The Drunkards Character, Section 61
§ 61.
BUt see the difference betweene Gods people, The difference betweene their practise and the god…es.and those sonnes of Belial. Hee which truly feares God, wil in such times of calamity (Vriah-like) refraine from many lawfull and allowed recreations, well knowing, that actions of an indifferent nature are not alwayes seasonable; not ever warrantable; and indeed, neither the time, nor place of mourning is for mirth; wch made our Saviour Christ soone turne the Minstrels out of doores, when the Rulers daughter was dead, Mat. 9. 23 Yea, it is the Lords complaint against Ierusalem, when he threatned her destruction by Nebuchadnezzar, I called to weeping, and mourning, and to baldnesse, and girding with sackcloth; but behold joy and gladnesse, slaying Oxen, and killing Sheepe, eating flesh, and drinking wine, Isaiah 22. 12, 13. for which he was so offended, that he tells them, this their iniquity should not be purged till death, vers. 14.
And doth not our Saviour seeme to blame the old World, for that they did, as freely as at other times, eate, and drink, marry and give in marriage, while the Ark was in building, even unto the day that the flood came, and tooke them all away, Mat. 24. 38. every of which actions, at another time, had beene approved.
Alasse! lawfull actions depraved by bad circumstances, become damnable sinnes; and things benificiall in their use, are dangerous in their abuse or miscariage. Is this a time, (saith the Prophet to his servant) to receive money, and garments, and vineyards, 2 King. 5. 26? so the truly humbled soule will say, is this a time to drink and revell in? can God be pleased that in this time of visitation, while the Plague or famine lies sore upon our neighbours, wee should give our selves to sport and jovisance? No, and certainely they have desperate soules, that can rejoyce and bee merry when the God of heaven and earth shewes himselfe so angry. For as nothing magnified the religious zeale of Vriah more than this, that he abandoned even alowed comforts, till he saw the Arke and Israel victorious: so nothing did aggravate David's sin so much, as that hee could finde time to loose the raynes to want on desires and actions, even while the Arke and Israel were in distresse. And yet David's case was no more like these mens, then Zimrie's case was like David's; for they drinke, and roare, and sweare, and whore, as it were in a presumptious bravery, to intimate, that they regard not Gods wrath, nor weigh his heavie displeasure. Now though the harlot doth bad enough, which wipes her lips, that the print of her sinne may not be seene, and though shee commit it, she will conceale it: yet an Absolom doth far worse, that spreads his incestuous Pallet on the roofe, and calls the Sunne, a blushing witnesse, to his filthinesse. Yea, let any man judge, whether they are not frontlesse Zimries, that dare bring whores to their Tents in the face of all Israel▪ while God is offended, Moses and all Israel grieved, the Princes hanged, the people plagued, that dares brave God and all the people in that sinne, which they see so grievously punished before their eyes; this at any time were abominable, but now most execrable. Yea, what other is this, then to imitate the Thracians, who, when it lightens and thunders, shoot Arrowes against heaven, thinking by that meanes, to draw God to some reason.
And yet no marvaile that there should be such; when Lots daughters were so little moved with that grievous judgement, the turning of Sodome into ashes, of their Mother into a pillar of Salt, both in their eye, that they durst think of lying wth their own Father, yea, and one of them afterward impudently… calls that sonne Moab, my Fathers son by me: no marvaile, when Pharaoh's heart was more hard after every of the 9. plagues: no marvaile, when the high Priests and Souldiers, together with the spectators, were obdurated at our Saviours sufferings, notwithstanding the whole frame of nature suffered with him; those proofes of his Deitie, were enough, to have fetcht all the world upon their knees; and to have made all mankind a convert; and yet behold, some, mock and revile him; some, give him Uinegar, and Gall in his thirst; others, after hee was dead, pierce his blessed side with a speare other, seeing him risen, report that his Disciples came by night and stole him out of the Sepulchre, &c. But al hearts are not alike, no meanes can worke upon the wilfully obdured, even that which would make Pagans relent (as they which never prayed in their lives, will pray at sea in a tempest) may leave some Christians worse then impenitent. Lime is kindled with water; and the hotter the Sun shines upon fire, the more it's heate abateth.
But what will be the issue, I even tremble to thinke of it; for God hath many strings to his Bow, and many Arrowes in his Quiver; when one way takes not, hee tries forthwith another: and this we may be sure of, that hee will never leave smiting, till we smite that which smiteth at his honour; and let them praise at night the fairenes of the day; that Ship is most sure that commeth safe to the Haven, saith Anacharsis; yea, sinnes of an inferiour ranke, shall meet with temporall judgements; but these that dare sin God in the face, shall beare a heavier weight of his vengeance, they shall not scape with burning in the hand, not have the favour to suffer here either Plague, Famine, Sword or the like; but shall be fatted for an eternall slaughter in hell, an everlasting burning in the bottomles pit. While sin hides it selfe in corners, there is some hope; if there bee shame, there is possibility of grace; but when it dares once looke upon the Sunne, send chalenges to authority, defie heaven and earth, the vlcer is desperate, the member farre more fit to be cut off, then launced. And so much of the perpetuity of this sinne in drunkards.