The Drunkards Character, Section 55 – Section 56
§ 55.
WHerefore looke to it in time,Vse and application of the for mer do…ri…e. and if thou meanest not to meet vvith destruction by the vvay, keepe out of the vvorlds road: you see this your reason is saplesse, and vvants vveight to bee received; yea, vvee may say of this common objection, as Ierom said of the Pelagian Heresies, even a repetition of it, is a sufficient refutation of it; neither needs it any other confutation, but derision and a meer hissing at. You see that al vvho follovv example, vvhether of the greatest number, or the greatest men, or the greatest Schollers, or the best men, or reason, or good intentions, are miserably deluded; and that things ought to bee judged by Law, and not by examples; that Gods precepts, must be our only presidents; and that this onelyonly evidences a good conscience, vvhen the maine vveight vvhichwhich sets the vvheeles on vvorke, it the conscience of Gods Commandement.
As for thy translating and laying the fault of thy drinking upon others, that is but a meere pretence; it faring vvith thee, as it did vvith Harpaste a blind vvoman in Seneca's family, vvho mindles of her ovvn infirmity, complained that the house vvas darke vvherein she vvas; or as it did vvho another, spoken of by the same Seneca; vvho having a thorne in his foot; imputed the cause of his limping to the roughnesse of the vvay; for if thine ovvn heart vvere not vile and vvicked, custome and evill example could no more svvay thee, then it doth some other men, vvho shine as lights in the midst of this crooked generation; yea, thou vvouldest therfore redeeme the time, because the dayes are evill, Ephes. 5. 16.
Alasse! no man that hath grace in his heart, vvill make the badnes of the times a cloak to excuse his conformity in drinking and vvasting of his precious hovvres vvickedly; but rather a spur to incite him, to be so much the more carefull not to be svvayed with the common streame.
Happy is that man, who makes anothers vices steps to climbe to heaven by; and so doth every wise and good man. Even the mud of the world, by the industrious Hollander, is turned to an usefull fuell: and the Mariner that hath Sea-roome, can make any winde serve to set him forward in his wished voyage. And good reason have they to make this use of the corruption of the times; for if the aire be generally infectious, had wee not need bee so much the more strict in our diet and carefull in the use of wholesome preservatives?
Generallity of assent is no warrant for any act: we that are Christians must not live by prophane examples, but by Gods holy precepts. Indeed, common errors carry away many, who inquire not into the reason of ought, but the practice; and judge of truth, not by weight, or value of voices, but by the number. But what sayes the Proverbe, of bad customes, bad opinions, and bad servants, They are better to hang then to keepe.
I confesse, where the Law written doth faile, we ought to observe what is approved by manners and custome: but though, in this case, custome be of great authority, yet it never brings prejudice to a manifest verity: and there are other cases, wherein singularity is not lawfull only, but laudable; when vice groweth into fashion, singularity is a vertue; when sanctity is counted singularity, happy is he that goeth alone, and resolves to be an Example to others; and when either evill is to be done, or good to be neglected, how much better is it to goe the right way alone, then to erre with company? Yea, most happy is he that can stand upright, when the world declines, and can endeavour to repaire the common ruine with a constancy in goodnesse; that can resolve with Ioshuah, what ever the world doth, yet I, and my house will serve the Lord, Iosh. 24. 15.
It was Noah's happinesse in the old world, that he followed not the worlds fashions; he beleeved alone, when all the world contested against him; and he was saved alone, when all the world perished without him. It was Lot's happinesse that he followed not the fashions of Sodom. It was Abraham's happinesse, that he did not like the Chaldeans. Daniel's happinesse, that he did not like the Babylonians. It was good for Iob, that he was singular in the land of Vzz: good for Tobias that he was singular in Ninive: good for Annanias, that he was singular in Damasco: good for Nicho…emus, that he was singular among the Rulers, as now they all finde to their great comfort, and exceeding great reward.
Yea, it was happy for Ruben, that he was opposite to all his brethren: happy for Caleb and Ioshua, that they were opposite to the rest of the spyes: happy for the Iewes, that their customes were divers and contrary to all other people, though Haman was pleased to make it their great and heynous crime, Ester. 3. 8. happy for Luther, that he was opposite to the rest of his country.
And no lesse happy shall wee bee, if, with the Deere, we can feed against the winde of popular applause; if, with the Sturgion and Crab-fish, we can swimme against the streame of custome and example; if, with Atticus, we can cleave to the right, though losing side; or if we doe not, we shall misse of the narrow way, and consequently faile of entring in at the straite Gate; for the greatest part shuts out God upon earth, and is excluded from God elsewhere, Math. 7. 13, 14.
But the graciously prudent, will (in things not indifferent) rather doe well alone, then let it alone, and thinke it no disparagement to be singular among the vicious: yea, they know, if the cause be good, the more stiffe and constant the mind is, so much the better. If Jesus Christ, and his twelve Apostles be of their side; they care not, though Herod and Pontius Pilate, and all the Rulers, and the whole nation of the Iewes, together with a world of the Roman faction be 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 Figleaves, 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 onelyonly, 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,That drunkards have no faith in the Scriptures. 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.Wherefore politicall physicke the fi…est for them. 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 Cl…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 Pesthouses 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 onelyonly 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.