The Drunkards Character, Section 188 – Section 190
§ 188.
THirdly,3 Valiant. let us be valiant and couragious to undergoe the consequents, what ever followes, upon this refusall: for behould, a great block, yea, a Lion in thy way: thou shalt bee mock'd and branded for a precisian: haveso many frowns and frumps, and censures, and scoffes, bee pointed at for singular, endure so many base and vile nicknames, that a milk-sop will never be able to undergo them.Few men but wil sin against God and their owne consciences ratherthen be scoft at. Yea, if thou beest a coward, thou wilt feare to do the good which thou wouldest, in this and other cases, or appeare the same that thou art: for this is a charm more powerfull then a Witches night-spell, to detain all Novices and Apprentises of religion, from keeping a good conscience. For as in the Netherlands no man will stop the homicide, for feare of being counted an hangman: so here, no meere man almost will refuse to be drunk, for feare of being censured for sullennesse and singularity.
And indeed, hee had need to bee more then man, that can contentedly make himselfe contemptible, to follow Christ; have his religion, judged hypoc…; his Christian prudence, craft and policy; his Godly simplicity, sillinesse; his zeale, madnes; his contempt of the world▪ ignorance; his godly sorrow, dumpishnesse, &c. for these and the like, as unseasonable frosts, nip all gracious offers and beginnings in the bud, and (as much as in them lyeth) with Herod, labour to kill Christ in young beginners; yea, the censures and scoffes of these Atheists and worldlings, like the blasts of Rammes-hornes, before the walles of Ierico, lay al the strength of a young beginners vertue levell at one utterance; for the first sparkes of grace are in appearance like fire in greene wood, which if it be not followed and cherished will suddenly dye, and go out; whereby each resolution becomes as a false conception, which never lives to the birth of any act.
And certainly, the Divell gets more by such discouragements and the reproaches that are cast u…on religion, then by fire and faggot: for Helena's bowle, Medea's unction, Venu's girdle, nor Circes cup can more i…haunt, then this afrights.
Yea, tell me if you can, what hath ever beene found such an enemy to vertue, as this feare; or such a spurre to wickednesse? O the multitude of soules that wicked men scoffe out of their religion! how many thousands in this kingdome are content to bee misled with the multitude, rather then be an object of their scorne and derision? how many hold it the best and safest way, in differences of religion, with out farther question, to take the stronger part; that so, doing as the most doe, they may have the fewest to finde fault with them?
Yea, how few are there that goe beyond those white-livered Rulers, Ioh. 12. who, because of the Pharisies, and loving the praise of men more then the praise of God, chose rather to conceale their knowledge of, and love to Christ, then to bee cast out of the Synagogue, for confessing of him, verse 42. 43. I dare say, a world of people in this land, are in Zedekiah his case, convinced in their co…sciences that they ought to doe as their faithfull Prophets warne them, but they are afraid they shal be mockt, have so many frowns, and frumps, and censures, and scoffes, that they cannot buckle to such a course, look Ie 38. 19. As 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 wo…ds, or deny me before, or among, this adulterous and sinfull generation, him w… 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 C…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, But it is base blood that blushes to doe well.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 …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, And they are …ooles who wil be sense … of their re…i…io….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 we must … …vil spo… of …y … 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 wi… ked men ju…ge by con…rar…es. and indeed all naturall men judge by contraries, think and call good, evill, and ev…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,… Of …ings 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 contrarily, that which God calls foolishnesse and madnesse, they terme wisdome, Gen. 41. 8. Iob. 5. 13. Pro. 28. 11. Ier. 4. 22. 1 Cor. 3. 19. Exodus, 1. 10. Iosh. 9. 4. Titus, 3. 9. Pro. 10. 18.
3 They thinke there is no God, Psal. 14. 1. or that he is carelesse and mindeth them not, Psal. 10. 11. and 94. 7. or that he is not so just, as to reward every one according to his workes, Psal. 10. 13.
4 They thinke the service of God (which is the greatest freedome) Iohn, 8. 34. 36. Rom. 6. 16. 18. 22. the only bondage, Psal. 2. 3 4. and to serve their owne lusts, and therein the Devill, whose captives they are, 2 Tim. 2. 26. the only freedome, Psal. 12. 4.
5 They censure true faith in the Godly, to be presumption, 2 Chron, 32. 11. 14. Rom. 8. 38. 39. and yet thinke their wne presumption to be true faith.
6 They not only thinke profession arbitrary, but blame worthy; when as our Saviour commands it, upon paine of being denied before God, and his holy Angells, at the later day, Matth. 10. 32. 33. Mark. 8. 38.
7 They censure, yea, condemne us to the pit of Hell, about vanities of their own devising, Luk. 7. 33. 34. Mark. 7. 5. and justifie heynous crimes in themselves, verse. 11. 12. 13.
8 They thinke if they have the worlds friendship, and good opinion, that they are in a passing good and happy estate; when nothing more truely proves them in a cursed condition, Luke; 6. 26. Iames, 4. 4.