The Drunkards Character, Section 117
§ 117
SEcondly,2 They thinke it will be some ease and comfort in misery to have companions. there is another winning reason, why they strive so after community: for you must know, the Devill propounds to them and they to themselves, some appearance of good in every thing they doe. They thinke it some ease and comfort, in misery to have companions, yea, the more, the merrier, thinke they, as sorrowes devided among many, are borne more easily: it is some kinde of ease to sorrow, to have partners; as a burthen is lightned, by many shoulders: divers backs will carry a greater burthen, with lesse paine; or as clouds scattered into many drops, easily vent their moysture into ayre: many small brookes meeting, and concurring in one channell, will carry great vessells: yea, our griefes are lessened, our joyes enlarged, our cares lightned, by one friendly associate. In all heates of anguish, good assistance and society breathes some coole ayre of comfort: when Paul must answer before Nero, he complaines, that no man stood with him, but all men forsooke him, 2 Tim. 4. 16. And certainely, it was a plague upon a plague; to the Leper, that he was condemned to live alone: it cannot but aggravate their sicknesse, which are now pent up, by reason of this visitation, and compelled to be sicke without any visitant, either to ease, or pity them.
The comfort of fugitives is, that ther… be many fugitives; we know nothing seemes to fall, where everything falls; a generall disease, is a particular health: whereupon the Curt taild Fox, in the Fable, endeavoured to have all Foxes curtaild. They have a whimsie in thei… braines, much like that of Amurath, who, at the taking of Isthmus, sacrificed six hundred young Grecians to his Fathers soule, to the end, their blood might serve as a propitiation, to expiate the sinnes of the deceased. Wherein they imitate the Dragon, which is very desirous of the Elephants blood, for the coldnesse of it, wherewith she desires to be cooled; or the great Cham, who whensoever he dyeth, takes order, that ten, or twelve thousand Tartars be slaine, to accompany his death.
But ala…e poore soules! they are much mistaken, in thinking it will either comfort, or ease them,But this will ad to the pile of their torments to have fellowship in torment: for though by the multitude, of participants, the joyes of Heaven are enlarged; yet hereby the sorrowes of Hell are much increased; for know this, thou Tempter, that thou dost not more increase other mens wickednesse on earth, (whether by perswasion, or provocation, or example) then their wickednesse shall increase thy damnation in Hell, as is plainely seene in the case of Dives; for what made that damned churle move for his brethren (seeing there is no charity in Hell) but that he felt, every step they followed of his leading, to increase the pile of his torments, Luk. 16. Non fratres dilexit, sed seipsum respexit, he desired not their salvation, but his owne lesse damnation. Againe, this is made good, Gen. 3. where the Serpent is cursed, for makeing Eve transgresse; and Eve, for makeing her husband sinne.
Yet such is the implacable enmity, and unchangeable malice of the Serpent, and his seede; of the Prince of darkenesse, and these his adherents, against the children of light, that they will enhance their owne damnations, to procure other mens; rather make their owne fire hotter, then not labour to bring others to the participation of their owne torments; Yea, though their consciences tell them, that such a bitter roote shall answer for it selfe, and for all the corrupt branches, yes they will endure more grievous misery, to have a more numerous society.
And so much of the warre which God proclaimed, betweene Sathan and Christ, and their Reigiments, the wicked and the Godly. If you would know the originall, and meritorious cause of this proclamation; it was Adam's sinne, in eating the forbidden fruit; and Sathan's malice, in moving and seduceing him thereunto; the Originall of this discord, is from originall sinne.