The Drunkards Character, Section 58
§ 58.
NEither speak I of what God can do, for with him all things are possible;Were there any possibility of their leaving it, they would abstaine in the heate of the plague. but with men, with drunkards, it is in a manner impossible: for surely if there were the least possibility of their leaving it, if they were not altogether hardened, past feeling, and past grace, then would they now abstaine, whilst the plague is hot amongst us. But alasse! even at this present, when many lawfull and indifferent actions are unexpedient, these warped, wicked, wretched men, neither feare, nor cease to roare, drinke, drab, sweare, &c. so difficult is the work: like Iairus Minstrels, they cannot forbeare to play and revell, even in the time, and place of mourning; Dives-like, they must have exquisite musick, merry company, dainty fare, &c. every day; so little are they mooved with Gods displeasure, and this grievous judgement.
Yea, notwithstanding it is for their sakes that judgements are upon us, and that their crying sinnes have pierced the heavens, and brought downe the Plague upon thousands, as when Achan sinned, Israel was beaten; neither did the wickednesse of Peor stretch so far as the Plague; yea, the Adultery of those few Gibeo…ites to the Levites wife, was the occasion of six and twenty thousand mens deaths, besides all their wives and children, together with forty thousand and odd of the Israelites, Iudg. 20. when the death of those few malefactors would have saved all theirs, and put away evill from Israel, vers. 13. yea, if the Campe of Israel suffered so much for one Achan's fault; what may wee expect, that have such a multitude of Achans amongst us?
Notwithstanding, I say it is for their sakes that judgements are upon us; yet they, of al men are least sensible of them; as it fared with Ionas, who for all that grievous tempest was for his sake, yet Ionas alone was fast asleep; and the Disciples, in another case; as wherefore was that unspeakable agony of Christ, but for the sinnes of his Disciples, and chosen? and yet even then the Disciples were asleepe.
But why doe I make the comparison, when betweene them there is no comparison? for the fire of Gods wrath being kindled amongst us for their sakes, they doe but warme themselves at the flame, sining so much the more freely and merrily, even drinking in iniquity, as the fish drinketh in water; and living, as if they were neither beholding to God, nor affraid of him, both out of his debt and danger: yea: as if the Plague were not only welcome unto them, but they would fall to courting of their owne destruction, as if, with Calanus, they hated to dye a naturall death.
The pleasure of the world is like that Colchian hony, whereof Zenophon's Souldiers no sooner tasted, then they were miserably distempered; those that tooke little, were drunk; those that took more, were mad; those that tooke most, were dead: so most men are either intoxicated, or infatuated, or killed out right with this deceitfull world, that they are not sensible of their feares or dangers. It is like a kind of melancholy, called Chorus Sancti Viti, which who so hath it, can doe nothing but laugh and dance, untill they be dead, or cured; as it made Argos in the Poet, and another, mentioned by Aristotle, sit all day laughing and clapping their hands, as if they had beene upon a stage at a Theater.
Wickednesse makes guilty men feare, where is no cause; these have cause enough, but no grace to feare: they are so besotted with a stupid security, that they are not affected with any danger; yea, they account it the chiefest vertue, to be bold, fearelesse, and carelesse; according to that, Ier. 5. where the Prophet complaines unto God, thou hast smitten them, but they have not sorrowed; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction; they have made their faces harder then a stone, and have refused to returne, verse, 3. which was Pharaoh's case, who though his backe were all blew and sore with stripes, yet he must still persist and presume; yea, because his time was not come to perish, God lets him alone in pursuing his children, even to the Sea, and halfe way over; faire way he had, and smoothly he ran on, till he came to the midst, not so much as one wave to wet the foote of his Horse; but when he is too farre to escape, then God begins to strike, neither he could, nor these can be quiet, without their full vengeance; as filching leaves not the Pilferer with raw sides, but brings him to a broaken necke; they have such festred and putrified hearts, that ordinary stripes will not reach to the quicke; their long tugging at Sathans Oares, and wearing his Shackels, hath so brawned their flesh, that they are not sensible of an ordinary lash. And this likewise is the Saylers case, who although the Philosopher would not permit them to be numbred amongst the living, (as not amongst the dead) yet for all their many and eminent dangers, no men are more regardlesse of their soules.