The Drunkards Character, Section 204
§ 204.
OB. But here some of them will reply. That we lay the saddle upon the wrong horse,Objections answered. when we tax them for want of peace, love, and friendship; in that the religious only shew inconstancy, by bidding farewell to their old friends and acquaintance, so soone as they embrace religion.
Answ▪ Change in the vicious were a ra…e ve…tue.To this is answered. First that constancy, except it be in the truth and in a good cause, is impudency: change in the vicious is as great a vertue, as constancy in the vertuous. The Almaines were praised for changing their customes, which were found to be but bad before, as Tacitus affirmeth. Constancy in things ill, is so farre from being a vertue, that it is an absolute vice. Of things imperfect, change is the way to perfect them. The Gentiles became beleevers, the Iewes Infidells, Zacheus turnes from the world, Demas turns to the world, Paul turns an Apostle, Iudas an Apostate: I would faine know, whether charge in the Gentiles, Zacheus and Paul, was not as great a vertue, as it was a vice in the Iewes, Demas, and Iudas?
Saint Paul was inconstant indeed; for to day (as it were) he breathed out threatnings, and slaughter against the Disciples of Christ and to morrow he preacheth Christ in the Synagogue: what then? will any (not debauched) censure him of ficklenesse for it? nay, will not all wise men thinke it a great honour to him, and commend him for shaking hands with the high Priests, and his fellow Pursevants, when once hee heard that voice from heaven? Act. 9. 4.
There is not any so neare unto us, but if he fall from God, wee may fall from him. It merits the name of wilfulnesse, when we will not admit of a lawful chang to the better.
As Philocrates sported with Demosthenes: you may not marvell Athenians, that Demosthenes and I do differ, for he drinks water, and I drinke wine: so some laugh at us for being sober with Rhenish; and we as much pity them, for being drunk with Canary. Againe, they censure us of inconstancy; we them of impudency. Now in this case when that is reputed ridiculous by one, which is accounted sage by another as wise; what shall we doe, but make Gods Word the umpier? Wherefore, in all changes, I will have regard to these three things, God's approbation, mine owne benefit, and the not harming of my neighbour; and then where the change is not a fault, I will never think it a disgrace, though the great exchange, the World, should judge it so.
Even modesty, in some, is a vice; when out of a weake flexibility of nature, a man hath not courage enough,Even modesty in some is a v…ce. to deny the request of a seeming friend.
If a man never abandoneth evill, untill he abandoneth evill company, it is high time to take courage: yea, the longer wee have beene with them, the more need have we to hasten out of them. If this satisfie not, as the Emperor Frederick said to certaine of his Minions, that vvere importunate to get into their hands the ancient demeasne of the Empire, that hee would rather be accounted of small l…berallity, then perjured: even so had vve, in this case rather be accounted inconstant, then be unconscionable.
To the second part of the objection, I ansvver. That true love and friendship is only among good men. True love and friend ship only among good men.The vvicked may talke of it, and one drunkard may professe to another that hee loves him as well as himselfe; and therein speake truth, for, saith Augustine most elegantly, to such an one, thou lovest thy selfe, so as thou wilt destroy thy selfe; and thou wilt destroy him whom thou lovest as thy selfe; yea, better then themselves; for you shall have one Ruffian salute another, with, God save you Sir, but after some strange attestations, sweare away himselfe with, God damn me Sir: now how can any wise man thinke him a friend, that is his own enemy? he that is evill to himselfe, to whom will he be good?
But see the depth of such a mans love, and whether it be not to damn thy body and soule everlastingly. S. Ambrose tels us of one, who solicited a godly woman to incontinency, saying, he infinitely loved her: she answers, if you love me so well as you seeme, put one of your fingers into the flame, till your flesh be burnt off: he replys, that was no part of love in her to require it: yes, said she, if yours be love, to cause both my body and soule to be burnt in hell fire, for ever, which by consequence will follow, if I yeeld to your request, and take your counsell. Oh that thou hadst the wit to answer the drunkard, when he tempts thee, thus.
Indeed there is a kind of agreement, which is strengthened by sinne it selfe: as if one fee the keeper of a wench, his secrecy is bought for ever. But all this while, if one call another, friend, it is but to give him a nick-name, whereof hee is not guilty: for true friendship is so sacred, holy, and pure, that it will not be used in evill: which made Pericles, when hee was desired by a friend of his, to aide him with false witnesse, answere, that hee would be friend him as farre as the Altar, meaning so farre, as stood with piety and religion, or his duty to God, but no further; and Phocion refuse to help his son in law Cariles in judgement, being accused for bribery, saying withall, that hee had made him his friend and allie in just and reasonable matters, and in them only; and this likewise made Papinian, a Pagan, (being commanded by the Emperor Caracalla, whose Steward and familiar he was) refuse to defend an unjust cause, (as Marcellinus records) and thus it fares with all that are truly religious. There is not any one (quoth the sincere Christian) either in blood, or otherwise so neare unto me, but if he fall from God, I will fall from him: why? our Saviour Christ hath taught me, both by precept and example, that I should acknowledge none (so as to be led by them) for my brother, sister, or mother, but such as do the will of my Father, which is in heaven, Matth. 12. 46. to 51.
Whereas on the contrary, in things lawfull, nothing rivits hearts so close, as religion: Nothing rivi…s hearts so close as religion.it unites them together as glew doth boards together: it makes a knot, even betweene such as never saw one anothers face, that Alexander can not cut: yea, Tyrants will sooner want invention for torments, then they with tortures bee made treacherous. How many have chosen rather to embrace the flames, then to reveale their companions, and brethren in Christ? There is no friendship like the friendship of faith. There is Amor, among Beasts; Dilectio, among Men; Charitas, among Christians, that is their peculiar: nature, makes husband and wife but one flesh; grace makes them even one spirit: and it is a question, whether naturall Parents are to be loved above spirituall: we know that Christ preferred his spirituall kindred, to that of the flesh: and major est connexio cordium, quàm sanguinum, saith Beza. Why should wee love them more, that brought us into this sinfull and miserable world; then those, that bring us into a better world, where is neither sinne, nor misery? why them, that live with us on earth but a while; equall to them, that shal live with us in heaven for ever?
But to goe on. Surely, as grace in her selfe is farre above nature▪ so is she likewise in her effects; and consequently, unites in a farre more durable bond. Christians hearts are joyned one to another, with so fast a glew, that no by respects can sever them: as you may see in that paire of friends, Ionathan and David: none had so much cause to disaffect David, as Ionathan; none in all Israel, should be such a looser by David's successe, as he; Saul was sure enough setled for his time, only his successor should forgoe all that which David should gaine; so as none but David stands in Ionathan's way to the Crowne; and yet all this cannot abate one dramme of his love. As also in Ruth and Naomy, whom nothing, but death, could part, Ruth. 1. If you will see other examples, looke Rom. 1. 10, 11. 1 Thes. 2. 17, 19. 20. Gal…thians 4. 18, 19. Act. 20. 37, 38. and 16. 15. Luke 4. 42. 2 Kings 2. 4. 9. and 4. 9, 10. As grace is the greatest attractive of love; so is it the surest bond; it is like varnish, that makes …eelings not onle shine, but last. Where God uniteth hearts, carnall respects are too weake to dissever them; since that which breakes off affection, must needs be stronger then that which conjoyneth it, and why doth S. Iohn use these words, once to the elect Lady, 2 Iohn 1. 2. and againe to Gajus, 3 Iohn 1. whom I love in the truth, but to shew, that to love in the truth, is the only true love? Indeed, religion is the surest cement of all societies: the loser joynts of all naturall and civill relations, are compacted and confirmed by the sinewes of grace and religion: and such a lose joynted friendship cannot hold long, which wants the nerves of religion. Wherefore give mee any foe, rather then a resolved Christian: no friend unlesse a man truly honest.