Sin Stigmatized, Part 1 · Section 57
§ 57.
IT may be you have not noted it; No diſpoſſeſſing of a drunken Devill, purpoſe the drunkard never ſo oft.but it is a very difficult and hard thing, to name one habituated, infatuated, incorrigible, cauteriſed Drunkard, that ever was reclamed with age. What ſaid an experienced Gentleman, being informed that his Sonne was given to gaming, whores, prodigality, &c? There is yet hope; age, experience, and want of meanes will cure all theſe; but when, in the laſt place, it was added, that he was poyſoned with drunkenneſſe; then hee abſolutely gave him for loſt and dead, his caſe for deſperately forlorne, and ſo diſinherited him; becauſe this ſinne, hee knew, increaſed with age, and would not part till death.
A Gameſter will hold out, ſo long as his purſe laſts: an Adulterer, ſo long as his loynes laſt; but a drunkard, ſo long as his lungs and life laſts. What is noted by Philoſophers of every motion, namely, that it is ſwifteſt toward the Center; may fitly bee applyed to every drunkard, and covetous wretch; for as good men grow better and better, ſo theſe grow worſe and worſe, Ier. 9.3. 2 Tim. 3.13. they grow in ſinne, as worldlings grow in riches and honours. O that we could grow ſo faſt in grace.
Yea, ſuppoſe the drunkard hath every day purpoſes to forſake his ſinne; as I have knowne ſome purpoſe and ſtrive againſt this ſinne, yea ſo deteſt and bewaile it in himſelfe, and whomſoever, that it hath been an Hazael in his eyes, and thereupon indent with himſelfe and his friends, for the relinquiſhing of it; and yet if he meete with a companion that holds but up his finger, he followes him, as a foole to the flockes, and as an Oxe to the ſlaughterhouſe, having no power to withſtand the temptation, but in hee goes with him to the tipling houſe, and there hee continues as one bewitched or conjured with a ſpell, out of which he returnes not, till he hath emptied his purſe of money, his head of reaſon, and his heart of al his former ſeeming grace: ſo that in purpoſing he doth but imitate S. George, who is alwayes on horſeback, but never rides; or the Oſtrich, that hath winges, but cannot fly: he may make a ſhew of turning, as the doore upon the hinges, but never moves a foot from the poſt of his old cuſtom and evill ſociety, unto which hee is faſt revited; and ſo mends as ſower Ale doth in Summer; or like a dead hedge, which the longer it ſtands, is the rottener.
O this is a difficult divel to be caſt out; for when a man is once poſſeſt with this evill ſpirit, a drunken divell, it is a miracle if ever hee become his owne man after. This ſinne is like a deſperate plague, that knows no cure; it may be called the Kings evill of the ſoule, (as Chryſoſtome calls the envie of wicked men againſt the godly) for it cannot bee cured with the Balme of Gilead, nor by any Phiſitian there, untill God himſelfe ſayes to the heart, awake thou that ſleepest, and ſtand up from the dead: for by a long, and deſperate cuſtome, they turne delight and infirmity into neceſſity, and bring upon themſelves ſuch an inſatiable thirſt, that they will as willingly leave to live, as leave their exceſſive drinking. As it fares with ſome ſicke Patients, touching their bodies; who think as good be buried, as ſo much debarred of their appetites: ſo fares it with theſe, touching their ſoules; for uſe what meanes you will to reclame them, they will reject it.
What ſaith S. Baſil, ſhall we ſpeake to drunkards, wee had as good round a dead man in the eare? yea, certainly, ſaith another, he is drunk himſelfe, that prophanes reaſon ſo, as to urge it to a drunken man; in regard whereof, S. Augustine compares drunkenneſſe to the pit of hell, into which when a man is once fallen, there is no redemption. Whoring is a deep ditch, yet ſome few ſhall a man ſee returne to lay hold on the wayes of life; one of a thouſand; but ſcarce one drunkard often thouſand.
Indeed, S. Ambroſe mentions one; and another, by a moderne Divine of ours, is confeſt; and but one a peece, of all that ever they knew, or heard of. I ſpeake of drunkards, not of one drunken (ſuch who rarely, and caſually have, Noah like, beene ſurpriſed, and overtaken at unawares) but if once a cuſtome, ever a neceſſity. Drunkenneſſe beaſtiates the heart, and ſpoiles the braine, overthrowes the faculties and organs of repentance, and reſolution.
It is a ſinne of that nature, that it hardens and makes up the heart againſt all repentings. Yea the Holy Ghoſt, by the Prophet Hoſea tells us, that it takes away the heart, Hoſea 4.11. And we find it too true, for commonly it is accompanied w…th finall impenitence; which is the greateſt evill that is incident to man in this life, in that it is a certaine forerunner of eternall condemnation: yea, it is much to bee feared, Commoly ſuch as a mans delights and cores are in health, ſuch are both his thoughts and ſpeeches on his death-bed.that the Lord hath done by them, as by Ieremiah hee threatneth the Babylonians, even given them over to a perpetuall drunkenneſſe, Ier. 51.39.
And is it not moſt juſt with God; that hee who will put out his naturall light, ſhould have his ſpirituall extinguiſhed? he that will deprive himſelfe of reaſon, ſhould looſe alſo the guide and pylot of reaſon, Gods Spirit and Grace? he that will wittingly, and willingly, make himſelfe an habitation of uncleane ſpirits, ſhould not diſpoſſeſſe them at his owne pleaſure? that their deaths ſhould bee anſwerable to their lives? as commonly ſuch as a mans delights and cares are in health, ſuch are both his thoughts and ſpeeches on his death-bed. Some that have beene uſed to ſwearing, have dyed with oathes and curſes in their mouthes. Some perſecutors have dyed raging, blaſpheming, and deſpiting the Spirit of grace. Some Uſurers have died, while in their conceit, they were telling their money, and caſting it up after ten in the hundred. Yea, one being uſed to play at Tables all his life, with great delight, cried out upon his death-bed, ſize-ace, cater-trey. &c.
I deny not, but God may raiſe a Lazarus of this kind, though he bee dead in exceſſe, dead in ſenſe; yea though he be buried, and ſtinkes againe; thorow long cuſtome in filthines, and breath into his noſthrils againe the breath of life, whereby he may become a living ſoule; but rarely is it ſeene that he doth ſo.