The Drunkards Character, Section 102
§ 102.
ANd so you have the drunkards heart and tongue delineated,2. There malice and envi… would breake out at their hands if they were not m…nacled by the Law. and therein vvhat they doe to us, in case vve vvill not runne with them to the same excesse of ryat, Novv see, vvith the like patience, vvhat they vvould doe, in case the Lavv restrained them not, and hovv the malice and envie of their hearts, would break forth at their hands; for having done all this, and not finding the issue to answer their expectation, viz. that they cannot discourage us, but that we still persevere and hold out in our peremptory course of well doing, and will not reconcile our selves unto them, nor the world, doe they what they can; they would proceed further, if they durst, and might bee allowed by the Law,First they would combine together a…d lay … p…s to destroy u…. as.
First, they would combine themselves together, and cunningly 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,2 They would deliver us up …nto the Magistrat. 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,3 Give de…ilish counsell against … & cause … to be …. 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,… strike us. they would strike us, 1 Kings, 22. 24. Ier. 20. 2. and 37. 15. Acts, 23. 2. 2 Cor. 11. 23. 24. 25.
Secondly,5 …urt and ma…me us. they would hurt and mayme us, Numb. 14. 10. ludges, 16. 21. Acts, 14. 19.
Thirdly,Lastly, drunkards would kill us for being so res…actory. 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 bod…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 wo…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 s…me, it would be otherwise then it is with the people of God; as the Word of God, and former experience witnesseth.