like mutinous Souldiers no longer pay no longer fight as that desperate mercenary said he came not to fight for his country he came to fight for his money like the Law-logick and the Switzers they are for his service that gives them the best ready wages here Sathan takes his hint to usurpe upon the children of perdition religion briâ—gs crosses Ecclesia est haeres crucis they find their devotion answered with tribulation and cannot be quiet because they seeme to bee good Now steps in the Divell why should you buy misery with want when as you may want misery why will you embrace certaine cares in hope of uncertaine comforts why doe you take paines to bee poore when you may be rich with case Here they that have not the grace nor the face to give the divell the lye throw the plow into the hedge and will not waite till harvest but lay hold on these new offers of the world and for a messe of pottage sell their patrimony Whereas on the other side those that are agents for vice factors for the divell have diverse and sundry ways to prevaile whether of policy to allure and perswade or of strength to compell and enforce us to yeeld Sathan as you have heard hath many strings to his bow that if some breake the rest may hold many traines of powder some likely to take fire yea he is like some cunning Enginere that can invent new instruments according to the present occasion and inventeth all he can and puts in practice al that he inventeth and when old tricks of cheating can doe no good Sathan and his instruments will find out new O the many advantages that Sathans instruments have above Gods servants both in wooing and winning to sinne by faire meanes and in keeping such as they have wonne and likewise in compelling and enforcing by foule you have seene sundry of them in the former Treatise I will shew you yet more § 179. AS for winning by faire meanes first how ready at hand is an evill suggestion good counsel is like unto Well-water that must be drawne up with a Pump or Bucket ill counsell is like to conduit-water which if the cock be but turned runs out alone Secondly how easie a Rhetorick drawes us to the worse yea it is hard not to doe evill uninvited even Virgil a heathen could say that it was an easie thing in sinne to go on amaine and with much facility to descend into hell which is below as a man that goeth downe a hill cannot choose but run or at least one man hath more power to pull him downe then halfe a dozen the contrary but to goe forward in goodnesse and vertue to ascend so steepy a hill as heaven which is above is hard and difficult yea we had need be drawn by many strong helpes for in this case we resemble the Spider which can descend with a ladder of her owne making be the place never so low but cannot ascend one inch without some prop or rather a very stone which descends naturally is not raised but by violence facilis descensus Sed revocare gradum down streame the Boat goes fast enough to stop it is all the cunning before it strike on a Shelfe Those things which the ground naturally produceth of it selfe she soone and easily brings forth and that in abundance you shall find your furrowes full of Cockle and Darnell though you never sowe them but what is sowen not without much labour and that sparingly because she is to those a mother to these a step-dame And commonly it fares with counsels as it doth with meates those which are least wholesome are most requested and the faction of evill is so much stronger in our nature then that of good that every least motion prevailes for the one scarce any sute for the other and seldome shall wee see truth so successefull as falshood Whence it was that Theodota and Calisto two beautiful harlots could each of them boast that they excelled Sâ—crates for that they when they pleased could draw away by their allurements his disciples and auditors from him whereas he could not with all his great wisdome and learning draw from them any of their lovers whose answer was No marvaile for I draw with an unpleasing hooke to vertue whose way is difficult and hard whereas you draw with a pleasing With of down to vice which is easie and men are naturally of themselves prone to it § 180. THirdly the world like Iael beginns with milke and ends with an hammer whereas Christ keepes backe the good wine untill afterward and makes his servants break their fast with the rod. Yea he that offered our Saviour all the kingdomes of the world and the glory thereof is ready to yeeld a man more then hee shall require as the same Iael did Sisera for as when he ask'd her water she gave him milk when he only desired shelter shee made him a bed and when he beg'd but the protection of her Tent she covered him with a mantle giving him more then he asked but
withall more then he expected so deales Sathan and the world with a poore soule The divill is like a late Emperor of Turkie who married his owne daughter to a Basha on the one day and then after a night pleasure sent for his head the next morning for here he is a tempter hereafter a tormenter And herein Christs servâ—nts and the divels differ this life is our hell and their heaven the next shall be their hell and our heaven Psal. 17. 14. Matth. 5. 4. Luke 6. 21. Iohn 16. 20. Indeed our outward afflictions here are so sweented with inward consolation that this world may rather bee called our purgatory for a Christian here in respect of his manifold troubles and sweet consolation in christ seemes half in hell and halfe in heaven as Petrus Tenorius Archbishop of Toledo caused King Salomon to be painted upon the walles of his Chappell after he had a long time considered the waighty reasons on each side whether he were damned or saved or as the Papists feigned Erasmus to be for that he was halfe a Protestant halfe a Roman Catholike but this inward consolation is hidden to the world Fourthly the divell and his instruments can so delude the fancy and judgement of a naturall man that as he sees nothing desireable in a religious life so hee shall give no credit to nor believe any thing that the godly shall affirme As for example Let us tell one whom they have converst withall how sweet a religious life is and how farre the light of God's countenance the peace of conscience and joy in the Holy ghost doth surpasse all earthly felicity he will not believe there is any such thing because it transcends his conceite as a poore labouring man in the country said to his neighbour he believed not there was any such sum as a thousand pounds of money though rich men talked so much of it they will believe no more then what comes within the compasse of their five senses for they are all the Articles of their faith But they are ill discoverers that think there is no land when they can see nothing but Sea Yea viewing the godly but with natures eye they thinke both God and nature envies them of all others and that most men are deluded with a poysonous lye in making only the vertuous happy But in case we say with Steâ—en that we see Christ Iesus sitting at the right hand of God these blind wizards are ready to throw stones at us for confessing what wee see or for seeing what is hid from them Againe let them see a man carefull to avoid the ginnes and snares of Sathan which are laid in every place to take his soule they will judge and call him a scrupulous fellow for watching against that which they neither see nor feare as wonder is the daughter of ignorance Indeed as country men will rather believe the reports of travellers then go to see it so they will believe these things rather then be troubled or much trouble themselves about them Againe let God by his Embassadors offer them the Kingdome of heaven upon faire and easie tearmes they will none of it yea they will slight it as the golden Indies was offered to diverse Princes and they vilipended it because they never saw it yet the wealth was worth their labour that undertooke it and so in al other cases worldly hearts especially being thus deluded can see nothing in actions of zeale but folly and madnesse untill we be borne againe we are like Nicodemus who knew not what it was to be borne againe Iohn 3. Untill we become zealous our selves wee are like Festus who thought zeale madnesse Act. 26. untill wee bee humble our selves wee are lie Michal who mocked David for his humility and thought him a foole for dancing before the Arke 2 Samuel 6. 16 yea it was true then and it is true now and it will be true alwayes which S. Paul observeth 1 Cor. 1. 18. that to such as shal perish or are for the present in a perishing condition religion shall seeme foolishnes piety hath no relish to a brutish mans palate but distastfull and indeed how should they like the food which they never tasted or bee in love with the party of whom they have not the least knowledg For as to speake is only proper to men so to know the secrets of the kingdome of heaven is only proper to believers Sense is a meere beasts reason a meere mans divine knowledge is only the Christians § 181. FIfthly the World and the Divell can so forestall mens judgements with prejudice against Gods people and goodnes that they shall resolve never to be religious so long as they live as how many by reason of that generall contempt which the divels instruments cast upon religion are both hindred from good and hardened in evill to their owne ruine and destruction 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. Yea this makes them become more impudent stupid and insensible then Salomâ—n's drunkard for as touching admonition they are like the deafe Adder tell them what God saith in his word they will stop the eare with the tongue by ingrossing all the talke neither is it the highest eloquence of the best Preacher can make him fit for heaven for they resolve against yeeld ng and words are vagabonds where the perswader hath an evill opinion of the perswader Oh this is a difficult devill to bee cast out even like that we reade of Mat. 17. 16. for as all the Disciples could not cast out that Divell no more can all the Preachers this yea certainly where Sathan hath once set this his porter of prejud ce though Christ himselfe were on earth that soule would never admit him take no good from him no not so much as think well of him as we see in the Scribes and Pharisies who made an ill construction of whatsoever he did or spake for when he wrought miracles he was a Sorcerer when he cast out divels it was by the power of divels when he reproved sinners he was a seducer when hee received sinners he was their favourer when he healed the sick he was a breaker of the Sabbath c. And even so it fares with these men for as an ill stomacke turnes all it receives into ill humours or as the Spider converts every thing she eates and the Viper every thing shee touches into poyson so they whatsoever they heare or see in the godly In fine as Beggers with Scumea make their owne flesh raw so these with prejudice make their owne eyes blind whereby it fares directly with such an one as it doth with the Serpent Regulus no charming can charme him for prejudice like the goddesse Adrasteia or Sorceres rather takes memory wit and grace from all that entertaine it and leaves them in Pyrrhon's condition who would not believe what his eyes saw and his eares heard Sixthly they have a great advantage of Gods servants in this when they have
tryed in vaine all faire meanes they can use violence as it is the use and manner of all those that are agents for vice factors for the divell first to use gentle perswasion but if that will not serve compulsion They handle us as once that Praetor did a Souldier who to make him renounce Christ first as Ierome notes imprisoned him in his owne house allowes him a chamber vvell furnished soft lodging dainty cheare vvine musick all delights vvhen this vvould not do yet Lord how many are thus prevailed vvithall to leave their Saviour then hee casts him into a darke dungeon loades him vvith irons starves him vvith the hungry allowance of husks and puddle vvater vvhen nothing would do he burnes him or as Bonner handled the Martyres whose custome was first to allure them vvith faire promises of honours favours preferments c. if that vvould not do send them to Smithfield for as bloody as he was hee had sometimes in his mouth butter and oyle as vvell as fire and faggot § 182. AGaine secondly as Sathans instruments have great advantage of Gods servants in getting so no lesse in keeping such as they have got both in regard of pleasure peace freedome and many the like priviledges which the worldling hath above Gods people 1. In regard of pleasure first whereas others that turne to God barre themselves of such delights and pleasures as here they might enjoy these may satisfie themselves and their lusts to the full live at ease and pleasuâ—e and give their affections the full swing yea and be so applauded for it as if with the people of China they of all others saw with two eyes both which makes them like their condition so vvell that they would not change upon any tearmes and hence it was that many Schollers of every Sect become Epicures but none of the Epicures became of other Sects as one objected to Archelaus True it is the godly even here have more true joy and pleasure then the most happy worldling alive but none can know the spirituall joy and comfort of a Christian but he that lives the life of a Christian Iohn 7. 17. as none could learne the virgins song but they that sang it Revel 14. 3. no man can knovv the peace of a good conscience but hee that keepes a good conscience no man knovves vvhat that hid Mannah and vvhite stone vvith a nevv name vvritten in it is but they that receive the same Rev. 12. 17. The World can see a Christians outside but the raptures of his soule the ravishing delights of the invvard man and joy of his spirit for the remission of his sinnes and the effusion of grace with such like spirituall priviledges more glorious then the states of Kingdomes are as a covered messe to the vvorldling and so abates nothing of the advantage vvhich Sathan and his instruments have above Gods servants in winning soules and Keeping such as they have vvon Secondly in regard of freedome they have a free scope and liberty to doe or say what they please whereas Gods people are restrained even in their very thoughts Yea many times in things of an indifferent nature as even actions of indifferency when once they are felt to trench upon the conscience lay deepe obligations upon the soule even whiles they are most slighted by carelesse hearts there being no lesse difference in consciences then stomackes of which some will digest the hardest meates and turne over substances not in their nature edible whiles others surfet of the lightest foode and complaine even of dainties Everygracious hear is in some measure scrupulous and finds more safety in feare then in presumption O what a poore slave doe they hold the man of a tender conscience they dare sweare and blaspheme why their tongues are their owne whereas we feare an oath They dare spend their time in dalliance and after make it their glory we dare not make the members of Christ the limms of an Harlot fearing least Heaven should be shut against us for the sinne and Hell swallow us for boasting of the sin They dare deny any fact and wager lyes with that Grandfather of lyes and lyers we dare not tell an untruth though it were to save our selves to relieve the poore to honour God They dare drinke themselves into beasts we dare not least we should never be recovered againe unto Men. They dare oppresse the poore revenge all wrongs done them c. we dare not so reproach our Maker nor wring Gods weapon out of his hand They dare sinne God in the face and presume upon his patience we feare him as a consuming fire In fine they dare hazard the breaking of their necks we would not willingly breake our shins § 183. THirdly in regard of peace 1 with Sathan 2 with the world 3 with themselves First they have farre more peace with Sathan then Gods people for he fights not with his owne subjects or souldiers as hath largely beene proved yea well may these have more peace then others seeing the barques of their soules are rowed with farre lesse labour having the wind of Sathans temptations and the tyde of their owne affections to drive them then the other who rowe against both 2 In regard of their peace with the World the World loves her owne but hates all that Christ hath chosen out of it Ioh. 15. 19. and this is a strong tye to flesh and blood though our Saviour calls this a cursed condition Luk. 6. 26. Yea how doth the indifferent worldling applaud himselfe therein together with his owne discretion and mediocrity for seeing this man vexed for his zeale that other hated for his knowledge a third persecuted for the profession of his saith c. he saith within himselfe welfare a quiet ignorance so his body is but like a lumpe of scarce moving earth and his soule a standing puddle in the midst of it 3 They have farre more peace if it may be called peace with their owne hearts then the Godly for their consciences being either brawned with the custome of sinne or cast into a dead sleepe by Sathan they feele not those perilous wounds which sinne impaires them withall yea being past feeling they can with more ease digest the hardest and foulest offence then the stomacke of an Estridge can digest Iron whereby they esteeme of their sinnes as Paul speakes of an Idoll that it is nothing in the world as for oathes yea the sinne of blasphemy it is a very mite a moate a nothing in a word how sick soever their soules be I meane how wicked and detestable soever their lives yet they have healthfull consciences which never complaine or once paine them no they heare not a Syllable of ill language from them they never check them doe they what they will neither did they ever doubt in all their lives or were once troubled in mind or conscience as many scrupulous fooles are and hereupon they thinke
themselves more happy in serving the Devill then others in serving God as those apostate Iewes in Egypt did Ier. 44. 16. to 19. Alasse what should they feare they prosper in their wickednesse they doe what they list and the Lord lets them alone therefore they thinke he is pleased with them and with their actions and that which way soever they take the end of their journey must needs be salvation yea this makes them thinke they doe wondrous well as Dionysius when he had dispoyled an Idolls temple of all the gold therein and finding the winds favourable in his Navigation applauds himselfe saying see how the gods approve of Sacriledge according to that in the Psalmes he that maketh gaine blesseth himselfe Psal. 10. 3. Besides they have good hearts and meanings as how common is it with them to talke of good meanings when they are the worst doers in a countrey yea when in their practise they embrace all morall vertues in their contraries yea though they make not such a shew to the world they have as good a heart as the proudest and hope to be saved as well as the best and so let who will say to the contrary they are sure to goe to Heaven as streight as a Sickle and so they shall for they shall goe into Heaven if they amend not their lives when the Sodomites come out of Hell and in the meane time their soules are so much the sicker by how much lesse they are sensible of paine they were wretched if they felt their danger more wretched being they feele it not as once Tully said of Anthony § 184. THirdly as Sathan hath many advantages above Gods servants in getting Disciples and keeping such as he hath gotten so no lesse in making them proficients in evill for it cannot be denied but Sathans servants thrive more under him in sinne then Gods servants can doe in grace the reason is this Sathan who is the god of this World blindeth the minds of all unbeleivers that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ should not shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 3. 4. Eph. 2. 2. 2 Thes. 2. 9. 10. for as Sathan is the Prince of darkenesse so he rules in the darknesse of the understanding dealing with wicked men as Faulkeners doe with their Hawkes who that they may carry them quietly and doe what they list unto them first blind their eyes with a hood Hercules when he stole away the golden Aples from the Hesperides who as the Poets feigne had an Orchard of them first slew the Dragon that kept them the keeper and watch of our soules is the understanding now if Sampson's eyes be once puld out the Philistins may bind him with fetters put him in prison make him grind at the mill make him a subject of scorne and what not If the Raven can but first pick out the poore sheepes eyes he may easily prey upon the whole body if the Eagle can but throw dust in the Harts eyes she makes it nothing afterward to kill him if the Dragon have once bereaved the Elephant of sight his whole body easily becomes a prey to his fury all these namely the Philistins the Raven the Eagle and the Dragon are fit emblems of Sathan who first seizeth upon the eye of the understanding and then preyes freely upon the rest of the soule And indeed what may not an enemy doe to him which wants his sight If the Assyrians be once blinded how easily may one leade a thousand of them into the mid'st of any Samaria even to their ruine 2 King 6. 18. 19. Yea how impossible is it for a man not to ruine himselfe when he wants his sight Polyphemus so soone as Vlysses had puld out his eye runs reeling and rushing against every rocke untill he had dasht out his braines So much darknesse as is left in the soule so much roome is there left for Sathan to deceive us While the candle is out it is safe for rogues to play their trickes in the darke Indeed he will afford his servants any degree of knowledge whether it be divine humane or mundane so it be not a practicall experimentall and saving knowledge he will allow them an understanding like that of the Scribes and Pharisees which was enough to condemne them but not to save them yea let the Devill like Nahash onely obtaine our right eyes of faith to be puld out it fufficeth he cares for no more he will then let us enjoy our peace our pleasure and what other priviledges we doe desire It is more true of vertue and God's truth then it was of that Creetish beauty no man loved her that never saw her no man ever saw her but he loved her neither could concupiscence bring forth sinne without the consent of Reason and this would never consent so long as the eyes are open Wherefore the Devill to utter his damned commodities dealeth as some tradsmen about their bad wares puts out the true lights and sets up false lights in their stead If the light of knowledge might freely shine in the soule Sathans suggestions would soone make him ashamed and vanish with all his workes of darkenesse If temptations might be but turned about and shewen on both sides the kingdome of darkenesse would not be so populous But when the Tempter sets upon any poore soule he shewes the baite hides the hooke all sting of conscience wrath judgement torment is concealed as if they were not nothing may appeare to the eye but pleasure profit and seeming happinesse in the enjoying of our desires those other wofull objects are reserved for the farewell of sinne that our misery may be seene and felt at once Thus he delt with David in his adultery and murther he presented to him through the false glasse of the flesh the pleasurable and over amiable delight of his sinne but concealed that shame that griefe those wounds of conscience those broken bones Psal. 51. and sharpe corrections that were to follow that he could not so much as thinke of them and so he dealt with our Saviour he shewed him all the kingdomes of the world and glory thereof but there was also much griefe as well as glory in the world he would shew him none of that so in every sinne there is farre more gall and bitternesse then hony and sweetnesse yet he suffers not our deceitfull hearts to take any notice thereof till it be too late as it fared with our first Parents who could not see what they did until they had eaten the forbidden fruite but then saith the Text were their eyes opened the Divell that shut them before opened them them Gen. 3. Yea for the most part he labours to keepe men blind during the presumption of their lives and only opens their eyes in the desperation that waits on their death or in Hell as it â—ared with the rich man who never lift up his eyes to Heaven untill he felt those flames like the Syrians whose eyes were
I doubt not but the preaching of the Word hath so prevailed with many that even think religion a disparagement and that feare nothing more then to have a name that they feare God that they have some secret liking to the truth and power of godlinesse yea strong purposes in better times to owne it if they drop not into hell before those times come So these men owe God some good will but they dare not shew it because of this they would please him yet so as they might not displease others nor themselves with the young man in the Gospell they will follow Christ so Christ propound no other conditions then what they like off But all such carnall thoughts ought to strike saile and give place to that Oracle of our Saviour whosoever shall bee ashamed of me and my woâ—ds or deny me before or among this adulterous and sinfull generation him wâ—â—â— I deny and be ashamed of also before my Father and his holy Angels in heaven Matthew 10. 33. Marke 8. 38. We read that Câ—â—sar's young men were loth to fight and so have scarres only least the women should mislike them so our younge Christians for the most part are so afraid to displease the meretricious world that they feare nothing so much as to bee or seeme good hate nothing more then to bee fashioned according to the Word of God and so whereas shame of face was ordained for sinne now shame is turned from sinne to righteousnesse for they which are not ashamed of the greatest evill are ashamed of the least good and this bashfull Divell never leaves a great many so long as they live whereby with the rich man Luke 16. they never thinke of heaven till tormented in the flames of hell § 189. BUt is not this base blood that blushes at a vertuous action Is it not a shame to bee ashamed of things either good or not ill Is it not a sottish feare and cowardise that puls us backe from goodnesse much more that constraines us to evill certainly in any good action that must needs be bad that hinders it But to forbeare good is not all for oftentimes to congratulate the company are not many of us fain to force our selves to unworthinesse and evill actions when we runne exceedingly against the graine Yea even while we are doing them our hearts chide our hands and tongues for transgressing agreeable to that of S. Augustine who confesseth that he was much â—shamed of his shamefastnesse and tendernesse in this case and further that he often belyed himself with sinnes which he never committed least hee should bee unacceptable to his sinfull companions and no marvaile when even Peter denyed his Lord and cursed himselfe to get credit amongst a cursed crew Thus as if we cared more to be thought good then to bee so indeed we force indurance on our selves to omit good actions and commit evil both against conscience meerly out of feare least lewd men should laugh at us O childish cowardly and base Surely for a man to be scoft out of his goodnesse by those which are lewd is all one as if a man that seeth should blindfold himselfe or put out his eyes because some blind wretches revile and scoffe at him for seeing or as if one that is sound of limms should limpe or maime himselfe to please the cripple and avoid his taunts A wise man will not bee scoft out of his money nor a just man bee flouted out of his faith the taunts of Ishmael shall never make an Isaac out of love with his inheritance Indeed they that least can doe best cavill can but vertue scornes muddy censures and unstained honour to be suborned by vulgar breathes yea she is strongest when shee lives in the presse of many temptations for to doe wel where is neither danger nor solicitation to evill is a common thing but to do well where is both perill and opposition is the peculiar office of a man of vertue for vertue as Metellus speakes rejecteth facility to be her companion Yea he that hath truly learned Christ had rather live hated of all men for goodnesse then beloved of all for vice rather please one good man then content a thousand bad ones his single authority being sufficient to countervaile the disdaine of a whole Parish And indeed how little is that man hurt whom malice condemnes on earth and God commends in heaven let the world accuse us so God doth acquit us it matters not for alasse their words are but like a boyes squib that flashes and cracks and stinks but is nothing and they that hang their faith on such mens lips doe but like Ixion embrace a cloud instead of Iuno and well may he claime a Boat-swanes place in Barkley's Ship of fooles that will sell his soule for a few good words from wicked mens tongues What is it to mee how others thinke me when I know my intent is good and my wayes warrantable a good conscience cares for no witnesses that is alone as a thousand § 190. BEsides of necessity wee must bee evill spoken of by some A man shall be sure to be backt and have abbettors either in good or evill and by some shouldered in both there was never any to whom some Belialists tooke not exceptions it is not possible to please or displease all seeing some are as deeply in love with vice as others are with vertue and the applause of ignorant and evill men hath ever beene vilipended by the wise and vertuous Phocion had not suspected his speech had not the common people applauded it Antisthenes mistrusted some ill in himselfe for the vulgar commendations Much more reason have we that are Christians when wee find that spirituall things are mostly represented unto vicious men false and cleane contrary to what they are indeed as corporall things in a glasse wherein those that are on the right hand seeme to be on the left and those againe which are on the left hand seeme to be on the right as it fared with Saint Paul who speaking of his unregenerate estate saith I also thought verily in my selfe that I ought to do many contrary things against the Name of Iesus Act 26. 9. That vicious drunkards and indeed all naturall men judge by contraries think and call good evill and evâ—ll good white black and black white commend what God in his word condemns and condemne what he commends I might prove by an hundred testimonies and examples out of Scripture but these may serve First touching things as if they wore their braines in their bellies and their guts in their heads they highly esteeme what is abomination in the sight of God Luk. 16. 15. and what God highly esteemes is abomination to them Pro. 13. 19. Secondly that which is called wisdome in Gods booke they account foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1. 18. 20. 23. and 2. 14. and 4. 10. Luk. 6. 27. to 36. or madnesse Acts 26. 24. Wisd. 5. 4. and
lawfull commands but you see the reason they are of a reprobate judgement Esay 5. 20. and so speake thinke and doe altogether by contraries like Heliogabalus who wore shooes of gold and rings of leather or the Blackmores who judging of beauty by contraries paint the Angells blacke and the Devills white or the Iewes who preferred Barrabas a theife a murtherer a seditionary infamous for all odious to all before Christ that came to save them Wherefore if we be wise we will read their words backward understand them by contraries count their scoffes and reproaches our glory which they take to be our shame so imitating the Christians in the primitive Church who seeing the Infidells never met them but they would make the signe of the Crosse in derision of their Christianity for that the God whom they worshipped was hanged on a Crosse to shew that they were so farre from being ashamed thereof that they gloried in nothing more then in that which their enemies cheifly derided would not only make the sign of the Cross upon their childrens foreheads the most open and eminent place at the time when they were baptized but would frequently doe the same in the presence of the said Infidells as occasion was offered However I pray God keepe me from being an honest man according to their description Besides no wise man that observes their life and practise but will thinke their dislike of him an honour and apply to them what once the Orator spake to Sâ—llust it cannot be but he who lives thy life should speake thy language yea a very Heathen would chose his religion by such mens enmity for it is the honour of Religion and goodnesse that it hath drunkards swearers c. for her scoffing adversaries as Tertullian thought much the better of Christianity because Nero persecuted it However the faith of the righteous cannot be so much derided as their successe in the end will be magnified Wisdome 5. 1. to 22. But this is the misery those prove deepe wounds to weake Christians which would be balme and Physicke unto abler judgements and admit some have the wit to discerne their dispraise an honour their praise a dishonour yet wanting courage and being afraid to displease they even suffer themselves to be brutishly driven with the drove and like nailes in a wheele turne as they are turned without either conscience of sinne or guidance of reason But if we live like them that are reserved to judgment how should we not thinke our selves to be reserved with them Indeed if with Demas thou wilt needs forsake Christ to embrace this present world it is well thou givest over so soone leavest off befor thou dost begin never settest thy hand to the plough doest not disgrace religion by professing it for thou wouldest never hold out to the end he would never endure a blow who cannot concoct a word he is not like to overcom astrong potent enemy who cannot vanquish himselfe he that is discouraged and made returne with an Ishmaelitish persecution of the tongue how would he endure a Spanish Inquisition or those Marian times he that is so afrighted with a Squib how would he endure the mouth of a Canon But heare one thing before thou goeâ—â— It is a shrewd signe that the Lord is departed from a man when he is thus basely afraid of those that cannot hurt him for when the Lord was departed from Saul he began to be afraid of David never before 1 Sam. 18. 12. true faith looking upon the Preserver and reward never feares to doe well nor to reprove those that doe ill and such cowardly Souldiers as will turne their backes for a few foule words are not for Christs standart yea wat you what they shall stand in the forefront of them that shall be cast into that lake of fire and brimstone Rev. 21. 8. they have beene most backward to goodnesse therefore shall be formost in vengeance § 193. BUt to beare ill words rather then be drunke is not all which God requires in a Christian he must suffer blowes even to death rather then yeild Some which thinke themselves both sober men and good Christians presume they may be drunke so it be to drive away a disease or to prevent a quarrell but they reckon without their Host for we must not doe evill that good may come of it that which is ill of it selfe is not to be ventured on for the good that commeth by accident Better the body be debilitated or dye by an honest disease then be cured by a dishonest medicine saith St. Austin yea admit thou wert put to this extremity that thou must either drinke excessively against thy stomacke and conscience or else thou must die for it as sometimes it falls out either drinke or I 'le stab thee it is farre better saith the same Augustine that thy sober and temperate flesh should bee slaine by a sword then that thy soule should be overcome by this sinne of drunkennesse And indeed the magnanimous Christian will lose his life rather then the peace of a good conscience like Iohn Baptist he will hold his integrity though he lose his head for it And indeed let a man but keepe a good corespondence with God and his owne conscience and then he may answer all as he did when the Tyrant threatned him I will take away thy house yet thou canst not take away my peace I will breake up thy schoole yet shall I keepe whole my peace I will confiscate all thy goods yet there is no Premunire against my peace I will banish thee thy countrey yet I shall carry my peace with mee so mayst thou say take away my riches yet I have Christ take away friends liberty wife and children life and all yet I have Christ that is to me both in life and death advantage Suppose thou beest kild for obeying God rather then man what greater honor can be done thee Queene Anne Bolane the Mother of blessed Queene Elizabeth when she was to be beheaded in the Tower thus remembred her thankes to the King Of a private Gentlewoman said she he made me a Marquesse of a Marquesse a Queene and now having left no higher degree of earthly honour for mee he hath made me a Martyr And what said Iustine Martyr to his murtherers in behalfe of himselfe and his fellow Martyrs you may kill us but you can never hurt us And Francisco Soyit to his adversaries you deprive me of this life and promote me to a better which is as if you should rob me of counters and furnish me with gold The sooner I die quoth another the sooner I shall be happy and even in the very act of suffering God gives courage with the one hand and holds out a crowne with the other 2 Cor. 1. 5. and 12. 10. When Pyrrhus tempted Fabricius the first day with an Elephant so huge and monstrous a beast as before he had not seene the next day
with money and promises of honour he answered I feare not thy force and I am too wise for thy fraud He will never feare to be killed who by killing is sure to be crowned His resolution is like that of Consalve who protested to his souldiers thewing them Naples that he had rather die one foote forwards then to have his life secured for long by one foote of retrait And good reason for doth not our Saviour say whosoever shall seeke to save his life in this case shall lose it I more he shall lose both body and soule eternally for so the words imply but whosoeuer shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospells he shall save it Mat. 10. 39. Luke 17. 11. 33. This priviledge hath God given to those that feare him that they need not to feare any thing else Yea though every paine they suffer were a death and every crosse an Hell they know they have amends enough when they heare the Holy Ghost say Apoc. 2. 10. be thou faithfull unto the death and I will give thee the crown of life And indeed this promise which is added should me thinkes be a notable spurre to our perseverance should exceedingly sharpen the commandement and drive it more deepely into our minds making us to say with Pompey being to cary corne to Rome in time of idearth and the Sea tempestuous it is necessary that I goe on not that I live Many have thought health worthy to be purchased with the price of Cauthers and Incisions how painefull soever but alasse eternall life is a precious pearle which a wise Merchant will purchase though it cost him his life yea had he a thousand lives and all that he hath Mat. 13. The women told Naomy that Ruth was better unto her then seven Sonnes Ruth 4. but Christ is better then seventy times seven lives for what is life together with a perpetuated fame from Adam till doomes day in respect of salvation for eternity or what are they that can only kill the body to Him that after he hath kild the body can cast both body and soule into Hell But as warme cloathes to a dead man so are the motions of valour to a fearefull heart say what can be said cleare mens judgements cure their prejudice many will yet feare the worlds opinion more then Gods displeasure which is to runne into the fire to avoid the smoake and more dread the mockes and flouts of men on earth then they doe the grinning mockes of the Devills in Hell which makes them cease to be good Christians that they may be thought good companions wherein they put downe Aesop's foolish fishes that leapt out of the warme water into the burning fire for ease or Timocrates who as Thucydides relates kil'd himself for feare least he should be drowned Wherefore seeing all men cannot receive this gift of fortitude save they to whom it is given I will yet shew you if not a more excellent yet a more safe way to avoid this danger and all other their allurements § 194. IF thou wouldest neither bee intised nor enforced to pledge them in any of their wicked customes divorce thy selfe from all acquaintance and society with the vicious yea entertaine no parly with them There are some vices of that nature that they cannot be vanquished but by avoiding such is fornication fly fornication saith the Apostle 1 Corinth 6. 18. that is flee the company of fornicators for to be in a lewd womans company saith Salomon and depart innocent aud to take fire in a mans bosome and not singe his cloaths or go upon live coles and his feet not be burnt are equally possible Prov. 6. 27 28. such is the frailty of mans nature that if the eye but see or the eare heare or the hand but touch a whorish woman the heart will goe nigh to catch and take fire verse 29. And thus is fares with this sinne bid a man consort a while with drunkards and depart from them innocent you may as well put a match to dry powder and forbid it to take fire except he be very well stayed and of better governd affections then ordinary It is not safe to commit a little Wherry to the Seas violence A sticke that hath once been in the fire much more a Torch newly extinguisht being forth with put to the flame will soone be kindled again Wherfore keep out of the reach of thy vicious â—equaintance and if they becken thee one way be thou sure to take the contrary at least entertaine no parley with them When Castles once come to a parley there is great feare they will yeeld and gates that are alwayes open will sometimes admit an enemy No disputing with Sathan or his deputies when our first Parents fell to arguing the case with that old Serpent though in the state of innocencie when they had wit at wil and their reason at command they found him too hard for them how much more too weak shall we find our selves that now are as we are surely we are like to lose all if once wee enter into disputation with that old Sophister and crafty Fox after the experience of six thousand yeares almost and when our ownflesh which his the greatest both deceiver and dissembler in the world is become his cunning solicitour Alasse he desires no more then to be heard speak for grant him but this and he will perswade thee to believe even contrary to thine own knowledge as how easily did he perswade Eve by himself and Adam by her when they gave but care to him to believe what he spake though they had heard God himself say the contrary but a little before Gen. 2. 17. and if innocency found no meanes of resistance what hope have we so extreamely degenerated And indeed why doe we pray not to be led into temptation if we lead our selves into temptation If we will not heepe our selves from the occasion God will not keepe us from the sinne and if God doe not keep us we cannot be kept we cannot wee will not choose but fall Wherefore shun the society of evill men as Iosoph shunned the society of his Mistresse and leave them that leave God as Noah did the old World and that by God's commandement Gen. 7. 1. 7. and Abraham the Cananites Gen. 12. 1. and Lot the Sodomites Gen. 19. 17. and Israel the Egyptians Exod 12. 37. 41. and Moab and Ammon Numb 27. 1. 2. 3. 16. 17. § 195. BUt is it warrantable may some say to separate from our old acquaintance being vicious and other the like companie Not totally for then we must goe out of the world 1 Cor. 5. 10. nor from any in all cases for then we must separate from the publike assemblies nor in regard of civill society and necessary commerce for this were to unglew the whole worlds frame which is contexted onely by commerce and contracts there by certaine wise uses to be made of them
workes and the Ships were broken that they were not able to goe to Tâ—rshish 2 Chro. â—0 37. But admit they can not infeâ—ffe us either in their sinne or punishment yet their society will be a shrewd vexation to us As let a religious man fall into their company as an honest man may fall into the hands of theeves they will conspire how to afflâ—ct his eyes with unchast visions his eares with fearefull oathes his unwilling appetite with drunken healths which even a civilized Pagan would abhor We read that Clitomachus the wrestler though a great company-keeper yet if he had heard but one filthy word would presently depart How was just Lot vexed with the uncleanly conversation of his wicked neighbours Sodom was worse then a Jaile to his righteous soule and report lyes if our Jailes be not much like to Sodom the very dens of mischiefe the Scholes of wickednesse a Malefactor learnes more vilany there then ever he knew before drunkennesse and blasphemy usurpe the place of mortification and humility Or lastly if their society be not a vexation to our minds at least it will be a great disparagement to our names every one will conclude almost infallibly such as our company is such is our disposition The common Proverb is like will to like And Birds of a feather will flock together When Iepthah was himselfe in banishment there gathered to him idle fellows such as himselfe Iudges 11. 3. When David was in trouble and vexed in minde himselfe their flockt unto him all those that were in trouble vexed in mind or that were in debt even foure hundred of them to the Cave of Adullam 1 Sa. 22. 2. Yea our Saviour meetes no lesse then ten Lepers in one knot Fellowship is that we all naturally affect though it be in Leprosie even Lepers will flock to their fellows where shâ—ll wee finde one spirituall leper alone drunkards prophane persons hereticks will be sure to consort with their matches And hereupon the Lacedâ—m onians when they would certainly bee informed what the disposition and behaviour of any one was would wisely inquire with what persons they were linked in fellowship And indeed he that makes himselfe a companion of all sells his reputation very cheape it being as great an indecorum for a holy Christian to be in the company of gracelesse persons as it is for a reverend Divine to sit upon the Stage in a publike Theater or an old man to dance with little children in the streetes Base company saith one kills both our fame and our soules it gives us wounds which will never admit of healing How many have irrecoverably lost their good names by keeping company with suspected persons and whether the report bee true or false it is no easiething to disprove a slaunder for like an unruly spirit once raised 't is hard to conjure downe againe A mans good name is much easier kept then recovered And thus you see that evill company endangers our soules or could our soules be free yet our persons are in danger or could our soules and persons both bee safe yet our estates are in jeopardy or could our soules bodies and estates be secure yet our fame would suffer and our good name lye at the stake Wherefore c. § 200. BUt admit we could keepe them company without harme yet this inconvenience would ensue their company would bereave us of much good which otherwise we should enjoy being alone it fareing with the godly wise as with Saint Ambrose who was wont to say I am never lesse alone then when I am all alone for then I can enjoy the presence of my God without interruption They are able to say as Duâ—artus and before him Scipio I have never better company then when I have no company for then can I freely entertaine my owne thoughts and converse with all the learned which have beene in former ages Antisthenes being asked what fruit he had reaped of all his study made answer I have learned by it both to live and walke with my selfe And Alphonsus King of Arragon being demanded what company he liked best replyed Bookes for these saith he without feare or flâ—ttery or any reward tell me faithfully all that I desire to know Cicero was and I am of his minde and though I bee no Hermit to sit away my daies in a dull Cell yet will I choose rather to have no companion then a bad one When Cato Vtican in vacation times and at his best leasure went to recreate himselfe in the country hee used to cary with him the best Philosophers and choisest bookes Algerius an Italian Martyre said Hee had rather be in prison with Cato then with Caesar in the Senate house so was it more comfortable to bee with Philpot in his Cole-house then with Bonner in the Palace Boner's conscience made his Palace a Cole-house and a dungeon whiles Philpot's made the Cole-house a Palace The state of grace is heaven upon earth and he that knowes the sweetnesse of Gods presence wil deeme it more tollerable to bee ever alone then never able to be so When I read of Hiero the Tyrant of Syracusa and other such that gave over their Kingdomes to live a solitary life I somewhat wonder I should not to heare of a religious and Christian King that did so It is impossible for the naturall man to be so merry in company as the believer alone yea saith S. Augustine the teares of those that pray are sweeter then the joyes of the Theater Indeed a witty jest may make a man laugh more and lowder but he who hath an inheritance fallen to him feeles a more solid joy within so hee that enjoyes his Saviour and hath the assurance of heaven is truly merry at the heart and keepes Hilary Tearme all his life And indeed nothing in the world is worth envie besides the condition of a true Christian. But to what end doe I tell a blind man how glorious and bright a creature the Sunne is or a poore man what summes of money are in the Kings Exchequers To so many as are unrenewed I speake in Parables Revel 2. 17. Yea this seemes to them a Paradox that the people of God should be a merry people for contrariwise they dreame of nothing but solitarinesse and melancholly as the common people thought Tully to bee most idle when he studied most or as the Husbandman in Aesope objected idlenesse to the Poet but as he replyed I am never so idle as in thy company so may the religious we are never so solitary never so melancholly as when in society with you that are vicious This was David's case which maketh him cry out Wâ—e is me that I must remaine in Mâ—seck and dwell in the Tents of Kedar he found it a heavie yoke to bee yoked with irreligious companions And a double reason may be given of it though we feare not to suffer either in our persons goods or good names as before you have it For
first the soule that lives among thornes shall hardly thrive they are such Backbyasses to a godly life that they will do what they can to hinder our goodnesse to heaven and the goodnesse of heaven to us they will wither all our good parts and qualities which are in us like an evill North-wind they blow upon the buds of our graces and nip them 2. Secondly It would make a mans heart to bleed to heare and consider how swearing blaspheming cursed speaking railing slandering quarrelling contending jesting mocking scoffing flattering lying dissembling vaine corrupt and filthy scolding scurrilous lose and idle talking doth overflow with them in all places so that such as feare God had better bee any where then in the company of most men Now I were madd if I should so affect company as to live voluntarily where vexations shall daily salute me Indeed a man is not rightly said to live untill he hath abandoned wicked society Similis having lived seven yeares apart from the world after a long time spent in a military life he left this Epitaph behind him Here lies old Similis yet one that lived but seaven yeares This made Frederick the third Elector Palatine when some such friends of his desired his company to answer I have lived enough to you let mâ—e now live to my selfe and with my Lord Christ. Yea Saint Augustine tenne dayes before he dyed desired none might come to him that so in that time hee might the better fit him self for God And indeed that soule can never enjoy God that is not sometimes retired O that wee could in any reasonable time give a stop to our madding and straying fancies that we could after so long time spent in the lusts of the flesh and pride of life bring home our cogitations and intentions unto our selves shake off these violent hold-fasts bid our companions farewel which have too long engaged our soules and estranged us from our selves But when we are so wedded combined and glewed to the world it is no easie matter to make a safe retreat it is a fleaing to some to bee sundred thereby you pull away some peece of themselves In this case what we cannot doe all at once let us gaine upon our selves by degrees go back step by step first block up one passage then another Will you know what course Demosthenes tooke in this case He to the end that his acquaintance and nearest friends might not by carying him abroad according to their custome withdraw him from his study and bookes caused the haire of his head to be shaved off and after took an order that they should not peepe out untill hee had shook off his consorts by continually making them loose their labours It were happy for our young studients if they would a little imitate him if they were not overmuch affected and addicted to company keeping if they would but consider that friends are the thieves of time the most precious jewell they can part withall § 201. BUt here it will bee objected That we are melancholly persons strayers from the drove of mankind and whereas nature hath made us sociable creatures in making us men religion hath alâ—ered to a crazied disposition whereby wee are mispleasing to all as all to us To this is answered Suppose it were true but I shall in place more convenient prove that the religious only enjoy true mirth and that worldly mirth is more talked of then felt spirituâ—ll joy more felt then talk'd of though I may appeale to any mans conscience that hath been softned with the unction of grace and truly tasted the powers of the world to come yet they think it is better being a good Christian then a good fellow and hold it farre better in good sadnesse to bee saved with a few as Noah was in the Arke then in good fellowship with the multitude to bee drowned in sinne and damned for company We are content saith one to passe through somewhat more unsociably into happinesse it sufficeth wee shall meet with good company at our journeys end in the kingdome of heaven even an innumerable company of Saints and Angels The men of the world practise what once a Jester spake who when a great Lord asked him whether he would goe to Heaven or Hell answered to hell for there quoth he I shall bee sure to meet your Lordship and the greatest part of mine acquaintance But it is not so with the true Christian he little loves Christ that will not follow him without company and his zeale is cold to heaven whom the example of numbers can turn another way Wherefore let us say as much as Peter said and do more then Peter did though all men should forsake thee yet will I nt leave thee O Saviour neither magnitude of Princes nor multitude of people shall prevaile with me But the world wrongs religion when they accuse it to bee an enemy to good-fellowship for she hath not a follower which doth not say with David Psa 119. 63. I am a companion to all them that feare thee and keep thy precepts for the godly mans chiefe delight is in the Saints and such as excell in vertue Psalme 16. 3. Yea and their fellowship is so good profitable and delectable that as Synesius was of opinion that King Hieron got more by Simonides acquaintance then Simonides did by his and as we read that Pharaoh Saul and Nebuchadnezzar were more pleasured by Ioseph David and Daniel then Daniel David and Ioseph were by them so I perswade my selfe great persons would finde themselves more then required if they would vouchsafe the company of some poore Saints for a wise and holy Christian like his Lord and Master wheresoever he goes makes better cheare then he findes in an happy exchange of spiritual repast for bodily Yea as Plato accounted it one of the foure great privelidges for which he was especially bound to nature that he lived in the time of Socrates so they should thinke it none of the least favours for which they were bound to blesse God that they enjoyed so religious and holy society It is true indeed there is a supposed good fellowship to which religion is an enemy because it is an enemy to this holy fellowship of the Saints and good reason the one are to the other as Wolves are to the Lambes now is it any marvaile if the Lambes care not greatly for the company of the Wolves the Lambe would not willingly be alone yet it is far better when solitary then in a wolvish society Generous mindes will associate with their matches and equalls or none as David being a King when he was expulsed his owne Country resorts to none but Kings for first he goeth to Achis King of Gath then to the King of Moab 1 Sam. 21. 10. and 1 Sam. 22. 3. Neither are our ding-thirsts who lavish out their estates and throw the house out at windowes as we use to say good fellowes though they call themselves
peace Neither can any wonder that wicked men doe so consâ—ire in evill that there is such unanimity in the broachers abbetters of it if he but take notice of those Devills which being many in substance were yet one in name action habitation even a whole Legion in one man Marke 5. 9. all the praise of concord is in the subject if that be holy the consent is angelicall if sinnefull devilish true peace is to have peace with God warre with our lusts Ro. 5. 1. and 7. 22. 23. peace with vertue warre with vice whereas they have peace and are at league with their sinnes but are at warre with God and good men all at once but a just warre is a thousand times better then such an ill conditioned peace yea it no way deserves the name of peace except we be at enmity with the Serpent at unity within our selves we ought so to be at peace with men as that we doe not warre with God and his graces peace must be followed with holinesse Heb. 12. 14. wherefore Zachary joyneth faith peace and truth together Zach. 8. 16. and St. Paul peace and righteousnesse peace and edification peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. 19. 20. c. Thus the Scripture sets us our bounds for peace which we may not passe and shewes that ungodly men are not guilty of this grace that they doe but talke of peace not practise it But suppose we could enjoy peace in their company yet we can never expect to have their loves for drunkards only love drunkards and one wicked man another but care not a rush for any that are good being like Phalaris the Tyrant who would never grant any request except it were to a dissolute woman but such he never denied Likenesse we know is the cause of love and love the cause of likenesse whereas the beleiver and the unbeleiver are altogether unlike the one being crucifiâ—d and dead to the world Gal. 6. 14. but made alive in Christ 1 Cor. 15. 22. The other being spiritually dead even while they are alive 1 Tim. 5. 6. We seldome see different dispositions entirely loving for hence growes the height of friendship when two similary soules doe blend in their commixions And hence it is that two friends are said to come into Vulcan's shop to beg this boone of him that he would either beaâ—e them on his Anvile or melt them in his Fornace both into one the which he granted I'ts likenesse that makes the true love knot of friendship when we finde another of our owne disposition it appeares the same soule in a divided body Nature that makes us love our selves makes us with the same reason love those that arâ— like us A friend is a more sacred name then a Brother Pro. 18. 24. For what availes it to have the bodies from the same originall when the soules within them differ And yet some Rehoboam like passing over the religious will joyne themselves with ungodly persons like as some put away honest wives and goe to harlots wherein they deale as wisely as if a man should cast away his fleshy leg and set on another of Wood. Causa patrociâ—io non bona pejor erit Or admit thou shouldst enjoy a wicked mans love it is but mercenary base and inconstant and so not worth the having Indeed there was never such abject and servile prostitutions of presentations as life soule devotion adoration servant slave c. as there is now amongst our drunkards and rorers and what love they expresse to one they professe to all every one they know or salute is their friend but friendship so distracted like as the River Ganges was by Cyrus into 365. brookes both looses her name and nature a lover of so many never loves any Or admit a drunkard doe love thee either he loves thee for his owne sake because he hath some pleasure or profit or credit by thee as prosperity procureth friends no lesse then adversity proveth them which is with Craterus to love the King rather then with Ephaestion to love Alexander now I doe not hold him woâ—thy thankes that professeth me kindnesse for his owne ends Or secondly he loves only thy body or naturall parts which is but the worst peece of thee and love to the body is but the body of love the soule of love is the love of the soule Neither doth he truly love that loves the body more then â—he mind and soule or common gifts before saving graces this love as it is never long liv'd so it is ofâ— but feigned as you shall have drunkards and dissembling polititians salute one another with God save you at their meeting and wish one another hanged â—t their parting Italian-like they will be glorious and complementall in their in vitations but if you accept of their offer they will hate you for it ever after A drinking friendship is but a drunken friendship and beleeve it thou wilt find those friends firmest that thy vertueâ— purchase thee these will love thee when thy wealth is gone whereas those that be wonne without desert will also be lost without a cause you need but be an Arbitrator betweene two such friends to make them both your enemies things that differ in their end will surely part in their way now thy end is to gaine him his end to make a gaine of thee for let the passage of profit be stopt his love is likewise at a stand have you deserved never so well from him the deniall of one favour nay an health shall drowne the memory of many fore-performed ones which is all one as if for the abortion of one child a man should kill all the former issue whereas the good mans thankes for old favours lives even in the blowes of injurie or can you not feede these vermine as you have done away they goe like a Sunne Diall you shall be no longer regarded then you are shined on by prosperity yea Rats runne not faster away from an house on fire nor lice from a dead body then they from poverty and if ever it be your misery to stand in need of them looke for no other requitall then Iob had of his carnall friends whom he compares to a deceitful Brooke which in winter is hard frozen with cold in Summer dried up with heate betweene winter and Summer passing away alwayes deceitfull never of use Iob. 6. 14. to 19. Yea a man may say of such friends as a learned Antiquary said of Rumâ—ey Marsh bad in Winter hurtâ—ull in Summer never good nay this comparison falls short for thou hast sped well if such friends prove not dangerously hurtfull as well as helpelesse Have I not knowne some of them resemble the Snake which when a kind Husbandman had taken out of the cold and cherished in his bosome and she had recovered her lively heate and was growne lusty singled out him ungratefully to trie her first sting upon or a Promotour that in Lent
eates flesh at your table and yet is the first that accuseth thee to the Magistrate If Ziba be waxed great under Mephibosheth he will give him a lift for all he hath A promoted Begger hath not seldome renounced his advancer And what else can be looked for from them They cannot make conscience of civill duties who make none of divine If a man have cast off his God he will easily cast off his friend They that have broken their faith with him will keepe no faith with us When Religion is once gone humanity will not stay long after I take leave of this point with a caution Reveale to such men no secrets for he that now loves thee dearely may come to hate thee deadly nor beleeve a word that they say for they are like Antigonus who never denied any sute that was asked but withall never performed any thing that he granted for what they promise when they are drunke they forget when they are sober or like Saul who being perswaded of David's worth and loyalty sweares as the Lord liveth he shall not die 1 Sam. 19. 6. yet within foure verses for all his oath he daâ—ts a Speare at him intending to naile him to the vvall in the next verse he sends messengers to his house to kill him or like the Councell of Constance vvho made promise to Iohn Husse of a conduct and safe returne yet like forsworne persecuters put him to death § 204. OB. But here some of them will reply That we lay the saddle upon the wrong horse when we tax them for want of peace love and friendship in that the religious only shew inconstancy by bidding farewell to their old friends and acquaintance so soone as they embrace religion Answ To this is answered First that constancy except it be in the truth and in a good cause is impudency change in the vicious is as great a vertue as constancy in the vertuous The Almaines were praised for changing their customes which were found to be but bad before as Tacitus affirmeth Constancy in things ill is so farre from being a vertue that it is an absolute vice Of things imperfect change is the way to perfect them The Gentiles became beleevers the Iewes Infidells Zacheus turnes from the world Demas turns to the world Paul turns an Apostle Iudas an Apostate I would faine know whether charge in the Gentiles Zacheus and Paul was not as great a vertue as it was a vice in the Iewes Demas and Iudas Saint Paul was inconstant indeed for to day as it were he breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of Christ and to morrow he preacheth Christ in the Synagogue what then will any not debauched censure him of ficklenesse for it nay will not all wise men thinke it a great honour to him and commend him for shaking hands with the high Priests and his fellow Pursevants when once hee heard that voice from heaven Act. 9. 4. There is not any so neare unto us but if he fall from God wee may fall from him It merits the name of wilfulnesse when we will not admit of a lawful chang to the better As Philocrates sported with Demosthenes you may not marvell Athenians that Demosthenes and I do differ for he drinks water and I drinke wine so some laugh at us for being sober with Rhenish and we as much pity them for being drunk with Canary Againe they censure us of inconstancy we them of impudency Now in this case when that is reputed ridiculous by one which is accounted sage by another as wise what shall we doe but make Gods Word the umpier Wherefore in all changes I will have regard to these three things God's approbation mine owne benefit and the not harming of my neighbour and then where the change is not a fault I will never think it a disgrace though the great exchange the World should judge it so Even modesty in some is a vice when out of a weake flexibility of nature a man hath not courage enough to deny the request of a seeming friend If a man never abandoneth evill untill he abandoneth evill company it is high time to take courage yea the longer wee have beene with them the more need have we to hasten out of them If this satisfie not as the Emperor Frederick said to certaine of his Minions that vvere importunate to get into their hands the ancient demeasne of the Empire that hee would rather be accounted of small lâ—berallity then perjured even so had vve in this case rather be accounted inconstant then be unconscionable To the second part of the objection I ansvver That true love and friendship is only among good men The vvicked may talke of it and one drunkard may professe to another that hee loves him as well as himselfe and therein speake truth for saith Augustine most elegantly to such an one thou lovest thy selfe so as thou wilt destroy thy selfe and thou wilt destroy him whom thou lovest as thy selfe yea better then themselves for you shall have one Ruffian salute another with God save you Sir but after some strange attestations sweare away himselfe with God damn me Sir now how can any wise man thinke him a friend that is his own enemy he that is evill to himselfe to whom will he be good But see the depth of such a mans love and whether it be not to damn thy body and soule everlastingly S. Ambrose tels us of one who solicited a godly woman to incontinency saying he infinitely loved her she answers if you love me so well as you seeme put one of your fingers into the flame till your flesh be burnt off he replys that was no part of love in her to require it yes said she if yours be love to cause both my body and soule to be burnt in hell fire for ever which by consequence will follow if I yeeld to your request and take your counsell Oh that thou hadst the wit to answer the drunkard when he tempts thee thus Indeed there is a kind of agreement which is strengthened by sinne it selfe as if one fee the keeper of a wench his secrecy is bought for ever But all this while if one call another friend it is but to give him a nick-name whereof hee is not guilty for true friendship is so sacred holy and pure that it will not be used in evill which made Pericles when hee was desired by a friend of his to aide him with false witnesse answere that hee would be friend him as farre as the Altar meaning so farre as stood with piety and religion or his duty to God but no further and Phocion refuse to help his son in law Cariles in judgement being accused for bribery saying withall that hee had made him his friend and allie in just and reasonable matters and in them only and this likewise made Papinian a Pagan being commanded by the Emperor Caracalla whose Steward and familiar he was
our case would be far worse if wee had the worlds peace 390. not strange that wicked men should agree so well 414. agreement of wicked men not worthy the name of peace 832. Persecute wicked men persecute not the evil but the good 499. Petitions God may grant them in anger 659. Plague be it never so hot drunkards are the same 137. it hath wrought little or no reformation 245. many the worse for it 247. Taverns fullest when the streets emptiest 248. Pledge the originall of the word 327. Practise how the godly and wicked differ in their practise 249. wee know no more then wee practise 595. Pray Gods people count it a sinne not to pray for their greatest enemies 523. pray not for knowledge without putting difference 658. when we cannot pray what 663. Presumptuously do drunkards sin 471. Prejudice makes many resolve against yeelding 724. Pride and reputation of good-fellowship a cause of drunkennesse 277. pride of wit 280. Promises entailed to believers and limited with the condition of faith and repentance 560. Profession of religion 382. 532. look Scoffs Punishment wicked men complaine of their punishment but of their sin they speake not 539. R REason as it is clouded with the mistes of original corruption a blind guid 202. once debauched is worse then brutishnesse 693. Reckoning worldlings never think of the reckoning they are to give 621. Regeneration what and how we may know our selves to be regenerate 565. Repentance what and how we may know whether we have repented 570. not to deferre it 588. sicknesse no fit time for it 79. God wil not accept our dry bones when Sathan hath suck't out all the marrow 586. the several wayes whereby God cals to repentance 478. in a judgement so many as repent are singled out for mercy 257 if any would repent of and relinquish this sin of drunkennesse let them first lay to heart the things delivered 695. secondly refraine the causes ibid. thirdly believe their state dangerous and that there is no way to helpe but by a chang to the contrary 696. fourthly be peremptory in their resolution ibid. fifthly shame not to confesse their dislike of it in themselves and others 700. sixthly fly evill company 701. seventhly take heed of delayes 702. eightly omit not to pray for divine assistance ibid ninthly be diligent in hearing 703. tenthly frequent in the use of the Lords Supper ibid. eleventhly meditate what God hath done for them ibid. twelfthly think on the union we have with Christ ibid. thirteenthly consider that God ever beholds them 704. 14ly often think of the day of judgement ibid. fifteenthly consider the hainousnesse of this sin and the â—vills which accompany it 705. sixteenthly abstaine from drunken company 709. for all depends upon this seventeenthly abstaine from drinking-places 710. Report of necessity we must be evill spoken of by some 756 the evill report of evill men an honour 763 Reputation hee of most reputation that can drinke most 139. Reward of drunkards 146. and swearers 104. they shall have a double portion of vengeance to other men 464 Righteous the civilly righteous have hell for their portion 465. S SAthan hath all worldlings under his command 21. 402. 432. and they must do what he will have them 379. by degrees he works men to the heighth of impiety 423. Saints falls should make us beware not presume 157. Scoffes beate off many from their profession 532. the scoffer commonly worse then the scoffed 367. none but fooles will be scoffed out of their religion 754. yet few that will not offend God and their conscience rather then be scoft at 749. Scripture he must be studious therein and follow that rule who will know Christ savingly 664. Security the certaine usher of destruction 242. Separate Drunkards and swearers deserve like dirt in the house of God to be throwne out 93. of which five reasons 94. happy if they were kept by themselves 230. Shame Drunkards would mitigate their owne shame by discrediting the good 374. Singularity a vertue when vice is in fashion 225. Sinnes against knowledge and conscience 467. open and scandalous sinnes how evill 472. to multiply the same sinnes often 473 to commit one sin on the neck of another 473. how one mans sin may extend it selfe to millions yea after ages 539. Drunkards not only sin but make others sin too 493. the Divell shewes the sweet of sin but hides the bitter of punishment untill afterward 734. custome of sinne takes away the sense of sinne 427. Slander Drunkards raise slanders of the godly 358. of which seaven reasons 366. how apt men are to believe slanders of the godly and to spread them 360. what delight wicked men take in hearing evill of the good 361. a slander once raised will scarce ever dye 377. how they mitigate their owne shame by slandering others 368. and often prevaile against the good hereby 370. the condition of a slanderer set out 363. his sinne and punishment 378. Smiting God will not leave smiting untill we smite that which smites at his honour 253. Soule Drunkards guilty of Soule murther 443. 530. nothing but our Soules will satisfie the Serpent and his seed 436. covetous man cares more for his outward estate then for body or soule 626. Spirit saving knowledge not attain'd without the Spirits help 655. Straite what a straite the godly are in 383. Striking 392. Subtilty and wisdome two different things 641. Successe custom of it makes men confident 241 Suffer our Saviour suffered two and twenty wayes of hisâ— enemies 397. Suggestion evill moreready at hand then a good 717 Superlative some men strive to bee superlative in sinne 415. severall examples of superlative sinners 416. Suspition ignorance the cause of it 351. Swearing the most in excusable sin 100. of which 2 reasons 101. that of all others the swearer shall bee sure of plagues 104. three wayes to make men leave their swearing 112. T TAle-bearing the receiver as bad as the tale-bearer 380. Tempting Sathan the Tempter wicked men his Apprentises or Factors under him 298. the many wayes that Sathan hath to set upon us 297. aswell reckon up the motes in the Sunne as all sorts of Seducers 304. all wicked men resemble the Divell in Tempting 286. how politick they are in Tempting 288. Drunkards Sathans principle agents in this businesse 306. the Drunkards chiefe delight is to infect others 286. Temptations on the right hand the most dangerous 746. A wise man will suspect the smooth streame for deepnesse 747. they never wound so deadly as when they stroke us with a silken hand 745. to bee a Tempter the â—asest office 330. their seduceing of others will adde to the pile of their torments 450. how greedy most men are of temptation 295. Sathan needs but say the word 295. or suggest the thought 296. the minde of man not capeable of a violation either from man or Sathan 303. it will bee a poore plea an other day to pretend that such and
application of the for mer doâ—â—riâ—e That drunkards have no faith in the Scriptures Wherefore politicall physicke the fiâ—est for them No dispossessing of a drunken Devill purpose the drunkard never so oft Commoly such as a mans delights and câ—res are in health such are both his thoughts and speeches on his death-bed Were there any possibility of their leaving it they would abstaine in the heate of the plague VVere they not â—eere strangers to themselves they could be no other then confounded in themselves Security the certaine usher of destruction The Plague hath wrought 〈◊〉 or nâ— reformation Yea many are the worâ—e The Tavernes fnilest when â—e 〈◊〉 are emptiest The difference betweene their practise and the godâ—es Exhortation to the sober touching this time of visitation In all ages the godly alone have mourned for the abominations of their time So many aâ— repent shall be singled out for mercy 7 〈◊〉 of excessive drinking 1 To drive away meâ—ancholy which is increased thereby 2. To drive away time 3. Cause is lust That they drinke not for love of drink is either false or makes their sinne double 4 Cause covetousnesse 5 Cause reputation of good â—ellowship Or pride of wit 6 Is sotrish feare and base cowardise The last cause is evill company The drunkards chief delight is to infect others A digression proving that all wicked men resemble the divell in tempting to sinn drawing to perditio How politick to fit their temptations to every mans huâ—our How Sathan guls the rude multitude in giving every vice a title â—nd each vetue a disgracefull name Many so greedy of â—emptation that Satan needs but cast out 〈◊〉 angle Or suggest the thought The many wayes which Sathan hath to set upon us Sathan the great sedâ—cer wicked men are Apprentises or factors under him The Devil speakes in and works by them as once he did by the Serpent Sathan more meâ— on earth to fight for him then the Trinity which made us The minde of man not capeable of a violaâ—ion either from man or Sathan As impossible to rec kon up all sorts of seducers as to tell the moates in the Sun Of drunkards who are sathans principall agents in this busines Drunkards to turne others into beasts â—â— make them selves diâ—vells They practile nothing but the art of debauching men Drinking 〈◊〉 forceing of â—ealâ—â—s their priâ—cipall sâ—râ—tageme Their â—ealtâ—s either great in â—easâ—re â—r â—â—ny in number 1 Of great â—ealtâ—s 2 If tâ—eiâ—â—ealtâ—s be 〈◊〉 the liqâ—â—â— iâ— stronger or the number 〈◊〉 Least Sathan should want of 〈◊〉 due 〈◊〉 drinke the◠〈◊〉 their kâ—ees The rise and originall of health dâ—inking Basil ser. de â—â—riet Aâ—gustiâ— de temp Serm. 231 Exâ—â—ples of Gods vengance on â—ealtâ— drinkers Not more forward to drinke healthes then zealous and â—arefull that others pledge the sâ—â—e 1 How they will iâ—tise 2 How they wil inforce How impatient of deniell Their misprision of â—onour and reputation Examples of some that have drunke other mens healthes and their owne deaths Original of the word pledge In câ—â—quering they are â—â—st overcome To bee a â—â—â—pter â—he basest office â—en have 〈◊〉 objection answered To damâ—â— their owne soules the least part of their mischiefe What a multitude of drunkards one true drunkard â—akes If the Devill would surrender his place it should be to some good fellow or other How drunkards swarme in every corâ—er â— Hall Drâ—nkards like lulian who never did a man a good â—urn but it was to damn his soule He whoâ— the Lord loves shall be deliveâ—ed frâ—m their meretricious allureâ—eâ—ts If they 〈◊〉 not seduâ—e uâ— they wil envie and â—ate 〈◊〉 1. Hâ—w drunkardâ— eâ—vie the sober and 〈◊〉 2 How they wiâ—â— hate them VVhich hatred is the most bitter and exorbitant of all otherâ— How their envy and haâ—red vents it selfe at the â—outh and haâ—ds At their mouthes first by censureing the sober VVâ—ereof foure reasons first they judge others by themselves 2 Their ignorance makes them suspicious 3 Their pâ—ssions and affections make them partiall 4 They see and look to us not to themselves How drunhards will raise slanders of the conscionable How apt others are to believe their slanders and afterwards to spread them How pleasant it is to wicked men to â—eare ill of the religious The manner of their dealing in this case 7 Reasons why they slander us Ever such as scoffe at and traduce others have greater faults themselves First reason of their raising slanders to divert mens thoughts from minding their villany 2 By depraving the godly themselves passe for indifferent honest men 3 Drunkâ—rds censure and slander 〈◊〉 godly to â—acite and stirre up other â— to doe the like And the multitude like a flock of sheepe if they see but one take a wrong way all the rest will folloâ— Of which many examples 4 That they may mitigate their owne shamewith our discredit 5 They Iraduce us because they cannot otherwise burt us A slander once raised will scarce ever dye Yea the slander is increased The sinne and pâ—ntsh ment of a slanderer 6 They must doe what Sathan will hnve them The receiver as bad â— as the tale-bearer They will flout us out of our faith have our company here in sin herafter in torment 1 They would have our company in fiâ—ne vvhat a strait the godly are in Let us turn openlyprophane theirquarrell is at â— end Sathan disturbs not his ownâ— No greater tâ—mptation then not to be tempted Our case would be 〈◊〉 worse 〈◊〉 should be 〈◊〉 peace 〈◊〉 them 2. There malice and enviâ— would breake out at their hands if they were not mâ—nacled by the Law First they would combine together aâ—d lay 〈◊〉 pâ—â—â—s to destroy uâ— 2 They would deliver us up â—nto the Magistrat 3 Give deâ—ilish counsell against 〈◊〉 cause 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 â— strike us 5 â—urt and maâ—me us Lastly drunkards would kill us for being so resâ—actory The same prooved by Scripture 2 By experience of former ages 3 By the experience of our Saviour who suffered twenty two wayes oâ—ely for his goodnessâ— But they cannot doe as they would thougâ— their punishment shall be the same as if they did it 5 Reasons of their savage disposition They must doe the workes of their father the Devill 2 That theâ—r deeds of darknes may not come to lâ—ght 3 otherwise they cannot follow their sinnes so freely nor so quietly 4 VVhat they cannot make good by arguments of reason they would by arguments of steele â—nd iron 5 Their glory and â— edit is eâ—lipsed The ground of all their tempting and enforceing to â—â—ane Drunkards children of the Devill and partake of his nature Those whom they hate and persecute the children of God and partake of the Divine nature Vertue and vice can never accord They can brooke all conditions of men â—ave practisers of piety But the Religious shall be sure of opposition Not strange that wicked men should aâ—reesâ— well They strive tâ— be supâ—rlative
in sinne Many examples of monsters and superlative sinners Sathan works men by degrees to this height ofimpiety and not all at once Cuâ—tâ—me of sin takes away the â—ense of sin Againe God hath proclaimed an enmity betweene the wicked and the godly for so long as the world endures Sathan is their King and they must seeke his wealth 〈◊〉 honour all they can and strive to enlarge his kingdome by winning all they can from Christ by a continuall wâ—rre and skirmish As they have not bene waiting 〈…〉 in any age They would have our company in torments No thiâ—g hut our 〈…〉 the herpenâ— and is â—eede Good men draw all they can 〈◊〉 heaven wicked all they can to â—ell They shall answer for soule-murther Reve. 2. 14 Other reasons why they would have our company in the burning lake 1 Being out of hope themselves they are loth others should fare better then they 2 They thinke it will be some ease and comfort in misery to have companions But this will ad to the pile of their torments The Devil beholding to whores but farre more to drunkards for none helpe to people hiâ— inferanall kingdome like them VVe should be as zealous and industrious to win soules to God Their punishment A description of the last judgement and of hell The same further amplified Drunkards shal have a double portion of vengeance to other men The drunkards sinns aggravated by the circumstances First the civily righteous have hel for their portion buâ— drunkards are notoriously wicked 2. His sins are against knowledge and conscience 3. He sins not of infirmity but presumâ—â—ously and of set purpose 4. His sins are so open and scandalous that the Gospel is dishonoured and 〈◊〉 God blasphemed 5 He commits many sins one in theâ— eck of another and multiplies the same sins often 6 He sins against mercy the abundance of meanes and the many warnings which others never had The severall wayes whereby God calls to repentance The same further amplified Even this booke will be a witnesse against them when their consciences are awakened And then perhaps the gate of mercy wiâ—â— be shâ—t Want of consideration the cause of all impiety neglect of obedience 7. He not onely commits foule crimes but drawes others into the same sinnes 8. They abuse and persecute not the evill but the good who are to God as the Apple of his eye That the use their tongues only a frivâ—lous excuse Some can better abide ast ake then others ascoffe â—hat is done to the godly Christ takes as done to himselfe And well bâ— may for their hatred is against God and Christ. Though they are so blind that they think they love God â—â—â—hom they wrong aâ—e their best friends to whom they owe their very lives 1 By their iâ—nocency The â—eligious keeps off judgementâ— fâ—om them â— by their prayers In their 〈◊〉 they will sue to the godly and desire them a loâ—e to pray for them Of which many examples â—ho count it a sin to cease praying for their greatest enemies Wicked mens thoughts touching the religious not the same in distresse as â— prosperity Their ingratitude and great â—olly 10 Their siâ— is not against the â—fe of body or estate but agaiâ—st she soules of men Aâ—objection answered None â—ut counterseits wil be beaten from Christs standard by their scoffes and reproacâ—es Their intention of soule murther shall be rewarded as if they â—ed doâ—e the same actually 11. Their sin doth not extend it se fe tâ—â— this or thâ—t person only but to milions yea after ages But the drun kard hath â— shift to evade al this and what else can be spoken 1. He can apply Christs passion and Gods mercy as a war rant for his liâ—â—ntiousâ—â—sse The hope of an bypocrite is easiâ—y blowne into him and as sooneblown out of him VVicked men are altogether in eâ—treames either God is so mercifull that they may live how they list or so just that be will not pardon them upon their repentance Objection of the thief upon the crosse answered Object God in mercyis in finitly transcendent Answ. But this makes nothing for such as love their si is better â—hen their soules His mercy rejorceth against justice but destroyeth not his justice His mercy is a just mercy And therefore hath equally promised all blessiâ—gs to thosewhich keepe his commande ments and threatned all manner of judgements to those that break them VVicked men believe no part of Gods word really and in deed All the promises in tailed to believers and limited with the condition of faith repentance One part of the covenanâ— of grace is that we â— wil forâ—ake the Divell and all his workes constantly believe c. Mark 61. 16. Object What it is to be born againe Answ. What to repeâ— and bel eve how we may know whether we have or not Corruption wilmix with our purest devotion But he can repent when sicknes comes Death may be sudden and give â— maâ— no leaâ—â—e to be sickâ— 2 Or if death be not sudden repentance is no easie worke and late repentance is seldome true 3 Or suppose thou offer thy best devotions to God wil be accept of thy dry bones wheÌ„ Sathan bath suk'd out all the â—arrow Admonition not to deferâ—e repentance Objection that most men are of a contrary judgement and practics VVhere of a double reason First few men beleeve the whole written word 2 Ignorance is thâ—cause of all sinne Râ—ghtly a â—anknows no more then be practiseth He that hath saveing knowledge bath every other grace Ob. That the strictest lovers are â—eldome the â—sest men â—â—swered Worldly men count wisdome felly and folly wisdoâ—e They not alwayes the wiseâ— which know most The religious man wiâ—er than the bâ—maâ—iâ—t Several misprâ—sions of wisdome 2. Wiser then the most cuuning â—oliâ—â—â—â—s The câ—â—ning politician a foole in 6. particulars First be is without foresight and never thinkes of the reckoning he is to give 2 He will not beleeve exceâ—t his senses say ameâ— to it 3 Bray him in a morter he will not depart from his folly viz. his 〈◊〉 4. He cares more for a little muck to leave behind him then for soule or bedy 5. Hee caâ— finde in his heart to goe to Heâ— so his son 〈◊〉 be left rich 6 H◠〈…〉 trifles before things of greatest worth Worldly men are penny wise and pound â—oolish But it is otherwise with the godly Iudeed though the divell makes fooles of them yet he makes them wise enough to make fooles of any that will trust them They are wise men in foolish things and foolish men in wise things They may be called subtile persons but not wise men except we take the greatest â—olly for the greatest wisdome And even such fooles are the voluptioâ—s 6. Helpes to saving knowledge First discâ—rdâ—al fiâ—â—hy lusts and affections 2 Get an humble heart 3 Procure the eye of a lively faith 4 Be conâ—stant in prayer for the spirits helpe But pray not
against them And indeed if thou wert not a foole thou wouldest thinke it better to be in the small number of Christs little flocke which are to be saved then in the numerous heards of those Goates which are destinated to destruction And so your excuses are taken away and all proved vaine coverings even no better then Fig-leaves which though they may seems to cover thy nakednesse from such as thy selfe yet they will stand thee in no steede another day Wherfore drink not without thirst here that you may not thirst without drink herafter Lu. 16. 24. 25. Play not the foole as Lysimachus did who being in battell against the Scythians for the satisfying of his appetite onely and to procure a little drinke to quench his thirst gave himselfe over into his enemies hands and when he had drunke his fill and was haled and leading away captive into perpetuall misery while he saw his countrimen returne home with joy began to acknowledge his folly in these words O said he for how little pleasure what great liberty what sweet felicity have I lost and forgone Yea turne your laughter into sorrow your feasting into fasting be revenged of your selves of your lusts and meete your God and make your peace while now we call and you heare yea the Lord of his mercy awaken men out of the dead sleepe of this sinne that so seeing their danger they may be brought to confesse and forsake it that so they may be saved Pro. 28. 13. § 56. BUt what doe I admonishing or speaking sence to a drunkard this is to make him turne the deafe eare and a stone is as capable of good counsell as hee besides they have no faith in the Scriptures they will not beleeve what is written therefore they shall feele what is written In the meane time it were very fit if it pleased Authority they were debarred both of the blood of the Grape and the spirit of Barley a just punishment for consuming the countries fat for even cleere rocke water were good enough for such Gormundizers except we had the water of Clâ—torius a Well in the midst of Arcadia which causeth the drinker of it to loath wine for ever after I doe not wish them stoned to death as God commanded such ryoters and drunkards to be under the Law Deut. 21. 20. 21. nor banished the land as the Romans did all vicious and voluptuous persons that the rest might not be endangered and Lycurgus all inventers of new fashions least these things should effeminate all their young men for then I thinke the land would be much unpeopled Indeed I could wish there were Pest-houses provided for them in all places as there are for infected persons or that they were put by themselves in some City if any were big enough to receive them all as Philip King of Macedon built a city of purpose and peopled it with the most wicked gracelesse and irregular persons of all his subjects and having so done called it Poneropolis that is the City of wicked persons And certainely if it were considered how many Brokers of villany which live onely upon the spoyles of young hopes every populous place affords whose very acquaintance is destruction the like meanes of prevention would be thought profitable for our times Yea this were marvelously expedient considering the little good they doe being as so many loose teeth in the Mandible of the Common-wealth which were better out then in and the great hurt by their ill examples by devouring the good creatures of God which they never sweat for by disturbing the peace of the Church and Common-wealth by pulling downe heauy judgments upon the land and considering how small hope there is of their amendment if any at all § 57. IT may be you have not noted it but it is a very difficult and hard thing to name one habituated infatuated incorrigible cauterised Drunkard that ever was reclamed with age What said an experienced Gentleman being informed that his Sonne was given to gaming whores prodigality c There is yet hope age experience and want of meanes will cure all these but when in the last place it was added that he was poysoned with drunkennesse then hee absolutely gave him for lost and dead his case for desperately forlorne and so disinherited him because this sinne hee knew increased with age and would not part till death A Gamester will hold out so long as his purse lasts an Adulterer so long as his loynes last but a drunkard so long as his lungs and life lasts What is noted by Philosophers of every motion namely that it is swiftest toward the Center may fitly bee applyed to every drunkard and covetous wretch for as good men grow better and better so these grow worse and worse Ier. 9. 3. 2 Tâ—m 3. 13. they grow in sinne as worldlings grow in riches and honours O that we could grow so fast in grace Yea suppose the drunkard hath every day purposes to forsake his sinne as I have knowne some purpose and strive against this sinne yea so detest and bewaile it in himselfe and whomsoever that it hath been an Hazael in his eyes and thereupon indent with himselfe and his friends for the relinquishing of it and yet if he meete with a companion that holds but up his finger he followes him as a foole to the stockes and as an Oxe to the slaughter-house having no power to withstand the temptation but in hee goes with him to the tipling house and there hee continues as one bewitched or conjured with a spell out of which he returnes not till he hath emptied his purse of money his head of reason and his heart of al his former seeming grace so that in purposing he doth but imitate S. George who is alwayes on horseback but never rides or the Ostrich that hath winges but cannot fly he may make a shew of turning as the doore upon the hinges but never moves a foot from the post of his olds custom and evill society unto which hee is fast revited and so mends as sower Ale doth in Summer or like a dead hedge which the longer it stands is the rottener O this is a difficult divel to be cast out for when a man is once possest with this evill spirit a drunken divell it is a miracle if ever hee become his owne man after This sinne is like a desperate plague that knows no cure it may be called the Kings evill of the soule as Chrysostome calls the envie of wicked men against the godly for it cannot bee cured with the Balme of Gilead nor by any Phisitian there untill God himselfe sayes to the heart awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead for by a long and desperate custome they turne delight and infirmity into necessity and bring upon themselves such an insatiable thirst that they will as willingly leave to live as leave their excessive drinking As it fares with some sicke Patients touching their bodies