The Drunkards Character, Section 113
§ 113.
NOw wherein doe they overcome,They would have our company in torments. 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, No thi…g hut our … the herpen… and is …eede.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 so…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.