The Drunkards Character, Section 68 – Section 69
§ 68.
SIxtly, sottish feare and base cowardlinesse is another maine cause,6 Is sotrish feare, and base cowardise. both of this, and almost all other sinnes: men dare not refuse to goe to the Taverne when the motion is made, (and they seldome meete one another but they make the motion) nor refuse when they come there to doe as the rest, that is, to drinke drunke, be it to the wounding of conscience, hazard of health, life, soule, &c. for feare of seeming singular.
Oh how hard a thing is it, for a coward to shew his dislike of this sinne in some companies, where he shall be scoft at, and call'd Puritane, if he will not revell it with them in a shorelesse excesse. And indeed, better be possest with any Devill almost, then this bashfull Devill, for it will give a man no respite. But like as Agrippa his Dog had a Devill tied to his coller, and Paracelsus another confined to his Sword pommell: so the Coward hath a Devill alwayes at his elbow, to divert him from good actions, or to provok him to evill.
How many men, out of a proud, ignorant, and timerous bashfulnesse, miserably wrong their owne soules, lest the standers by should censure them? much like that Lacedaemonian child, who suffered his belly and guts to be torne out, by a Cub or young Fox which he had stolne, and kept close under his garment, rather then he would discover his theft: or like Eurydamas the wrestler, who vvhen his Teeth vvere dasht out by his adversary, dissembled the paine, and swallowed downe his Teeth, blood, and all, to the end he which gave the blow, might not perceive the mischiefe: or rather like Herod, who at the request of his Minion, cut off Iohn Baptists head, and why forsooth (for he was very sory she made that her demand, and had rather she should have required halfe his kingdome) but because they which sate at table with him, should finde him as good as his word, Marke, 6. 26. 27. O vaine and wicked Herod, not God, not his conscience came into any regard with him, but the people; as what will the world say, if I should not yeeld to it? every man vvill laugh at me, &c. Oh the foolish aymes of ambition! even the misconceits of the points of honour, have cost millions of soules; this is one notable meanes to fill Hell, lothnesse to displease; and certainly there must needs be something in it, that the fearefull are placed by the Holy Ghost in the fore-front of the damned crue, vvhichwhich shall have their part in that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, Revel. 21. 8. wherefore think of it, it is a damnable plausibility, so to regard the vaine approbation, or censure of the beholders, as in the meane time, to neglect the allowance or judgment of God. A good heart will rather fall out with all the world, then with his maker, then with his conscience. It is an ill modesty, that hinders a man in the way to blisse, or that suffers another to outgoe him; like some travelling Jade, that hearing another Horse come after, stands still till he overtakes him.
True love to, and knowledge of Christ will think him worth following through fire and water: but goe thy way, and save thy selfe, to thy losse; gaine the worlds fauour, and loose God's; escape derision, and meet wth confusion, and I wil tell thee whom thou are like: thou are like some decayed Gentlemen; who because descended from an ancient house, will not so disparage themselves as to serve or work; but which is more for their honour forsooth, take a purse; and so while they seek to shun disrepute among fooles, purchase infamy, and loose their lives, and how it will fare with thee in the end, Christ Iesus will bee ashamed of thee at the latter day, who art now ashamed for his sake to beare a few scoffs and reproaches from the world, Mat. 10, 32, 33, 39. For in this case, whosoever shall seek to save his credit, yea, his life shall loose it, and his soule too; but whosoever shall loose his credit, life, and all for goodnesse and conscience sake, hee shall save it, as our Saviour witnesseth, Luk. 17. 33.
Lastly, touching evill company, expect to heare more in the reasons of breaking off society with our vicious consorts.The last cause is evill company.
§ 69.
THus what hathbeene spoken,The drunkards chief delight is to infect others. proves them much worse then beasts; but this is a small evill with them, this is but to worke out their owne damnations: their chiefe delight is to infect others, A digression proving that all wicked men resemble the divell in tempting to sinn. drawing to perditio▪the Serpents speciall venome, wherewith these his elves be intoxicated, is to make others more beasts then themselves.
Indeed this is not the drunkards case alone, for it fares even so with all wicked men. Wherefore give me leave (yea let me take it) a little to stirre the earth about the roots of this Science. If it be a digression, to tell you of other tempters, pardon it; if impertinent, (though I hope not) passe on to Section the 75.
Wicked men as they are all the seed of the same old Serpent, Gen, 3. 15. and children of the devill, Iohn 8. 44. so they resemble the divill, and imitate him in all things, so farre as corporall creatures can possibly do spirituall substances; but principally in tempting to sinne, and drawing to perdition, and ever have done, since the Divell their father taught them the way. For even as Sathan himselfe, had no sooner sinned, but immediately (as ever since) he laid the plot to draw our first Parents, and in them all their posterity, into sinne with him, Gen. 3. 1. 4. 5. so according to this president, the wicked in all ages have followed his example, and trod in his steps, whose image they beare, and whose members they are. For thus it fared with Eve, who was no sooner tempted to break God's Law, in eating the forbidden fruit, but she becomes a tempter, and draws her husband into the same sinne. Thus with Cham, who when he had discovered, and scoft at his Fathers nakednesse, laboured to bring his brethren into the same disobedience. Tuus with the elder of Lot's daughters, who when shee had made her Father drunk, on purpose to commit incest with him; the next care shee tooke was to make her younger sister doe the like. And thus it fares with all notorious sinners of all sorts, as with thieves and murtherers, who before they goe to rob and kill, call their Mates, and say, come with us, &c. Pro. 1. 10, 11. Idolaters, Deut. 13. 6. False Prophets, Ez…k. 44. 12. Persecutors of the godly, Act. 2. 217. 28. and 23 12. … 16. Covetous wretches, Act. 19. 24. 25. Adulterers, &c. Ge. 39. 7. Wicked men being like so many corns of Powder, for as every corne of Powder flies off, and fires his fellow: so fares it with them, all that are viciously bent, seek after followers; and it is thought the greatest evill, to be evill alone.