The Drunkards Character, Section 90
§ 90.
1 FIrst,At their mouthes first by censureing the sober. they will strangely censure us, if we refuse to doe as they doe, Psal. 35. 16. and 69. 10. 11. 12. If a man will not sweare, drinke drunke, and conforme to their lewd customes, he is an Arch-puritan, by the law which the Iewes had to kill Christ; yea, for this very cause, they will definitively censure one for an hypocrite, though they scarce know him superficially; at least, if a man be but carefull of his society, they will tax and floute him with stand farther off, for I am holier th…n thou; they call piety pride, for not going with them to the Taverne; as indeed there is no goodnesse in man, but such will ascribe it to vaine glory. The beastly Sod…mit…s thought Lot a proud and imperious f…llow, Gen. 19. 9. And so Elia… censures David, I know the pride of thine heart, saith he, when nothing but the zeale of Gods glory, and desire of his Brethrens good, made him so forward. 1 Sam. 17. 28. 29.
But as all are not Theeves that Dogs barke at; so all are not hypocrites which they terme so. The Pharisie censured the Publican, and the Infidells Paul, who were more precious in Gods sight, then themselves. But basenesse, what it cannot attaine to; it will vilicate and deprave; and prejudice casteth a false colour upon the best actions: whence it is, that if our righteousnesse, doe but exceede the righteousnesse of a swearer, or drunkard, we are sure to be censured, yea, persecuted for our righteousnesse, as Abet was of Caine, because his owne workes were evill, and his Brothers good. If a man makes but the Word of God a rule to walke by, he is too precize; if he will be more then almost a Christian, he is curious, fantasticall, factious, and shall, with David, Psal. 69. 11. 12. be made the song and laughing stocke of every drunken beast: whereas, if he would be drunke, sweare, mispend his time, haunt Tavernes, play the good fellow, and doe as they doe, he should have their love, approbation, and good word; yea, if all men would be prophanely wicked, and make no bones of sinne, their censures would cease, and there would not be a Puritane, with some of them, in all the world.
But it is the custome of lewd men,VV…ereof foure reasons first they judge others by themselves. (I confesse a lewd custome) to measure all others by their owne Bushell, to forme both their opinions and censures of us, acc…rding to the mold of evill in themselves, yea, all (for the most part) judge others by themselves; and hence drunkards doing all their good in hypocrisie, doe thereafter judge of others, Saint Chrysostome hath given the rule. As it is, saith he, a hard thing for one to suspect another to be evill, who is good himselfe; so it is more hard, for him to suppose another to be good, who is himselfe evill. As we see in Nero, who being monstrous incontinent himselfe, verily beleeved, that all men were most foule libidinists, yea, that there was not a chaste person in all the world, saving that men cloaked their vice with hypocrisie. I11 dispositions, cause ill suspicions; and surely he that suspects another to be ill, without just ground, by so doing proclaimes himselfe to be guilty; for in things uncertaine, a bad construction must needs flow from a bad mind: suspicion, for the most part, proceeds from a selfe defect: vertuous men rarely censure; as great labourers rarely sneeze: so that to censure and traduce anothers worth, is to question thine owne: besides, it is an uncharitable and ridiculous thing, for where I want experience, charity bids me thinke the best, and leave what I know not to the Searcher of hearts.