The Drunkards Character, Section 59
§ 59.
CUstome of successe makes men confident in their sinnes,VVere they not …eere strangers to themselves, they could be no other then confounded in themselves. and causes them to mistake an arbitrary tenure for a perpetuity.
But as the Heathen Menander could say in the like case, if they were not meere strangers to themselves, they could be no other then confounded in themselves; their case being like that of Damocles, whom Dionysius caused to sit in his chayre of State, abounding with all kind of delicates; when over his head hung a naked sword, held up onelyonly by a small haire: yea, farre worse, for while they are dancing, the trap-dore falls under them, and they in Hell before they are aware, their hope makes them jocund, till the ladder turnes; and then it is too late to care or crave.
Security is the certaine usher of Destruction; neither is destruction ever neerer,Security the certaine usher of destruction. then when security hath chased away feare, 1 Thes. 5. 3. as the Philistines were neerest their destruction, when they were in their greatest height of jollity, Iudg. 16. 25. to 31. Little doe sinners know how neere their jollity is to perdition; how nere was Nabal to a mischiefe, and perceived it not? David was comming at the foote of the hill to cut his throate, while he was feasting in his house without feare or wit, and drinking drunke with his sheepeshearers. Many a time judgment is at the threshold, whilst drunkennesse and surfeit are at the board.
Yea, this hardnesse of heart and impenitency, is alwayes the harbinger to some fearefull plague, Isay, 6. 10. 11. When God will give over men to his judgements, he first gives them over to this judgement, of an hard and impenitent heart: and what doth impenitency, but turne all deliverances into further curses and judgements? so that such a mans deliverance is a worse judgment, then the judgment from which he is delivered; for it argues, either Gods utter forsaking of them, as desperate Patients are given over by the Physitian; why should yee be smitten any more, for yee fall away more and more, saith God to the stiffenecked Iewes, Isaiah, 1. 5. or else it argues a reservation of them for some more fearefull plague; if by these former judgments yee will not be reformed by me, (saith God) but walke stubbornely against me; then I will walke stubbornely against you, and smite you yet seven times more for your sins: Lev. 26. 18. to 40. So that an impenitent mans preservation out of one judgment, is but a further reservation of him to seven judgments. What did it availe Cham, that he escaped drowning with the multitude? he had better have perished in the waters, then have lived unto his Fathers curse? What did it availe Lot's wife, to escape turning into ashes in Sodom, when suddenly after she was turned into a pillar of salt in the plaine? Or what did it availe Pharaoh, that himselfe was not smitten with many of those judgements, wherein others perished? it was farre from being a mercy; yea, it was a reservation to the greatest temporall judgment of all here, and to that eternall judgment also in the burning lake, from which there is no redemption. So that it is not simply our deliverance, but our thankfulnesse for it, and obedience after it, that gives sufficient argument to our consciences, that God delivered us in mercy and favour.
Yea, to prosper in ill designes and ungracious courses, to goe on in sinne uncontrolled, is the greatest unhappinesse, the heaviest curse: for he that useth to doe evill, and speeds well, never rests, till he come to that evill from which there is no redemption. Ioab kills Abner, and scapes; againe he embrues his hands in the blood of Amasa, and is not indited for it; now David is old, and Adoniah towardly, he furthers him in the usurpation, and big with prefidence of his owne command, he thinkes to carry it; but this carryed him to his grave. Faire Absalom was proud and ambitious, yet he flourisheth; hee kills his owne Brother, yet escapes; he insinuates himselfe into the affections of the people, and bold of their fidelity to him, he swels even against his owne royall Father, and becomes a disloyall Traytor. God owes that man a grievous paiment, whom he suffers to runne on so long unquestioned; and his punishment shall be the greater, when he comes to reckon with him for all his faults together. Yea, though prosperous wickednesse is one of the Devills strongest chaines, yet the currant passage of ill enterprises is so farre from giving cause of encouragement, that it should justly fright a man, to looke backe to the Author, and to consider, that he therefore goes fast, because the Devill drives him.