Sin Stigmatized, Part 2 · Section 172 – Section 173
§ 172.
IN the former Treatife I have applyed my ſelfe to drunkards in ſhewing how injurious they are, to
God.
Their neighbours.
Themſelves.
For all that hath beene ſpoken, may bee reduced to one of theſe heads. In this which followes, I will wholly apply my ſelfe to the ſober; I meane ſuch, as either are ſober, or would be ſober; ſuch, as care more to be good men, and good Chriſtians, then good fellowes.
Indeed, it remaines that I ſhould ſhew the drunkard how he may leave his drunkenneſſe, and become, firſt, a ſober man, and after that a ſound Chriſtian: but how hard a matter is it (as Cato ſpeakes) to preach abſtinence to the belly, The drunkard hath beene too long ſick to be recouered.which hath no eares, and will take no denyall however the caſe ſtandeth? Beſides, the drunkard hath beene too long ſicke of this diſeaſe, to be recovered: for the ſound of the pot, wth him, will drown al reprehenſion, all admonition; even al the precepts, and ſweet promiſes, all the menaces, all the terrors of God, contained in the Bible, cannot move them, but he that is thus filthy, will be filthy ſtill, in ſpite both of Law and Goſpell. The drunkard will rather be confounded; then reformed: for (as if he were infected with the poyſon of that Serpent, which is cold i… the fourth degree mortall) …ee lackes heat to bee wrought upon; he hath …zen brow, a ſtiffe necke, an unci…umciſed eare, a fat heart, yea, his heart is adamantine, as ſtrong as a ſtone, and as hard as a nether Mil-ſtone, Iob 41.15. a blinded eye, an obdurate ſoule, &c.
Nay, be is dead in ſenſe, and dead in ſoule, as I have proved; why then ſhould I touch that ſore, which is all dead fleſh? The ſick man may heare, or feele, the dead can neither: yea, when a man is dead, chaffe him, rub him, bow him, put Aqua…vit…e into him, then take him by the hand, and bid him, walke, yet hee cannot ſtirre the leaſt joynt; except the ſoule be reſtored, all perſwaſions are in vaine.
I have ſaid enough to perſwade them to a deteſtation of this vice, had they the leaſt ſpark of grace, or matter combuſtible in them. But, alaſſe! how ſhould mud take fire? plants, and ſtones lye under the ſame beames of the Sunne, and are wet with the ſame moyſture of the clowds, yet the plants ſpring and grow, when there is no alteration of the ſtones. An Ethiopian enters blacke into the Bath, and commeth out againe blacke. A good man is eaſily ſtopt in his evill intendments, as David, in his purpoſe of murthering Nabal, but nothing ſhall prevaile with the deſperate ly minded.
Nay, if I may ſpeak it with reverence, Nothing w…l dogood upon a wicked heart.what meanes can God uſe, that ſhall bee a ble to convert ſuch an one, which reſolves againſt yeelding? neither Word, judgements, mercies, threatnings, promiſes, VVhereof many examples.or an Angell ſent from the dead to warne him, ſhall prevaile. The nine plagues ſhall not prevaile with Pharaoh: the graves openning, the dead ariſing, the Temple renting, the light of the Sunne failing, the Centurion confeſſing, &c. will doe no good upon the Scribes and Phariſies yea, though Ahab be told from the Lord, that if he goe to warre, he ſhall periſh; yet he goeth and ſpeeds accordingly.
Againe, let Malchus be ſmitten to the ground, with the very words of our Saviour, let him have his right eare cut off, and miraculouſly healed againe by him, whom he came to apprehend, yet he will be one that ſh…ll lead him bound to Pilate: O Malchus, could thy eare bee whole, and not thine heart broken, and contrite with remorſe, for riſing up againſt ſo merciful and ſo powerful an hand! l…t the Sodomites be all ſtrucken blind, for conteſting with Lot, and his two Angels, they will not ceaſe ſeeking his doore, to break it open, perſiſt they will, untill they feele fire and brimſtone about their eares, Gen. 19. Yea, let God himſelfe forbid Balaam to goe with Balacks meſſengers, to curſe the children of Iſrael; yea, let an Angell ſtand in his way, with a drawne ſword to ſtop him; yea, let him heare his beaſt ſpeak under him; yet he ſlights all: who does not wonder, that this Magician wondered not! who would not looke that his haire ſhould ſtand upright, his blood forſake his cheekes, that hee ſhould alight from that ſtrange kind of beaſt, and ſtand amazed at the miracle! yet ſtil he perſiſts, and reſolves deſperately, as Eſther did religiouſly, if I periſh I periſh. What ſhall I ſay? Reaſon once debauched, Rea…on once debauched it worſe then brutiſhnesis worſe than brutiſhneſſe. I ſee the ſavageſt of all creatures, Lions, Tigers, Beares, &c. by an inſtinct from God, came to ſeek the Ark (as we ſee Swine foreſeeing a ſtorme, runne home crying for ſhelter) not one man doe I ſee, except Noah, and his family: ſo none but the wel affected, whoſe hearts it pleaſeth the Lord to change, would follow my directions, ſhould I take the paines to preſcribe: as they only followed Saul, when hee was choſen King, whoſe hearts God had touched, 1 Sainuel 10 26.
Indeed, though they refuſe to heare, yet wee muſt not altogether bee ſilent. The fountaine caſteth out her water, though none come to drink: and though Phyſitians come not to infected perſons, that are paſt cure, yet they give Antidotes to preſerve the ſound. Wherefore a word, and but a word to them of the remedies; becauſe others have well handled them already, were they as well put in practiſe.
§ 173.
IF there bee any then that would relinquiſh this ſinne, The tran…ccendey of the ſin of …unken neſſe.that would mortifie and ſubdue this abuſive, exceſsive, unſeaſonable drinking; that would leave this ſwiniſh ſwilling, which makes ſick the Land; this beſotting ſinne, If any would re…in quiſh this ſin. et th….that takes away the heart, eſpecially from God, againſt the firſt commandement; this idolatrous ſin, which makes men worſhip the belly, and ſacrifice upon their knees to others, inſtead of God, againſt the ſecond Comman dement; this blaſphemous and execrable ſin, that ſetteth men ſo on ſwearing, curſing &c. that makes a jeſt of Gods words, and his Name; that prophane and ſacrilegious ſin, which makes no difference oftimes or dayes, but moſt rageth on the Lords day; this mad and unruly ſin, that knowes neither Magiſtrate, nor Miniſter, nor Father, nor King, nor Caeſar; this murtherous ſin, which kill more then the ſword; this adulterous ſin, wch fils all corners with whore dome and uncleannes; this thieviſh ſinne, that ſteals away mens time, wealth, wits, that robs the poore of their due; this flanderous ſin, that loades the world with tales and ſlanders, againſt the Hoſt of the living God; this Atheiſticall ſinne, that believes no more the threates and promiſes of God, then if ſome Impoſter, had ſpoken them; this helliſh ſinne, which hardens and makes up the heart againſt all repentings; this unnaturall ſinne, 1 Lay to heae… the things delivered.that puts off al thoughts of ones familie, ones ſelfe, and ſends him on grazing with N…buc hadnezzar, this ſinne, this vile ſinne thus tranſcendent; let him firſt dwell upon, and lay to heart the things formerly delivered, that by this taſt hee may learne to deteſt the drunkards qualities; 2. Avoid the cauſes formerly ha…dled.let him remove and take heed of all the forenamed cauſes, (eſpecially of affecting popular applauſe, and reputation of good fellowſhip) that ſo the cauſes being removed and taken away, the effect may ceaſe: to unlearn evill, is the beſt kind of learning.
Next obſerve theſe Rules, which I ſhall but touch; whereof ſome are generall; ſome more proper and peculiar. The generall meanes are,