The Drunkards Character, Section 183
§ 183.
THirdly,3 In regard of peace, and that in regard of peace.
1 with Sathan.
2 with the world.
3 with themselves.
First,1 With Sath…. they have farre more peace with Sathan then Gods people, for he fights not with his owne subjects or souldiers, as hath largely beene proved; yea, well may these have more peace then others, seeing the barques of their soules are rowed with farre lesse labour (having the wind of Sathans temptations, and the tyde of their owne affections to drive them) then the other, who rowe against both.
2 In regard of their peace with the World, the World loves her owne, 2 VVith the VVorldbut hates all that Christ hath chosen out of it, Ioh. 15. 19. and this is a strong tye to flesh and blood, though our Saviour calls this a cursed condition, Luk. 6. 26.
Yea, how doth the indifferent worldling applaud himselfe therein; together with his owne discretion and mediocrity; for seeing this man, vexed for his zeale; that other, hated for his knowledge; a third, persecuted for the profession of his saith, &c. he saith within himselfe, welfare a quiet ignorance: so his body is but like a lumpe of scarce moving earth, and his soule a standing puddle in the midst of it.
3 They have farre more peace (if it may be called peace) with their owne hearts then the Godly;3 VVith themselves for their consciences being either brawned with the custome of sinne, or cast into a dead sleepe by Sathan, they feele not those perilous wounds which sinne impaires them withall: yea, being past feeling, they can with more ease digest the hardest and foulest offence, then the stomacke of an Estridge can digest Iron; whereby they esteeme of their sinnes, as Paul speakes of an Idoll, that it is nothing in the world: as for oathes, yea, the sinne of blasphemy, it is a very mite, a moate, a nothing; in a word, how sick soever their soules be, I meane, how wicked and detestable soever their lives, yet they have healthfull consciences, which never complaine, or once paine them, no, they heare not a Syllable of ill language from them, they never check them, doe they what they will, neither did they ever doubt in all their lives, or were once troubled in mind or conscience, They think themselves more happy in serving the Devill then others in serving of God.as many scrupulous fooles are; and hereupon, they thinke themselves more happy in serving the Devill, then others in serving God: as those apostate Iewes in Egypt did, Ier. 44. 16. to 19. Alasse! what should they feare? they prosper in their wickednesse, they doe what they list, and the Lord lets them alone; therefore they thinke he is pleased with them, and with their actions, and that which way soever they take, the end of their journey must needs be salvation; yea, this makes them thinke they doe wondrous well: as Dionysius, when he had dispoyled an Idolls temple of all the gold therein, and finding the winds favourable in his Navigation, applauds himselfe, saying, see how the gods approve of Sacriledge; according to that in the Psalmes, he that maketh gaine, blesseth himselfe, Psal. 10. 3.
Besides, they have good hearts and meanings, as how common is it with them to talke of good meanings, when they are the worst doers in a countrey; yea, when in their practise they embrace all morall vertues in their contraries; yea, though they make not such a shew to the world, they have as good a heart as the proudest, and hope to be saved as well as the best, and so let who will say to the contrary, they are sure to goe to Heaven, as streight as a Sickle; and so they shall, for they shall goe into Heaven (if they amend not their lives) when the Sodomites come out of Hell; and in the meane time their soules are so much the sicker, by how much lesse they are sensible of paine; they were wretched, if they felt their danger; more wretched, being they feele it not, as once Tully said of Anthony.