The great evil of health-drinking, or, A discourse wherein the original evil, and mischief of drinking of healths are discovered and detected, and the practice opposed with several remedies and antidotes against it, in order to prevent the sad consequences thereof.

THE Introduction.

IF Health-drinking can be proved to be of a bad Original, as it is found to be of a pernicious Tendency, it can never become a wholeſom Practice, though it could be reduced to its prime Original; if we could cut off the Cuſtom from its old Root of Heatheniſm and Barbarity, and graft it upon better Reaſons. We plainly ſee in daily and dear experience, the Fruit to be deadly to very many, and good for none; many are the worſe, and none the better for it. Were it a Phyſical Potion for Health, none would drink it, but ſuch as value Health: but as very a Vanity as it is, being diſſolved in a pleaſing Liquor it is commended, and it is taken by Quarts and Pottles, by them that love the Liquor, better than the Health of Body and Soul. Health is the Inſcription and Title upon the Glaſs; but they that taſte it, find themſelves no better by it; and they that largely drink, are conſtantly the worſe. What tho? Can I think that Men will leave it, or thank me for their Information? Can it be expected, that Men will do by this, as by other things, if they be good for nothing, and if they do more hurt than good, throw them away? Or rather, is it not to be feared, that they who are as dry and open as a Spunge, to ſwallow down the Modes of Sin and Vanity, will be tenacious, and as hard as a Flint to retain them? As long as I ſee the Sacred Oracles disbelived, the Holy Commandments diſobeyed, known Sins committed, and known Duties negleced, and Things contrary to the Law of Grace and Nature commonly practiſed; no Man can expect, much leſs can I, that what is offered to the World with the beſt Affection and Intention, ſhall be kindly entertained of all, or received by them that ſtand in moſt need of Inſtruction and Correction. Phyſicians write of Diſeaſes and Remedies, not expecting that every Man that is diſeaſed will apply the Remedies, and wax better by them. Here are ſome Antidotes for the Infected, and Preſervatives for them that with much difficulty eſcape the Taint of an ill Converſation; if but ſome of either will but kindly take what is humbly propoſed, it will be a great Reward.

If I thought Healthing to be inoffenſive and harmleſs, I had rather a thouſand times, that the common Converſation ſhould be blameleſs, than that I ſhould blame it. And as I know it is hard rightly to reprove, ſo I know that the beſt prepared Reproofs are hard of digeſtion. And Men that are fond, if not proud, of a Virtue, that fits them for a general Converſation, are moſt difficultly gain'd to aſſent to any Limitations, and Reſtraint of the common Liberty, that is taken by ſome, if not moſt of every degree and quality. Dear Lovers of Pleaſures ſwell too big to be brought under the ſtrict Diſcipline of a good Converſation; and the growing Naughtineſs of the profuſely Vicious is ſuch, that they take not themſelves to be come to Age, until they get from under the Pedagogy of Divines, and deride Seriouſneſs, as much as Seriouſneſs doth lament their haſte and labour to undo themſelves. Some may demand ſome expreſs divine Prohibition of drinking Healths, as if then they would not tranſgreſs it. But this Demand implies a refuſal to yield to any thing that can be ſaid, and to be ruled by any thing but what cannot be produced. But when ſuch as they will conſcienciouſly obey what is plainly written in the Scriptures, they will not whet their Wits, to cut aſunder rational Connections and Conſequences from Divine Precepts, to open a broad Path for their Luſts, and diſorderly Walking.

I am not ſo fond of my own Apprehenſions and Reaſons, as to look for wonderful Effects from them; nor ſo dull, as not to foreſee what work ſome Men may make of what I write: Altho I am ſure, my Antidotes and Remedies are incomparably better than the moral Diſeaſe of Healthing, altho it had never killed its Thouſands. I ſhall not marvel, if this Diſcourſe be toſt up and down in ſport, or kick'd up and down in Anger and Diſdain: but I will ſtill marvel, why Men call'd Chriſtians, will make void God's Laws, and caſt them behind their Backs. I will ſtill marvel, why Men, endued with ſo noble and divine a Faculty as Reaſon is, and that Reaſon ſo finely ſet in many, with a ſparkling Wit, that both ſhines and cuts, ſhould practiſe that, for which no good Reaſon was ever produced or offered. And I will not only wonder, but I will lament, that Men capable of immortal Glory and Honour, do ſo debaſe themſelves, as to lay their Honour in Wet & Dirt, to turn their Throats into a Sink, and their Bellies into a Common-Shore Are not Men fallen out with their Maker, that deface his Image in themſelves and others by Intemperance? and are not ſatisfied with that Defacement, but proceed to deſtroy it, by cutting off their own and others Lives?

The Bodies of Men are ſmall Veſſels, richly laden with a great Treaſure, an immortal Soul, and many rich Gifts and Talents; they are put out in a Sea of Mercies, and favoured with a proſperous Wind, and commanded to keep a ſtraight Courſe to the Heavenly Canaan. But, to our great grief and amazement, we ſee ſome, and hear of others very often, ſplit, and ſunk into the bottomleſs Deep of Eternity, and ſeveral diſabled, and lie by to be carin'd. The Account of theſe unvaluable Loſſes is this in ſhort: The Owners and Poſſeſſors of theſe Veſſels would not learn the ſpiritual Art of this Navigation; and whereas others that ſafely arrive, do carefully obſerve the Card and Compaſs, obey Commands, take the Wind and Seaſon, prepare for Storms and Encounters, watch and pray; theſe Extravagants obſerve no Card, keep no Compaſs, neglect the Wind, caſt off their Commander, drink down their Pilot into a deep and dead Sleep, make frequent Viſits and Invitations, treat and drink high and often. The Plague of Sin and Vice did ſpread among them, they grew diſeaſed; ſome loved their Friends to death; and others quarrelled, fought, and killed their Companions. When we ſee and hear ſuch Miſcarriages as theſe, ſuch doleful Tidings and Reports of Deſtruction upon Deſtruction, ſhall we not adviſe, warn, and importune thoſe who have yet eſcaped the Wreck, and thoſe who have not yet put out to Sea, to take heed that they periſh not by the ſame means? Who is ſo inhumane, as not to be moved with, and grieve for the Corruption of Society, and the Deſtruction of Men? But which is the trueſt kindneſs, to ſtudy to prevent the Death of more, or to lament the doleful End of a vain Life of too many? The Loſs to the Living, who loſt their ſhare of Comfort and Happineſs, in the caſting away of theſe mad Adventurers, is not comparable to their own; and none can compute the Loſs, but they that ſuffer it, and feel it in Eternity. It is unſpeakable Folly, not to know the worth of that Treaſure they carry in them, until it is loſt in the bottom of another World; and that Men will not believe whither they are going, till they are gone for ever.

The River is full of ſuch miſcarrying Veſſels, and Healthing is the River's Mouth; at this they firſt ſet out, who never return to God, nor a ſound Mind, nor the Path of Life. I have ever obſerved, the greateſt Safety to be in keeping furtheſt off from it, either by keeping Company, or taking leave upon firm Land. It hath proved dangerous to go with Company as far as the River's Mouth; for when they are once got in, and gone one Mile in the way of Compliance, they have been towed on by the Ropes of Civility and Complement, or urged, and indeed compell'd by Importunity to go with them twain, or a great way further than they ſhould have done. And what if ſome know their own Strength? that they can ſwim with the Stream of this Cuſtom, and keep their Head above the danger of a Plunge? Yet with what quietneſs and eaſe of Spirit can they look upon their dear Friends and Companions, reeling, ſickning, falling, dying round about them! Who can deny Healthing to be the beginning and entrance into innumerable Evils, the beginning of many Woes and Sorrows, too big to be concealed, and too groſs to be excuſed? The Humor ſpreads more and more, and breaks out as the Diſeaſe, an evil Diſeaſe to the Morals of this Age; and the Humor is catching, becauſe it pretends to ſome Breeding and Civility; and it is the more taking among the Vulgar, becauſe it comes from the Univerſity, and Inns of Court, from the Cities, and great Mens Houſes. And altho ſome, who are of a harder Temperament of Virtue, do not lie by it, nor keep Chamber, nor walk upon Crutches for it; yet we know, the far greater Number of Healthers had preſerved much Purity in their Converſe, Sobriety in their Minds, Innocency in their Hands, Health in their Bodies, and their Breath in their Noſtrils, had they not drunk down theſe Potions.

What St. Auguſtine wrote of Apuleius, De Civitat Dei, l. 8. c. 14. that the Title of his Book was, De Deo Socratis, but in his Book and Diſputation it ſelf he calls him Daemon; may be ſaid by experience of this. As the God of Socrates, in the Title of the Book, proved to be a Daemon in the Book it ſelf: ſo it is your Health in the Preface and Introduction of drinking; but it proves Sickneſs, Debauchery, Blows, Wounds, Death; O that I could ſtop here, and not ſay, Damnation too, in the courſe and progreſs of it!

Is not a Health now become a Signal of a Battel, in which many loſe their precious Lives baſely and inhumanely; others their Senſes, their Clothes, their Modeſty; and they who eſcape with their Lives, loſe themſelves for the time? Is not this the Belt, that makes the Union of many in Sin and Wickedneſs too great and ſtraight? And is not this the Sword, that makes the Rupture and Diſunion almoſt inourable? Is not this ſometimes the Symbol, and the Colours, the Colours of a Party? and ſometimes the Defiance, and the Challenge? Is it not upon this, as upon a prophane Sacrament, that Men in effect vow and ſwear a Confederacy, or an Enmity? Is it not unſafe running into this Dilemma? If you drink, you are gone; if you refuſe, you are in danger of being ſped. I am ſure this Cup is not the Cup of Bleſſing, 'tis not the Cup of the Lord. It puts many a Soul out of all preparation for death; but now who dares come within the Liſts, but he that is near End, one way or other, be he never ſo unprepared for it? The old Form, which became a Proverb, Aut bibe, aut abi, Do as we do, or be gone, was ſafe and civil, in compariſon with the Forms of our young Maſters, who ſwear you ſhall drink, or ſwear they'll run you through, they'll ſee through you, they'll pin you to the Wall, or faſten you to the Ground. Theſe can ſacrifice to your Health, and ſend you to Hell; damn themſelves, and you too. It is dangerous to drink, and it is deadly to refuſe. O the Patience of God, and the Provocations of this kind of Murderers! Do they not believe, that if they are ſo bold with Death, Death will make much more bold with them? Is it a Glory to them, that they have the ability to do ſo great a Miſchief? Was it to Alexander's Honour to kill Clytus, that had ſaved his Life, in a drunken Frenzy? What! they would be Alexanders alſo! who by being drunk, loſt the Glory which he had gotten when he was ſober, and merited the Title of Mad-Man, as well as Great, for his being a ſucceſsful Murderer or Executioner. The ſtill and private Sot, that bibs by himſelf, that lives and dies almoſt every day; that lives a Sot, and dies an Infidel; that preſumes indeed there will be a Reſurrection out of his Sleep, but ſo lives, as if there would be no Judgment, nor Reſurrection from the Dead to it; even this quiet Bibber is a vertuous and ſober Man, compared with theſe growing Alexanders.

Surely it is high time to make ſome enquiry into this Diſeaſe which kills ſo faſt, and to make what diſcovery we can. And tho we cannot reform, let us not by a ſtupid or timerous ſilence ſeem to allow, but rather reprove the Enormity, diſcover the Sin and Danger which is not diſcerned, and juſtify the refuſal of drinking Healths. It is a Ceremony deeply ſtained and polluted with groſs Debauchery, and at beſt but an empty Formality, and in ſome 'tis a common and crying Sin. And if Blood cry for Vengeance, and a ſudden premature Deſtruction, by drinking Men into Diſeaſes and the Grave, be a ſecret Murder, it concerns all that do, or do not believe a Judgment to come, to abſtain from it, and all that can, to reform and forbid it. And if but ſome one or few ſhall receive any ſatisfaction and benefit by it, he that endeavoureth it ſhall never repent his Pains, tho he may be ſure to be paid off by ſome with contempt and deriſion.

And notwithſtanding all manner of diſcouragements, I do, in obſervance of the many awaking Calls of divine Providence, apply my ſelf to this Subject; wiſhing, for the Argument, and the patient Reader's ſake, that my Reaſon were but equal to my Antipathy againſt Healthing, which is daily encreaſed by my fervent Love to the World, and by a Sorrow for the many Sins and bitter Sorrows which begin with this kind of Complement. And I have but one Requeſt to the Reader, that he will anſwer my Affection to him with its like; and then we ſhall agree in Affection, tho my Reaſon ſtand not right in his Eye.

CHAP. I. Shewing that Ceremonies and Rules of engaging to drink to exceſs, and particularly this of Healthing, hath been reproved by Ancient Fathers, and Modern Divines. How the Queſtion of drinking Healths hath been ſtated and determined.

§. 1. I Do acknowledg, that I received my Information of the Judgment of the Fathers, from holy and learned Mr. Rob. Bolton, in his Book called, Dinections for comfortable walking with God. And ſince I have been Owner of the Books themſelves, I have examined the Quotations, and made ſome further uſe of them. And by the way, I do ſeriouſly offer this to the Conſideration of every conſciencious and teachable Reader:

1. Whether, ſeeing we ought to be holy in all manner of Converſation, for God is holy, the nearer we come to a Strictneſs, and the further from Senſuality, and pleaſing our ſelves, to the offence and enſnaring of others, or to the emboldning of ſuch as abuſe Matters of Liberty to a Licenſe, be not more becoming a Chriſtian, and holy Walking, than an arbitrary Latitude, which may prove indulgent to the Fleſh, which all muſt crucify that hope to be ſaved?

2. Whether we owe not a greater obſervance to the Rules of holy Walking, ſuppoſing them framed according to the ſeverity of a mortified Heart, and perhaps judged by ſome as too preciſe and ſtrict, than to ſuch Perſons as pleaſe their own Palates, or look more to a Civil Complement, than a Divine Commandment? Should I not rather follow the Directions of ſuch a Noah, as Reverend Mr. Bolton was, than the Modes of promiſcuous Company, that cannot pretend to follow any divine Rule in theſe Modes and Formalities? Yea, whether I owe not a greater reſpect to the Judgment and Directions of ſuch a Father as Mr. Bolton was, than (ſuppoſe) to the freer Converſation of younger Divines, who never felt the Agonies of Conſcience he did, nor ſaw the Beauty of Holineſs which he ſaw? What tho he be dead, and they living? he in his Grave, and in Heaven, and they at Table, and preſent? Why are ſuch Directions read, but to be remembred and practiſed? And according to the old Rule, Finge Catonem, I have often thought, when I have ſeen ſome take a liberty, what would Mr. Bolton ſay to ſuch things as theſe! Had I never had any ſtronger Reaſon for my Forbearance than this, Mr. Bolton reproved it, my Heart would have ſmitten me for a Compliance. Could I poſſibly reduce Healthing to any Commandment, or any Petition in the Lord's Prayer, I think I ſhould not ſcruple it; but that's paſt my Skill and Reach. But I think a Man may, without much ſtretching, reduce the Occaſions of Sin to that Sin, or thoſe Commandments which forbid the Sin.

§. 2. The Fathers that declaim'd and preached ſharply againſt Drunkenneſs, and Engagements to Exceſs, are St. Baſil, Sermon againſt Drunkenneſs and Luxury, into which the People ran at Eaſter, to his great Sorrow. St. Auguſtine, Serm. de Tem. 232. St. Ambroſe, libro de Helia & Jejunio. I acknowledg, that moſt of the vehement Paſſages in theſe Fathers, are againſt Exceſs of drinking, and ſeeking Victory by drinking, and urging to drink, ad aequales calices, a like quantity, in a like kind; and therefore come not home to this Queſtion of drinking Healths directly. For 'tis acknowledged, that ſome that drink Healths, are Perſons of that Civility, that they will not urge, neither to the ſame quantity and number, nor in the ſame kind, but indulge ſome kind of Liberty. But I conceive St. Ambroſe ſpeaks home to Healthing, to which I ſhall ſtrictly confine my ſelf.

§. 3. Auguſtin. Serm. de Temp 231 Ebrietatis malum ſit grave vitium, & Deo odibile, ita per univerſum mundum d pluribus in conſuétudinem miſſum eſt, ut ab illis qui Dei praecepta cognoſcere nolunt, jam nec putetut eſſe peccatum. The great Sin of Drunkenneſs overſlows moſt Nations; and it is ſo noiſom a Sin in it ſelf, and pernicious in its Effects, that Men could not ordinarily ſubject themſelves to its Power, but by ſome taking and enchanting Preface. St. Baſil calls the Devil, (the great Maſter of idolatrous and prophane Ceremonies,) the Maker of the Laws of Drinking, in that pathetical Sermon. Men could not be commonly cheated out of their Senſes and Reaſon, but by a Ceremonious Miſt, ſome goodly Pretence. Several Nations have had their ſeveral ways;Vid Epiſt Lipſii, Centur. Miſcel. Ep. 10. La Horat Od. 27. & Lub ni Comment Soythiſſare eſt inebriari. Cael. Rhod and barbarous People firſt began, and others followed. The Form of Invitation among us is a Health. Our bleſſed Saviour, who paid a great Price for the Bread we eat, and our ſmalleſt Beer, taught us to ask for our Comforts, as they that pray to do the Will of God on Earth as it is in Heaven; and his Apoſtle taught us, that every Creature is ſanctified by the Word of God, and Prayer. But inſtead of Prayer, we have, Here's a Health, the Form of prophaning of Cups, and they are accordingly bleſs'd. Such Forms were unknown to the Primitive Chriſtians; but after that Chriſtians waxed fat, and abuſed the Bleſſing of Plenty, they heard of it in a ſolemn manner from their Teachers.

§. 4. St. Baſil deſcribes the Preparation for the drinking Combat thus:

Very early they meditate and provide for their drinking; they adorn their Rooms with Carpets and Hangings, they exerciſe or train up their Servants for it: They ſhew all care and diligence to provide Cups, and cooling Veſſels, Bowls and Plate, ſetting them out as in a Pomp and ſolemn Feaſt-Day, that the Variety and Fairneſs of the Veſſels may beget an Appetite, and ſtir up Admiration, and that by the commodiouſneſs and change of Cups, they may drink the longer. They appoint Overſeers and Officers, the Governor of the Feaſt, Yeoman of the Wine; and after all, there is but an Order in a diſorderly and confuſed Thing. And as the Greatneſs of Earthly Princes is augmented by their Guards: ſo do they, by aſſigning Offices to Drunkenneſs, as to a certain Queen; they endeavour to hide the Turpitude of it, by the means of theſe Officers. And over and above, there are added Crowns, and Flowers, and Ointments, and a Thouſand ſorts of Fumes and Smells, &c. Then the Drinking going on, they contend to encreaſe the Madneſs, and ambitiouſly ſtrive for Drunkenneſs, as for a Victory; of which Law they have the Devil for the Author, and Sin the Reward of the Victory, &c. When they are thought to have drunk well, they fall to drinking after the manner of Beaſts, that ſtoop down to drink out of a running Spring: For there ſtands forth a young Man, not drunk as yet, bearing upon his Shoulder a Veſſel of cooled Wine; ſtanding in the midſt, he diſtributes Drunkenneſs to his Gueſts through crooked Pipes. This is a new way of meaſuring to every Man an equal ſhare, that there be no Envy, nor Grudging, nor Fraud, nor Cheat in drinking. Every one takes the Pipe or Canal that is ſet before him, and drinks at one draught as much as the Veſſel contains, out of the Silver Pipe.

§. 5. St. Ambroſe relates the manner of drinking in the likeneſs of a Battel.

You may ſee the Ranks of divers Cups, which you may imagine to be a Battel ſet in Array; Golden and Silver Veſſels ſet out, you would think it a Show. In the middle there is a Horn full of Wine, non epularis, ſed praeliaris inſtrumentum buccinae; not to ſerve as a Trumpet to call to a Feaſt, but to ſound a Battel. Firſt, they flouriſh and picqueer with ſmaller Cups, as in a Skirmiſh. But this is no Shew or Appearance of Sobriety, but the Rule of Drinking. For as Actors of Tragedies do ſenſibly and by degrees raiſe their Voice, until they have opened the Paſſage for a lively Voice, that afterwards they may make the place ring with the greater Noiſe: So they do at firſt exerciſe themſelves with preluſory Cups, to provoke to a Thirſt, leſt perchance they quench it, and being ſatiated, they may afterwards drink no more. When they are warm, they call for greater Cups: Then the Heat grows to a Flame. Dry Meat grows hot with Thirſt; and as the Veſſels begin to be low, they are fill'd up with purer or unmixed Drink. Cups contend with Meat, and betwixt whiles they are often doubled. Then the Drinking being protracted, there are great ſtrifes and contendings who ſhall excell (exceed) in drinking. Nota gravis; It is a diſgrace or a diſparagement to a Man, if he excuſe himſelf, or if a Man think it would do well to temper the Wine. And thus they do till they come to the ſecond Courſe or Service. But as ſoon as the Banquet is done, and you would think they muſt riſe, then do they again renew their Drink. And when they have done all, then they ſay they do but begin. Then the Golden Pots are carried, and the greater Goblets, as ſo many Inſtruments of War. And leſt this be thought immoderate and exceſſive, there is a meaſure made, and the ſtrife is before a Judg, and it is determined by a Law. The Agonothetes, or Maſter of theſe Games and Revels there, is Fury, the Stipend is Debility, the Reward of the Victory is Fault, the Event of the War is uncertain a great while. — Theſe are the the only Strifes that are inexcuſable. If a Man in War finds himſelf too weak, he turns his Arms, and deſerves a Pardon; but here, if any Man gives up, or turns his Cup, he is urged to drink. If where you ſtrive for Maſteries, any Man lift you up with his hand, you loſe the Garland, but you are free from ſuffering Injury thereby: In your Banquets, if a Man take off his hand from the Wine, it is poured into his Mouth. All are drunk; the Conquerors and Conquered do all lie down drunk, and very many aſleep. Neither is it lawful to carry any of them to their Grave, before he that feedeth them, hath ſeen Vengeance done to them all, that he may revenge his Expence upon them. — A moſt doleful Spectacle to the Eyes of Chriſtians, a moſt miſerable Show! &c. Ambroſe de Helia & Jejunio, cap. 13.

Quid obteſtationes potantium loquar? quid memorem ſacramenta, quae violare nefas arbitrantur? Bibamus inquiunt, pro ſalute Imperatorum. To what purpoſe ſhall I ſpeak of thoſe moſt earneſt Intreaties? wherefore ſhould I remember thoſe Sacraments (or Oaths) which it is unlawful to violate? Let us drink for the Health of the Emperors. Idem, cap. 17, &c.

§. 6. I will forbear to produce the Sayings of Auguſtine in this place, referring him to ſome following Heads; nor will I be large in Quotations out of modern Divines, who have reproved this exorbitant Humor of the Times, as Reverend Mr. Bolton calls it. Read him if you pleaſe, Directions for walking with God, p. 200. What ſaith the moſt learned Mr. Thomas Gataker to it? Hear him. Alſo to let paſs the brutiſh and ſwiniſh Diſpoſition of thoſe that think there is no true Welcome, nor good Fellowſhip, as they term it, unleſs there be deep carouſing of Healths to the Bride and Bridegroom, and every idle Fellows Miſtreſs, till the whole Companies Wits be drown'd in Drink, that not Religion only, but Reaſon it ſelf be wholly exil'd, and the Meeting it ſelf be rather call'd a drunken Match, than a Marriage-Feaſt. This Vehemence is not uſual in that great Man, but it ſeems the Matter moved him. Epiſt before Mr. Bradſhaw's Sermon, called the Marriage-Feaſt.

Read, if you would ſee and read, what's convincingly and perſuaſively written by that attractive and divine Preacher, Dr. Robert Harris, in his Drunkards Cup, Folio, pag. 307, &c. The Ingenious and Reverend Mr. Sam. Ward of Ipſwich, gives Examples of ſix or ſeven, that ſoon died after their drinking Healths, by means thereof; and preſcribes, as the beſt means againſt ruining Drunkenneſs, if great Perſons would firſt begin thorow Reformation in their own Families, baniſh the Spirits of their Butteries, abandon that fooliſh and vicious Cuſtom, as St. Ambroſe and Baſil call it, of drinking Healths, and making that a Sacrifice to God for the Health of others, which is rather a Sacrifice to the Devil, and a Bane of their own. In his Sermon called, Wo to Drunkards, p. 537, & 553 of the Collection of his Sermons. That excellent Expoſitor of the Canticles and Revelations, Mr. James Durham of Glaſcow in Scotland, in his Expoſition of the Commandments, Com. 7. ſaith, That drinking of Healths, and pledging, is one of the higheſt Provocations in Drunkenneſs, and dreadful perverting the End for which God hath given Meat and I rink, p. 390.

That very judicious and zealous Divine, Mr. Rich. Garbut, (Author of that full and excellent Demonſtration of the Reſurrection, much and very deſervedly commended) falls heavy upon the Sin of Drunkenneſs, and with a keen edg, in a homely, but methinks majeſtick Northern Dialect, ſtrikes at Healthing, to ſtrike the Cup out of his Hand, and the Sin out of his Heart. The Drunkard, Devil-like, (O read and fear, fear and abhor, abhor with Repentance) is a Sinner, who cannot be content to be wicked alone, but he muſt needs tempt others to the ſame Wickedneſs alſo. Do not Healths, and whole ones, and putting the Cup to the Noſe, and down the Throat, or down the Neck, look for it? And will you not do me right? &c. One come from the Dead, to awaken Drunkards and Whoremongers. The ſubſtance of ſome. Sermons of his, p. 70, & alibi. I have heard, that worthy Mr. John Geree hath written a Tract on purpoſe againſt Healthing.

§. 7. Theſe were the Thoughts of thoſe eminently learned and holy Miniſters of this Mode. And certainly they were Men as like to know Good and Evil, as moſt Men were in their days, or that now ſurvive them. And when I ſee but one Preacher or Writer, of their Piety and Learning, defend the Lawfulneſs or Innocency of Healthing, I will encreaſe my Wonder, but hardly abate my Prejudice, or forſake my Reaſon. I know it is very common and faſhionable among the Clergy; but whether ever they found comfort in it, or durſt commend and approve of it, I leave to their conſideration. Surely thoſe Divines, that have ſtudied the Word of God, that preached moſt zealouſly to the ſalvation of Souls; that were neareſt Heaven in a holy Life, and moſt above the Preferments, and Complaiſance, as the way to them, were moſt to be attended to. It ſeems not to be once ſcrupled by very many, or they would not be ſo officious and forward. But to avoid the Cenſure of Singularity, and to ſhew that there is matter of Conſcience in it, I will, in the next place, ſhew how the Caſe hath been ſtated and determined.

CHAP. II. Shewing how the Queſtion of drinking Healths hath been ſtated and reſolved, with ſome Animadverſions upon it.

§. 1. THe famous Philoſopher and Divine, Mar. Trider. Wendelinus, Philoſophiae moralis lib. 1. cap. 16. propounds the Queſtion thus:

Quaeritur an per ſobrietatem liceat, in alterius ſalutem bibere? Whether it conſiſt not with Sobriety, to drink the Health (or to the Health) of another?

After he hath ſhewed it was the ancient Cuſtom of the Greeks, Romans, Germans, and Muſcovites, he reſolves the Queſtion in the Affirmative, but with a Limitation: It is lawful to drink to the Health of another; quatenus fieri id nullo ſobrietatis detrimento poteſt, as far as it may be done without the harm or detriment of Sobriety; for we may teſtify our Joy of anothers Health by this Sign, as well as by any other Sign. The ſence of this Queſtion, propounded in this form, is no more but this, That one may drink to anothers Helth, and be ſober. But as thus reſolved, it gives no countenance to the common practice of Healthers. And tho it may conſiſt with Sobriety, if it conſiſt not with another Grace, or Vertue, or Duty, or with Prayer to God, which is implied in it, or it ſignifies nothing, it may be unlawful.

But ſaith he, Quod ſi vero propinantis intentio ſit: But if it be the Intention of him that drinks, to overwhelm others, with Cups to the Health of others, and to thruſt them down, and dethrone them from the ſtate of a ſound Mind; and the Intention of the Pledger be to fulfil the deſire of him that drinks or begins to him, as it is in Germany and Muſcovy, we embrace and hold the Negative, for this manifeſt reaſon, becauſe we are all bound to ſtudy Sobriety. Luke 21.34. 1 Pet. 3.7. & 5.8. Cogitent hoc, ſaith he, Aulae & Aulici, &c. Let Princes Courts, and Courtiers think of this, who ſo drink the Healths of others, that they hazard and impair their own.

It may well be doubted, whether they who lead and follow in this Maze of Healthing, will thank this learned Man for determining in favour of them. Do they not venture, without asking Queſtions for Conſcienceſake? and make a common Treſpaſs and Path, where the Author of our Salvation hath raiſed a Wall, with a Caveat, Take beed leſt any of you be overcharged with Surfeiting and Drunkenneſs, &c.? Here's ſmall Thanks to be paid to Wendeline for his Reſolution, except he had taken away the Reſtriction.

§. 2. Our acute Schoolman, and conciſe Caſuiſt, Dr. Ames, is round and quick in dehorting from all the Rites and Sacraments of Bacchus: Abſtinendum eſt igitur, &c. Therefore we muſt abſtain, (even from this ground, if there were no other) from all thoſe Rites by which Drunkenneſs is wont artificially to be promoted: Of which kind are Adjurations of others, by great Names,i. e. Hëalths. or the Names of ſuch as are dear, to empty Cups; the ſending about of Cups to be taken off by all alike; the Abuſe of Lots, (as they uſe in ſome Places by Dice put into a Jug or cup, inſtead of a Rattle, or by a Mill affixed to a Jug or Pot) according to a fictitious Law (not written) and laying a neceſſity upon the Gueſts: And from all other the like Myſteries of Bacchus, and Manuductions to Exceſs of Drinking. Caſe Conſc. lib. 3. cap. 16.

§. 3. The deep-ſighted, ſearching, and skilful Guide of Souls, in all the paths of a holy and righteous Converſation, Mr. R. B. in his voluminous Treaſure of practical Doctrines, the Chriſtian Directory, puts the Caſe, and reſolves it thus:

Queſt. Is it not lawful to drink a Health ſometimes, when it would be ill taken to refuſe it, or to be uncovered while others drink it?

Anſw. Diſtinguiſh between drinking meaſurably, as you need it, and unmeaſurably, when you need it not. 2. Between the foreſeen Effects, and doing it ordinarily, or when it would do hurt, or extraordinarily, when it will more prevent hurt. And ſo I conclude;

1. It is unlawful to drink more than is good for your Health, by the provocation of other Men.

2. It is unlawful to do that which tempteth and encourageth others to drink too much. And ſo doth the Cuſtom of pledging Healths, eſpecially when it is taken for a Crime to deny it.

3.☞ The ordinary drinking and pledging of ſuch Healths is unlawful, becauſe it is the ſcandalous hardning of others in their Sin, unto their Ruine.

4. But if we fall among ſuch furious Beaſts, as would ſtab a Man, if he would not drink a Health, it is lawful to do it to ſave ones Life, as it is to give a Thief my Purſe, becauſe it is not a thing ſimply evil in it ſelf, to drink that Cup, but by Accident, which a greater Accident may preponderate.

5. Therefore any other Accident, beſide the loſing of your Life, which will really preponderate the hurtful Accident, may make it lawful: As poſſibly in ſome Caſes and Companies, the Offence given by denying it, may be ſuch as will do more hurt far than yielding would do; (as if a malignant Company would lay ones Loyalty to the King upon it.)

6. Chriſtian Prudence therefore (without carnal compliance) muſt be always the preſent Decider of the Caſe, by comparing the good and evil Effects.

7. To be bare, when others lay the Honour of the King or Superiors upon it, is a Ceremony, that on the aforeſaid reaſon may be complied with.

8. When to avoid a greater Evil, we may extraordinarily be put to any ſuch Ceremony, it is meet that we join ſuch Words, (where we have liberty) as may prevent the Scandal, or hardning any Perſon in Sin.

9. And it is our Duty to avoid the Company that will put us upon ſuch Inconveniencies, as far as our Calling will allow.

Chriſt. Direct. Tom. 1. cap. 8. fol. 388.

§. 4. Upon the Reſolution of the Caſe ſo ſtated, by this eminent Servant of Chriſt, I will be bold to make ſome Obſervations.

I obſerve three Things in the Caſe.

1. Is it lawful ſometimes to drink a Health? By this the common Practice is ſhut out of the queſtion, as an unlawful Cuſtom, as he plainly ſpeaks.

2. When it will be ill taken to refuſe, and then when a Man cannot without danger put it by; intimating, that a Man ſhould do what he can to avoid it. And if a Man muſt do what he can to avoid it, it is clearly a thing unlawful to urge it, and worſe to take the refuſal ill. The Suppoſition in the Caſe is this; That a ſober Man may fall into ſuch Company, that are ſo unreaſonable and uncivil, as to take it ill that any ſhould refuſe to do as they would have him.

3. The Ceremony of being uncovered when Healths are drunk, is another part of the Caſe, and intimates, That a ſober Man may well ſcruple to conform ſo far.

4. If it be unlawful to drink more than will do a Man good, by the invitation or urgency of another; then it is manifeſtly unlawful to call upon, or urge a Man to drink; and he that urgeth another, is not a fit Judg of the Harm, but he that knows his own Neceſſity and Strength.

5. Drinking and pledging Healths, in a cuſtomary way, is to tempt and encourage to Exceſs, and ſo it's a ſinful and ſcandalous thing, hardning of Men to their Ruine.

6. And here ariſeth another Caſe: What if a Man fall among thoſe furious Beaſts, that will ſtab a Man if he will not drink a Health? what's to be done in ſuch a caſe? It is not ſimply evil in it ſelf to drink that Cup, ſaith Mr. B. but by Accident, which a greater Accident may preponderate. Where note, that ſuch Perſons that ſtand upon thoſe Terms, have put off Civility and Manhood, and are to be avoided like furious Beaſts. Yet here, I conceive, ſome Things are to be thought of in ſuch a caſe.

(1.) A Man, in caſe of danger to his Life, may drink that Cup, which they that require it call a Health, tho not in the ſame Notion and Formality in which it was urged and impoſed.

(2.) But what if the Cup be unlawful in it ſelf? What if a Proteſtant fall into the Company of furious Papiſts? or if a ſober Perſon fall into the Company of raging Hectors? And he be required to drink to the coming in of Popery, or to the Confuſion and Damnation of all Whigs, or of ſuch as are hated, by any other Name? what ſhall a Man do in ſuch a Caſe? Or what if I be required to drink to the deſtruction of one, whom I am bound to love and honour? The Cup, with ſuch an Inſcription or Title, is flatly unlawful. Or what if I be required to drink to the Proſperity, Succeſs, long Life of an Enemy to God, Religion, and my Country? Such Cups, under thoſe Titles, are to be abhorred, as ſinful. And many ſuch have been drunk in our days, full of the Poyſon of deadly Hatred. For ought I ſee, by theſe Reſolutions of enquiring Men into the Rules of Practice, the moſt innocent is dangerous and ſcandalous.

Here's enough to direct ſober Men, that deſire to walk by a Rule; yet the Queſtion is capable of Enlargement, and I ſhall preſent what I have found out upon enquiry.

CHAP. III. Some Things premiſed. In what Notion Healthing is taken. That Healthing is ancient, is no Plea for it. Liberty of drinking more ancient. A Sacrifice and Prayer, or honorary, memorative Sign, by Ambroſe, Auguſtine, Roſinus, &c. Its Riſe. Its Tradition to us.

§. 1. ANd here I muſt premiſe:

1. That it is ſuſpicious, that the Ceremony of Healthing did ſpring from the ſame Original that other Ceremonies of drinking did, and to the ſame End of Intemperance, and fatal Corruption of true Friendſhip, and good Society. And if this were doom'd by common Conſent to Oblivion, it would not be long before another ſhould be brought into its place, as long as Men are prone to that Sin which is the diſgrace of Mankind. But then, if there be any Reverence for our Maker, any Honour to our excellent Nature, Men ſhould ſtop every Door at which Sin enters, by the Devil's Inſtruction, in a diſguiſe, to bind us, and then deſtroy us.

2. Rational Men ſhould not require clearer or ſtronger Arguments againſt Healthing, than the Subject will afford. It is not to be doubted, but if Healthing were as expreſly forbidden, as Murther or Fornication, but it would be a dark and controverted Text to ſome, which is as clear as the Sun to others, and it would be practiſed for all the Prohibition.

3. Tho all the Converſation of Chriſtians ſhould be Chriſtian, according to the Laws of Chriſt, and of entire Charity and Benevolence, and therefore above that which is meerly Civil; yet it is lawful to converſe with Men in the generality of human Nature, upon good occaſions, and for good ends. It is our duty to communicate the good Things which Divine Bounty hath beſtowed upon us; and it is our duty, to expreſs our mutual Eſteem and Affections by Words or Deeds: and ſo it is lawful at our Tables, and other Meetings, to drink one to another, as it is to help or carve, or to invite them to a liberty to partake of what we have. And it may become us to remember our abſent Friends, and that when we meet as Confederates in the ſame Covenant of Grace, in the ſame Religion, Name, Nature, and Cognation, &c.

4. The diſtaſte is not only againſt this Ceremony, but any other, that doth tacitely or expreſly lay any obligation upon any Man to drink for his carnal pleaſure or harm.

5. Mutual, ſober, communicative Drinking, is an expreſſion of a Friendſhip and Confederacy; and therefore it is not unlawful for one to expreſs that Friendſhip and Love by Words or Signs. I may wiſh him any Grace or Mercy from God. But when that which is intended, is the gratification of the Fleſh, and the Health is but a pretence for it, it cannot be excuſed nor defended.

6. There is a great difference between drinking a Health, and remembring of a Friend in drinking, both in the intention of the thing, and common practice; but if the remembrance of the abſent be any kind of engagement to drink unſeaſonably, or exceſſively, it is as bad as Healthing. But there is a great difference between them: The one is profitable, and the other not; the one is a Duty, the other not; for the one we have divine Precedents, for the other none. When we call to mind our abſent Friends, we make them as perſonally preſent as we can; we include them in the ſame Affection with the preſent: We remember their condition and circumſtances of Life, and ſo according to their condition we are affected, ſometimes into Joy and Thankſgivings, ſometimes into Pity and Commiſeration, ſometimes into Sorrow and Sympathy. It was the Sin of them that drank Wine in Bowls, that they forgat the Afflictions of Joſeph. Amos 1. And it was an effectual way to forget him. Remembrance of the Abſent may move us to weep and ſigh, and to forbear our drinking, may afford matter of Diſcourſe, and to lay aſide our Cups: But in Healthing, what is there more than drinking our ſelves, and making others drink, and that to the preſent, as well or more than the abſent.

§. 2. That which I am enquiring into, is drinking a Health or Healths, abſtracted from the Formalities of being uncovered, or kneeling, or any other Accident or Effects, but in it ſelf, as near as I can. It is the firſt Occaſion and Spring of much Vanity, Sin, and Evil; it ſendeth out both the ſweet of ſuch Kindneſs as it is, and the bitter of Unkindneſs; it is an implicit Prayer, if not expreſs, and a Curſe. It is to the Happineſs and Unhappineſs, good Succeſs and bad, to a good Voyage, to a good Journey, to a next merry Meeting; and it is to all that is bad and fearful. The ſwaggering Proteſtant drinks it to the deſtruction of the Pope, and he is the never the further off for that; and the fiery Papiſt, he drinks the Confuſion of Hereticks. It is a Dedication, and an Execration, and ſometimes a Memorial.

And I think it is a Sacrifice, or ſome kind of Sacrament, or a Prayer.

§. 3 The moſt conſiderable Pretence or Apology for it, is taken from its Antiquity and Univerſality, and will prove it as lawful, as the Romiſh Church to be true. May not as much be ſaid for the groſſeſt of Vices? Sin was in the World a long time before it; this came not in, but till after the Devil grew genteel and complemental. It was an ancient Cuſtom to drink in honour of great Names, or to the Health of Friends; but to engage and challenge by it, to the infringement of Liberty and Sobriety, was unknown to the moſt ſimple Ages, that retained the ſhape of Humanity, and face of Vertue. This Faſhion was not come up in the days of Homer, as the Learned Dr. Duport obſerves upon that Verſe of Homer: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . At hand a Cup of Wine there ſtood, To drink when he himſelf thought good.

Nondum quippè inoleverat barbarus ille mos, provocando ſe mutuò majoribus poculis. That barbarous way of mutual provocation to quaff, was then a Stranger; every Man drunk what he pleaſed, and not at the beck and guſt of other Men. He recites ſeveral Greek Authors for his Opinion, and among other Teſtimonies, a Laconick Apothegm out of Plutarch. The Lacedemonian heard, that ſome at their Feaſting were compelled to drink, Why not, ſaith he, to eat? Et certè, ſaith the Doctor, videtur eſſe par ratio, hoc eſt planè nulla: As good reaſon ſurely for the one as the other, which is none at all. — Gnomol. Homeric. Od 8. p. 185. But after that Corruption grew rank in the Soil of Proſperity, it became proverbial of quaffing and urging, Graeco more bibere, Graeco more potare, interpretantur quidam, grandibus meracis que poculis ſe invitare. Cicero in Verrem, Action. 3. Fit ſermo inter cos, & invitatio, ut Graeco more biberetur, hoſpes hortatur, poſcunt majoribus poculis, celebratur omnium ſermone laetitiâ que convivium. Cael. Rhodigin. Antiq. Lectionum, l. 28. c. 6. And one of their Laws of drinking, became a Proverb, Aut bibat, aut abeat; It was the ſafer way to be gone, than ſtay; for the reaſon which Cicero gives in the 5th of his Tuſculan. Q. Ne ſobrius in Violentiam Vinolentorum incidat: leſt the Wine-drinkers fall upon him with Violence.

This was a more genteel and civil Law than that, If he will not drink, pour it upon his Head; which was done to Empedocles, and which he took at a Feaſt, in ſuch Indignation, that the day following he call'd a Council, and the maker of the Feaſt, and the Sympoſiarch, or the Governour of it, were both condemned. Vid. Adag. Eraſmi, Chiliad. 1. Cent. 2. Prov. 47. Diogen. Laertius in vit. Empedoc. l. 8. But our Germans, ſaith Eraſmus, are more barbarous than the Scythians: Drink, ſay they, or I will break your Head with this Jug, as big as it is. The Scythians, both Men and Women, were wont to pour out Wine upon their Cloaths, accounting it a pleaſant and happy Life. Quid ais? & agnoſcis haec in noſtris Moribus? ſaith Lipſius. Our Bibbers in our Country, will pour Wine into the Boſom of them that refuſe to drink, and when they greedily drink, drop it upon their own. Lipſ. Ep. Miſcellan. Ep. 7. La.

§. 4. The Ancient Romans uſed freedom in their drinking, without Arts of alluring. Aulus Gellius reports of Romulus, the firſt King of the Romans, being invited to a Supper, drank but ſparingly, becauſe he had Buſineſs to do the next day; they ſaid to him, Romulus, If all Men ſhould do as you do, Wine would be cheap: He anſwered, Yea, but, it would be dearer, if every Man may drink as much as he pleaſe, for I have drunk as much as I had a mind to. A. Gell. Nect. Attic. l. 11. c. 14. The Perſinas alſo were very abſtemious, ſparing, and laborious in the firſt Ages; but in proceſs of time, being infected with the Median and Lybian Luxury, their Luſts grew corpulent and bulky, and became to be merobibos, & multobibos; and they were wont to compel to drinking at their Feaſts, which made Ahaſuerus to reform that evil Cuſtom, and conſtrain no Man, but indulge every Man to drink as little as he would. Breſſon. de Regio Perſarum Principatu, l. 2. p. 215.

§. 5. So it was of old, but you know how it is now. I have thought it to be ſome kind of Pagan Sacrifice, and to imply a Prayer, which are the Notions I ſhall ſtick to, and produce conſiderable Proof of it. It is alſo an Honorative and Memorative Rite and Ceremony.

§. 6. And ſo it was taken to be by ancient Fathers, who preached and wrote againſt it, as a Sin of their times, and an Obligation to Drunkenneſs: Wherefore ſhould I ſpeak of your earneſt Entreaties, and Obteſtations? Wherefore ſhould I remember your Sacraments? Quid memorem Sacramenta? your Sacraments, Oaths or Myſteries? Bibamus, inquiunt, pro Salute Imper atorum: Let us drink for the Health of the Emperors, and he who refuſeth, reus erit in Devotione, he is faulty in his Devotion, Loyalty, or Love to the Emperor — O pia Devotionis Obſequium! O the ſupple flattering obſervance of pious Devotion! — Let us drink, ſay they, for the Health of our Armies, for the Strength and Valour of our Companions, for the Health of our Sons.— And they do think that theſe their Prayers and Vows do reach, or come up even to God; even as they who bring their Cups to the Sepulchres of the Martyrs, and there drink, in Veſperam, until the Evening, and believe, that otherwiſe they cannot be heard. O Stultitiam Hominum, qui Ebrietatem Sacrificium put ant! &c. O the Folly of Men who think Drunkenneſs to be a Sacrifice! Who think them to be appeaſed with Drunkenneſs, who taught us to bear Sufferings with Faſting. Quot de Intemper antiâ convivii novimus ad Torment a veniſſe? How many intemperate Men have we ever known to be Martyrs? —It is plain that St. Ambroſe took this Healthing to be Vows, Prayers, Sacriſice. Libr. de Helia & Jejunio, c. 17.

§. 7. St. Auguſtin, in his 64 Epiſt. to Biſhop Aurelius, falls ſharply upon Drunkenneſs, and eſpecially at the Sepulchres of the Martyrs; which becauſe the carnal and ignorant Vulgar are wont to believe to be not only the Honours of the Martyrs, but the Comforts of the dead. It ſeems to me that that Turpitude be eaſier diſſuaded from, if it be forbidden out of the Scripture, and if Oblations and Sacrifices for the Dead, which we may truly believe to help little, upon theſe Commemorations be not ſo ſumptuous, &c.

Roſinus confirms the Obſervation of drinking in honour of Perſons, and ſacrificing: Solemne hoc erat, ut Divo alicui libarent; and threw upon the Table or Floor ſome of their Wine, ut que in Dominae aut Amicae Honorem Cyathum ebiberent, eam que palàm nominarent; and then drank in honour of their Lady, Miſtreſs, or Miſs, and named her openly. Antiquitat. Romanorum, l. 5. c. 30.

§. 8. We may learn out of Heathen Authors, that to Health is as much as to ſacrifice and pray. Some, ſaith Alexander ab Alexandro, do ſay, that Graeco more bibere, to drink after the manner of the Greeks, is as often as they name or call their Gods or Friends among their Cups, every one by his Name, ſo often to drink largely and take off their Wine; and when Magiſtrates were choſen, or Honours conferred, they carried about Wine in Goblers, and pointed them out by Name, to whom they ſhould give the Cup; and then firſt they were wont to call their Gods, and afterwards their Friends, and ſo often to drink deep, & bona à Diis precari, and to beg good things of their Gods. It was the Cuſtom of the Thracians, inter Ep • las & Porula primum libare Diis D • pes, & benè precari convivis: they firſt offered Dainties to their Gods, and then pray'd for their Gueſts, and according to their Prayers, to eat their Dainties with Modeſty, hund xliter, no otherwiſe than if it had been at a ſacred Banquet. Let them among us take notice of this, who ſit down, and riſe from their Tables, and never pray for God's Bleſſing, nor return God Thanks: And let them alſo learn from the Thracians, that pray before Meat, to eat and drink according to their Prayer, as at a holy Feaſt.

The Greeks and Romans in their familliac eating together, pieces of the Meat and ſome Wine being thrown into the Fire, they gave Drink-Offerings to their Gods, and the firſt Fruits of their Suppers to their familiar Spirits, or Houſhold-Gods, to whom the Salt and Bread, and Cheeſe fell for their Meſs. The firſt Cup was mineled to Jupiter Olympius, the ſecond to their Hero's, the third to Jupiter the Saviour.— And when pure, or Wine unmixed was given, it was obſerved that they ſhould call to Jovem ſoſpitem, Jupiter that giveth Health, No cemulentes faceret, leſt the Wine ſhould make them drunk; but when it was mixed with Water, Jovom appellare Servatorem, to call to Jupiter the Saviour. Alex. ab Alex. Genialium Dierum, l. 5. c. 19.

The third Cup was by the Ancients accounted ſolemn and myſtical, and it became a Cuſtom to facrifice, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the third to Jupiter Soter. Dr. Duport. Gnomot. Homer. p. 138. Vid. & Coelium Rhodiginum. l. 28. c. 6. de tertio Poculo Jovi Soteri, p. 1068.

Paulus in Perſa, & in Sticho deſcribes the manner of feaſting. Toxilus calls thus; —Hoe age, accumbe, hunc Diem ſuavem, Meum natalem agitemus, amaenum.

Mind your Buſineſs, ſit down, let us keep this ſweet and pleaſant Day, this is my Birth-day. Age Puer, Come Boy, do thy Buſineſs, à ſummo ſeptenis Cyathis committe hos Ludos: Begin theſe Sports, or Merriments, with ſeven Cups, beginning with him that ſits uppermoſt: Be nimble, and make haſte. Pegnium, Thou doſt not give me my Cups faſt enough: Prethee give 'em me. Benè mihi, benè vobis, benè Amicae meae. All Happineſs to me this is, a Health to you is this; A happy Life to me, to you, and to my Friend and Miſs.

Coelius Rhodiginus hath collected, That it was the Cuſtom of the Greeks, after Supper to drink Poculum boni Daemonis, the Cup of the good Demon, which Euſtachius upon Homer thought to be Fortune. And what was this Cup, but a Libation or Sacrifice to Fortune? And the Cups bore the Names of their Gods, becauſe they were dedicated to them. The firſt Cup was to Jupiter Olympius, (as you heard before) the next was the Cup of the Hero's of the Earth, the third was of Jupiter the Saviour.

But why was it called the Cup of Jupiter the Saviour? becauſe that manner of drinking was kept within the bounds of Sobriety; he that went beyond that, was noted to be intemperate. The ſame Cup was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from the Perfection of the number Three, which contains the Beginning, Middle, and End. It is found in Books, ſaith the ſame laborious Collector, that the chief Cup in Feaſts offered Praefatione 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . This is the Cup of the good Demon, which many thought to be Bacchus, Laetitiae Dator, the Giver of Mirth. The laſt was Praefations Jovis, the Cup of Jupiter Liberator, the Deliverer. We have found in Theſautis Julii Pollucis, the laſt Cup was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or Mercurie; for riſing from Supper, they were wont to drink or ſacrifice to Mercurius, the Preſident of Sleep, as Athanaeus writes, the laſt was the Cup of Jupiter the perfect. Antiq. Leet. p. 1008.

How like to theſe Paganiſh Dedications, are the Forms and Inſcriptions, or Dedications of Health? Do they not call the Cups by the Names of the Perſons whoſe Health they drink, viz. This is your Health, ſuch a Health, have you had this Health? and when at a loſs, they ask, Whoſe Health is this? How like is this form of Speech to the old one, Bibamus pro Salute Imperatoris, let us drink for the Health of the Emperor.

§. 9. That Healthing implies Sacrifice and Prayer, may be proved by plainer Evidence yet, in the Sacrifice and Feſtival obſerved in Memory of Anna Perenna, or to vary a little after the Popiſh Dialect, the Feaſt of St. Ann Perenna.

In the Month of March, ſome ſay on the Ides, or 15th day of that Month, was the Feaſt of Anna, Siſter of Dido, as ſome ſay, prefer'd into the place of a Goddeſs. Eodem Menſe & publicè & privatim, ad Annam Perennam Sacrificatum itur, ut annare & perennare commodè lieas, ſaith Macrobius Saturnal. l. 1. c. 12. Quò commodius annare, & perennare liceret. ſaith Alexand. ab Alexandro, l. 3. c. 18. Annare dicimus, Annum agere, to live a Year, quemadmodùm porennare Annos peragere, to live out, or compleat many Years. Annum perſicere, & quaſi perpetuùm agere, to live perpetually; as Peret, in Cornucopia in Martial. Epiſt. fol. 143. Col. 2. Sunt qui Lunant putarint, quae Anna vocaretur, quod Annus ex Menſibus fiaet. Lil. Gyraldus Syntagm. Hiſtor. Deorum Syntagm. 1. p. 57.

On the Ides of March there was a Feaſt to Anna Perens, in quo largioribus Poculis indulgebant, & pro Cyathorum numero Annos mutuò precabantur; in which they gave themſelves to drink larger Cups than ordinary; and according to the number of the Cups, they pray'd for ſo many Years to live for one another. Roſin. Antiquitat. Roman. l. 4. Calendario Romano; which Feaſt is deſcribed by Ovid. Faſtor. Libr. 3.

Sole tamen, Vino que calent, Annoſ que precantur; Quot ſumunt Cyathos, ad numerum que bibunt. Invenies illic qui Neſtoris ebibat Annos. Well warm'd with Sun and Wine, for Years they wiſh, For every Year they wiſh, they take a Diſh, (They drink and pray) and to a number drink: Some to the Years of Neſtor e're they ſhrink.

To conclude this Evidence, that Healthing doth intimate a Sacrifice or Prayer, may appear from that horrid, and worſe than barbarous, that cruel and deviliſh Sin of imprecating Evil to Enemies in their Madneſs of drinking, when they wiſh, till they curſe even to Hell; therefore when they are pleaſed, then it is your Health, the beſt Prayer they can make. This is a Jewiſh Cuſtom at their Weddings, when they drink and pledg, they ſay, Le chaſim tobh, Sit tibi ſaluti; Be it to your Health, or your Health. But if they are diſpleaſed and diſaffected towards any, as they are towards Chriſtians, then 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Curſe, which Letters cabaliſtically reſolved, do amount to 165, and in one Word they imprecate 165 Curſes to him. Bnxtorf. Synag. Judaic. c. 28. de Nupt. What are they that curſe and damn in their Cups, Jews or Chriſtians? I wiſh they would, when they are ſober, think of theſe Things.

§. 10. Here's Evidence full enough for the Notion in which I take this Healthing; but whence doth it ariſe? who is the Inventor of it? Here's an Enquiry for a Polydore Virgil, or ſome ſuch Man as he, or Hieronymus Mercurialis. I muſt go no further than my own dim and ſhort Candle will help me. The Heathens might imitate the Jews, and uſe that as a divine, which was a corrupted Sacrifice. So the Learned Gataker conceived, in his Annotations upon Jer. 7.18. The Peace-Offerings and Drink-Offerings of the Jews were by God's Appointment, and were Sacrificia ſalutaria, votiva, & euchariſtica, called by the Seventy, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Dr. Outram de Sacrificiis, c. 11. and others. What the Devil borrows from God pure and uncorrupt, he leaveneth with his Malice, to corrupt God's People, and all that are deceived by him. God's People paid dear for what they borrowed from Heathen Idolaters, or took up in imitation of them.

That Text in Iſa. 65.12, 13. is interpreted by ſundry learned Men to countenance what I am upon: But ye are they which forſake the Lord, and forget my holy Mountain; that prepare a Table for that Troop, and that furniſh a Drink-Offering unto that Number. Here is their Sin; their Loſs and Miſery by it is ſet down by the Prophet. The Sin was forſaking the Lord, forgetting God's holy Mountain, not regarding his Worſhip in Jeruſalem, or Mount Sion; and preparing a Table for that Troop, and a Drink-Offering to that Number. In the Original, as you ſee in the Margin, the Troop is Gad, and the Number Meni. The Learned Druſius, giving to Jacobus Montanus his Opinion of Gen. 30.11. tells him, that ſome Interpreters do render Gad a Troop, and others Fortune. Gad, as the Hebrews witneſs, is Good Fortune, quam Graeci 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 vocant, and the Hebrews Muzzal Tobh. Caeterum Fortunae, quam Gad appellabant, veteres menſam inſtruebant. But the Ancients did prepare a Table for Fortune, which they called Gad, Iſa. 56.11. Druſius de quaeſitis per Epiſtolam, Ep. 100. Grotius alſo obſerves, that Gad ſignifies Fortune, among the Hebrews, Chaldeans, and Arabians.

The Seventy tranſlate the Words, And have prepared a Table to Daemon, and fill'd a Mixture to Fortune.

Meni is by Avenarius tranſlated Mercurius, an Idol worſhipped by the Merchants. So Mr. Pool, Engliſh Annotat. The Merchants ſacrificed to Maia and Mercurius, in the Month of May, praying for good Succeſs; and theſe Deities and Idols were the Sun and Moon, under ſeveral Names, as Macrobius informs, Saturnal. l. 1. c. 12. So alſo Alexander ab Alexandro, lib. 3. Roſin. Antiq. Rom. lib. 2. cap. 9. & Lilii Gyraldi Syntagma 9.

The Hoſt of Heaven were in number many, and ſacrificing to them, they ſacrificed to a Number; perhaps, ſaith Sanctius, alluding to the Cuſtom of the Heathen, qui tot cyathos libabant, who ſacrificed ſo many Cups, as there were Letters in his Name for whom they prayed. Hence let our Merchants, Perſons of great Ingenuity, Induſtry, and Acquaintance in the World, remember that they are Chriſtians, and to ſend out their Ships with Faith and Prayer, and wait for their return by Prayer ſtill, by Patience and Submiſſion to the Will of God; and give over drinking Healths for a good Voyage, a good Return and Succeſs, that they may not attribute their good or bad Succeſs to Mercury, or to a good and bad Fortune, but to the Goodneſs of God, and his trying Providences. Did but their Ships run as many Hazards at Sea, as their Souls and Bodies do by Land, by drinking, their Lives would be more careful than they be, and would, if ever, learn to pray by Land. I doubt not but there are as many good Men of them, as of any Profeſſion, that ſpill not their Wine upon the Ground in Libations, as the Heathen did; nor make a Body, ſanctified to the Lord, as loathſom as a Swilling-Tub; but ſend forth their Stocks with the Sacrifice of Prayer, and receive them with another of Thanksgiving. So there are too many that trade in Sin, and I beg their candid acceptance of this Digreſſion, upon occaſion of this particular Notice that is given of the Pagan Merchants Superſtition.

§. 11. The firſt coming in of this Healthing to the Britains, they have cauſe to remember with Sorrow; it was with wiſhing well, but doing ill, (at leaſt I cannot trace it higher.) The Story is to be found in Fabian's Chronicle, and Hollingſhead, but I ſhall take it out of Rich. Verſtegan's Reſtitution of decay'd Intelligence, c. 5. p. 127. As this Lady Rowena was very beautiful, ſo was ſhe of a very comly Deportment, and Hengiſtas having invited King Vor • iger to a Supper at his new-built (Tong) Caſtle, cauſed that after Supper, ſhe came forth of her Chamber into the King's Preſence with a Cup of Gold filled with Wine in her Hand, making in a very ſeemly manner a low Reverence unto the King, ſaid with a pleaſing Grace and Countenance, in our ancient Language. Waes Healt Hlaford Cynang, which being rightly expounded according to our preſent Speech: Be of Health Lord King. — Waes, now pronounced Wax, is as much as to ſay, Grow, Re, or Become; and Waes Heale, by corruption of Pronunciation, after wards became to be Waſſaile. The King not underſtanding what ſhe ſaid, demanded it of his Chamber lain what it was; and when he knew, he asked him how he might anſwer her in her own Language, whereof being inform'd, He ſaid unto her, Drink Heale; that is to ſay, Drink Health. The King was ſo be-witched with this Lady, that he put away his own Chriſtian Queen, and married her, which was fatal to the Britains. King Vortiger might be as unacquainted with the Complement, as he was with the Saxon Language; for the Britains uſed all freedom in their drinking, without any Compulſion or Obligation, as is remembred in that old Diſtick.

Ecce Britannorum mo • eſt laudabilis iſte. Ʋt bibat Arbitrio, Pocula quiſ que ſuo. Behold, the Britain's way praiſeworthy is, That every Man may drink what's Pleaſure is.

What Devourers of Ale the Saxons were, may be ſeen in Johannes Boemus's Book, called, Mores, Leges, & Ritus omnium Gentium, l. 3. c. 13. They would ſet a Pail before them full of Ale, and drink out of it in a Diſh, it is incredible how much they would drink, no Sow, nor Bull could ſwallow down ſo much. He that drank down the reſt, had a Garland of Flowers, or Roſes, given him as a Reward, and carried away the Glory. And from them did proceed, ſaith he, that damnable Cuſtom of drinking the ſtrongeſt Wines through all Germany, with unſpeakable Miſchief.— He is taken for an Enemy that will not pledg the Cups that are held out to him. So he. And to conclude, Mr. Cambden records it,The Hiſtorical Proof. That the Engliſh, who of all the Northern Nations, were leaſt given to drink, and commended for their Sobriety; learnt in the Low-Country Wars to drown themſelves in exceſſive drinking, and by drinking to the Health of others, to waſte their own. Annot. Eliz. Anno 1561. p. 318.

§. 12. Becauſe I would not be ſingular, but back what I have a good while ago laid up, as the Signification of Healthing, I will produce ſome very worthy Divines ſpeaking the ſame thing.

Reverend Mr. Durham, in his Expoſition of the ſeventh Commandment, gives his Judgment thus. If we look narrowly into the thing it ſelf (altho Cuſtom, when it grows inveterate, weakeneth us in the uptaking of things, yet) it will probably be found to have riſen from Heatheniſh Idolaters, who uſed Libamen Jovi, Baccho, &c. And if it be ſuppoſed to help the Health of others, that cannot be expected from God, who hath given no ſuch Promiſe, it muſt therefore be from the Devil; it was called by the Heathen, Phiala Jovis, drinking of Health, being amongſt them, a piece of Drink-offering, or Sacrifice to their Idols, in the behalf of thoſe they mentioned in their drinking, or whoſe Healths they drank; and it is certain there is no Veſtigia of it in Chriſtianity, nor any reaſon for it; and Experience cleareth that many are grown ſuperſtitious in the uſe of it, as if the refuſing ſuch a thing were a Prejudice or Indignity to the Perſons mentioned; and that the Devil hath made uſe of it, as a Rower, to convey in much Drunkenneſs into the World. We think abſolutely ſafeſt to forbear it, and we are ſure there is no hazzard. So he, p. 391.

See alſo the Saying of Reverend Mr. Sam. Ward, above quoted.

CHAP. IV. Arguments againſt Healthing, and Diſſuaſives from it, general and particular, as it implies Sacrifice and Prayer.

§ 1. I Do preſume, this Ceremony of Healthing had no better Inventer, than the firſt Deceiver, and Inventer of Sin, and his teachable and forward Diſciples joyning with him: He that order'd the Scene, made this Prologue to it, for them that are ſo apt to learn and act. And it is moſt likely to deceive, and take, becauſe it hath the face of Friendſhip, and the good looks of Love and Kindneſs; and he that diſſents from it, looks like ſome odd peeviſh Humoriſt, and unhewn piece of Moroſeneſs, that will not fall in, and cloſe in the ſquare of Society, and therefore is fitter to live by himſelf, and to keep home, than to come abroad. And if the Diſſent breed an Argument, the Conſenters clearly carry it by the Poll; and they that oppoſe it are judged to wrangle againſt Points of Honour, Civility, Breeding, good Manners, good Nature, yea Innocency, and the received Guſtom of all Sorts and Qualities of well-tempered Men, Men of great Vertue and Accompliſhments. How ridiculous doth that odd Man look, that makes not one among them? as ridiculous as if he wore a high-crown'd Hat, lin'd and fac'd with Scruples, a deep Ruff, and a Fur-gown; as made up of Scruples, Formality and Seriouſneſs. This Ceremony is ſo innocent, that, what can be ſaid againſt it? I ſay, If no more but this, it would raiſe Preſumption into a rational Confidence, that it is not good, becauſe ſo many, that I will not deſcribe, are ſo forward, ſo conſtant, ſo open at it, ſo urgent, and ſo quarrelſom about it; and becauſe others are ſo ready at a call, ſo apt to imitate, ſo conceited and apiſh at it: Whereas, if it were but ſo innocent and vertuous, as ſome paint it out to be, Men would be more averſe from it, not ſo publick in it, and ſoon grow weary of it.

There are many Divine Rules given us by our heavenly Maſter, that are quite out of uſe in Society, and common Converſe; and we know that Men are ſlow to learn, and very baſhful openly to profeſs and ſhew what is truly good and pious. Healthing implies praying; if Men were called upon to pray without drinking, how mute would Healthers be? But now how forward to begin, how earneſt to exhort and preſs others to it? The reaſon of this is ſo plain, it need not be produced. And whether it ſhould be followed, becauſe vertuous Perſons ſometimes, and in ſome caſes uſe it, or laid aſide becauſe bad Men make an ill uſe of it, may deſerve a Reſolution, ſince it is none of the Vertues of vertuous Men, who do rather ſubmit in Complement, than commend, or approve of it.

§. 2. My buſineſs is to ſpeak of Healths: I have but little to ſay of the Imprecations and Execrations, ſo much in faſhion among evil Men. Their Healths, failly ſo called, are a Teſt, or a Drink-order, ſignificant of a. Faction, and rampant Inhumanity. The very ſound of them ſtrikes Horror through the Ear into every Heart that is not caſed, or roughcaſt with a Coat of Flint: I will not record them, but heartily wiſh their Conſciences (ſo much as is left) would recollect them, and ſpread them before their Faces, that they may be aſhamed, and repent of them, before the Pangs and Horrors of Death do apprehend them. Could Balaam turn his Tongue to theſe, if it had not been tied up and reſtrained from curſing Iſrael? How gracious had ſuch Men as theſe been with Barak? If theſe Champions had been baptized into Dagon and Aſhtaroth, it would have better become them to curſe in their Drink, as Goliah did David by his Gods. The Jews curſe Chriſtians, and the Pope doth curſe Hereticks. But what are they that drink, and curſe and damn their own Country-men, Fellow-Subjects, and Fellow-Souldiers, liſted under the ſame Banner, in the ſame Proteſtant Church? The Jews hold it lawful for them to be ſo drunk at the Feaſt of Purim, Buxtorf, Synag. c. 24. till they cannot diſtinguiſh between bleſſed Mordecai and curſed Haman: The one they bleſs, the other they curſe, as the Enemy of their Nation. But do our Damners never miſtake Haman's and Mordecai's? curſe them who deſerve to be bleſſed? If this come in their ſight, I do earneſtly entreat them to look to that Laver in which they were baptized, and remember that they be ſure to renounce none but them, who were renounced in their Names; to read and believe their Creed, the coming of Chriſt to Judgment, the Reſurrection of the Dead, and eternal Life; to read and ſtudy, who are bleſſed in our Saviour's Sermon; to remember the firſt and great Commandment, and the ſecond which is like to it. All theſe written upon their Hearts, will be a greater Glory to them, than all the Epitaphs upon the Tombs of their Anceſtors. And laſtly, If they would believe their own Senſes, that Men are mortal, and that they are Men, and then meaſure the Correſpondency between their Lives and their Belief, their Morals and God's Commandments, their Practices and due Preparations for Death, that by doing thus, they may turn their Tongues to Prayer and Bleſſing. Of whom have they learnt to drink and curſe? If they think there is no better Life to come, why do they not make more, and better uſe of this? why do they not labour to lengthen this? If there be a Damnation in Hell to come, why do not they turn out of the common Road to it? If there be none, why are they ſo ſinful as to hate their Enemies? and how come they to be ſo moderate towards thoſe they hate, as to wiſh them no worſe than nothing, or that Evil which they do not believe? If you hate them with that mortal hatred, that you would drink and curſe them into Hell, as faſt as you pour down Cups, why will you, by drinking and curſing, throw your ſelves in after them, into the bottomleſs Pit? Do you think they will not be as hateful to you there as here, if you and they ſhould be ſo miſerable as to meet there? But by your Drink and Curſing, you cannot confound nor renounce, nor damn them thither, but you damn your ſelves meritoriouſly, and as effectually as you can. O turn! why will you dye?

But to be ſhort with you; there is no doubt, but all ſuch Healthing as imports, or is attended with marks of Faction, Hatred, Wrath, Bitterneſs, with Execration or Damnation, is as bad as Hatred was in Cain, or Murder, or any of thoſe Sins which are evil in themſelves, and damnable in their Merit. Yea more, you that have the Obligations upon you to be Chriſtians, ſin in theſe things worſe than Heathens; yea, they are worſe in you, than in that Devil, who ſets up School to perfect Men in theſe Works of Darkneſs. For you ſin againſt ſolemn Vows, againſt endearing Obligations, againſt Means and Methods of Grace, and many other Circumſtances of Aggravation. Such kind of Healthing as this, is down-right Sin, and ſo much the greater, as it is ſometimes in your Sport and Frolicks, and not always in your Exceſs and Madneſs. And your Huzza's, Songs, Muſick, Drums and Trumpets, are to ſtill the Cries and Tremblings of Conſcience, and your Fleſh and Joynts, or to keep down your Hair from ſtanding on end with Horror; as the drumming about the Idol Moloch, did drown the Cries of poor Infants that fried in the brazen Arms of that Idol. If you ſpice your Healths with any gratings of Impiety, Blaſphemy, Malice, Luxury, or any other Sin, they are materially and formally Sins, as any that are committed by the Sons of Men, and muſt be repented of, or elſe you would wiſh your ſelves out of Hell again, upon condition you might lick the Sores of a poor Lazarus, and fare as ill as he did at the rich Man's Doors. O therefore ceaſe to do evil, and learn to do well; and put away this Evil far from you, or certainly God will put you far from him! Whether you will or no, die you muſt, and perhaps by Drunken Clubs, one at anothers Heels, one this Week, and another the next, and ſo on, till all are gone, as ſome have done. There are ſome Sins, which are Peccata tacenda, and ſo there are Pocula tacenda, Healths not to be named, and they that drank were carried away as with a Tempeſt, where they drunk no more.

§. 3. Having rid my Hands of thoſe groſſely depraved Cups; I will take in hand thoſe that have a fairer outſide: and with Reflection upon what hath been obſerved of the Cuſtoms of the Heathens, I frame my firſt Argument and Diſſuaſive from thence.

Chriſtians ought not to drink, and converſe by drinking, after the manner of the Heathen. Their inſcribing and entitling, or dedicating of their Cups was not a natural Action, for the Service of Nature; not a Dictate of natural Light and Reaſon, but idolatrous and ſuperſtitions, and a pleaſure to the Fleſh. Whatſoever they do, as purely natural and moral, may be done by us: but their Sacrificing, and Dedications of Cups were none of thoſe things. And even thoſe Actions which are as natural as eating and drinking, by Chriſtians muſt be regulated by the Word of God. Grace muſt be the Principle, God's Law the Rule, God's Glory the Intention, or the end of it, according to that of the Apoſtle, Whether you eat or drink, or whatever elſe you do, do all to the Glory of God. 1 Cor. 10.31. No Man liveth to himſelf, nor dieth to himſelf: Rom. 14.7. therefore no Man ſhould do any of the Actions of Life, to pleaſe himſlf, or to himſelf, as his End. Whether Healthing, conſidered in its proper Notion, can be to the Glory of God, is put off till afterwards.

That Chriſtians are to live ſingularly by their own peculiar Laws, is plain from the Apoſtles Doctrine, and not to do after the manner of the Heathen, under that very Conſideration of their being Heathens. Walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the Vanity of their Mind: Epheſ. 4.17. Not in the Luſt of Concupiſcence, as the Gentiles that know not God: 1 Theſſ. 4.5. The Vanity of Mind, and Luſt of Concupiſcence are Sins in all Men, but the Exhortation is enforced from the Perſons, as the Gentils do, and one reaſon ſerves for all: We have not ſo learned Chriſt: Epheſ. 4.20. And becauſe of our Calling: 1 Theſſ. 4.7. And theſe Reaſons bind us, that live remote from, and unmixed with Gentiles; and therefore cannot be a Scandal to them. And the Oppoſition is carried on in other places: Ye cannot be partakers of the Table of the Lord, and Table of Devils; ye cannot drink the Cup of the Lord, and the Cup of Devils: which may be extended beyond a local Communication with them, to an imitation of them at the fartheſt diſtance from them: 1 Cor. 10.21. The famous Mr. Mead ſaith, That Stephanus in his Theſaurus found ſome, who thought the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in the Text did allude to that Cup 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , uſed among the Gentiles; and further ſaith, This was the Tenet of the Gentiles, that the Soveraign and Celeſtial Gods were to be worſhipped only purâ mente, and with Hymns and Praiſes, and that Sacriſices were only for Daemon; out of Porphyry, Triſmegiſt. Apuleus de Daemonio Socratis. He therefore that had given himſelf to the Lord, the only Potentate, to the one and only Mediator Jeſus Chriſt, muſt have no Communion, no part in the Service of the many Mediators, Lords, or Daemon-Gods of the Nations. So far that excellent Man, in his Apoſtacy of the latter times, c. 6. See alſo, if you pleaſe Conſtant. Lexicon. Verb. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The Ancients, when the Tables were removed and taken away, did drink the Cup of the good Genius, like our Grace Cup, by which ſome underſtand Mercury, or Jupiter Soter, as was obſerved above. To us there is but one God, the giver of Health, and all other Mercies; and one Mediator Jeſus Chriſt, through whom we ask and obtain. Now except we have ſome Intimation, that we may offer a Cup, a Health to God for any Perſon, through the Mediation of Chriſt, it is the ſafeſt way to forbear. This way of arguing is not new, nor only an Apoſtolical Preciſeneſs, but uſed by others. There is in the Works of St. Auguſt. a Tract de Rectitudine, of the Rectitude of Catholick Converſation, where the Author runs over abundance of Heathen Practices, which Chriſtians muſt abſtain from, and this is one, Nullus in Convivio cogat alium plùs bibere quàm oportet: let no Man make another drink more than he ought (and Healthing is a kind of Conſtraint, as will appear by and by.) And St. Auguſtin did adjure his Auditors by the dreadful Day of Judgment, that they abandon from their Feaſts, that filthy Cuſtom of drinking without meaſure, as the Poiſon of the Devil, and Obſervations of Pagans. Serm. de Temp. 232. & eadem Dominica, S. Serm. 2. Deny to our ignorant, unreformed, nominal Chriſtians, any • riviledg of Chriſtians, how will they fly upon you? what, am I a Pagan? what, am I a Heathen? And is there no force in an Argument drawn from our Diſtinction from Pagans, both in the Reaſon of the Learned, and common Senſe of the Vulgar, beſide the Divinity of the Apoſtle? How frantick would a Feaſt of Anna Perenna, Healthing, and praying for many Years, be to a ſober Chriſtian? And what is healthing Health after Health in too common Meetings? Was it fooliſhly done of Heathens? and how wiſely is it done of us?

§. 4. Chriſtians ſhould eat and drink, and converſe as becometh Chriſtians, but ſuch are we, (it is our greateſt Glory and Prerogative): This Argument is an Appendix to the former. As we may with admiration and praiſe, ſay, as our Saviour ſaid upon another occaſion, We have Bread to eat, which the World knows not of: So we ought to uſe ſuch a way of eating and drinking together, at our ordinary Tables, and common Viſits, as becomes thoſe that have a Table by our ſelves, always in the ſight of our Heavenly Father, and King of Kings. Our ordinary Meat and Drink do feed and refreſh thoſe Bodies that are joined to the Lord, and to riſe again in Glory: And therefore as we live for a peculiar Service proper to Saints and Chriſtians, and die to riſe to a ſuperlative proper Glory; ſo certainly we ſhould eat and drink in ſuch a manner, not as thoſe Dogs do, that ſhall not eat of the Childrens Bread. And as we ſhould be careful to waſh the Heart from all defilement, that that which cometh out of us may not defile us, or others; ſo what we eat and drink ſhould be in a ſanctified manner, to a holy uſe. If this Divinity be too ſtrict, all I will ſay is, the Glory of that Diſtinction which Grace makes between us and Heathens and Infidels, is too great for us. Kings Children do not find fault with the reſtraint, that they may not live like Beggars or common People. St. Luke, in the holy Story of the Infancy of the Church, informs us, that the Believers did eat, (which contains their drinking alſo) with gladneſs and ſingleneſs of Heart. Acts 2.48. And when in the rich City of Corinth, their Love-Feaſts were polluted to Drunkenneſs, the Apoſtle reproves, and reforms that prophane Abuſe of their Feaſts, and God viſited them with Sickneſſes and Death for it, 1 Cor. 11. If any think they are tied too hard, ſeeing they enjoy Eſtates and Plenty, and are Gentlemen, except they may drink according to their quality and plenty; the Corinthians might plead the ſame, for ſome of them were wealthy. The more bountiful God is to us, the more careful ſhould we be not to offend him. We ſhould eat and drink as holily, as if we were to vindicate our ſelves from the Slanders of Heathens, becauſe we are to give an account to God, and do eat in his ſight, when far enough from the cenſorious Eyes of Infidels. Tertullian, in his Apology relates the Chriſtian Cuſtom. Non priùs diſcumbitur, quàm oratio ad Deum praeguſtetur; editur quantum eſurientes capiunt, bibitur quantum pudicis eſt utile; ita ſaturantur, ut qui meminerint, etiam per noctem adorandum Deum ſibi eſſe. They ſat not down before Prayer to God was firſt taſted; ſo much is eaten, as ſatisfied the hungry; ſo much is drunk, as is good for chaſt Perſons: They are ſo filled, as thoſe that remember they muſt worſhip God in the Night. Adverſus Gentes, c. 39. Such was their Feaſting. The Heathens defam'd their private Suppers, as infamous and profuſe; and the ſame Tertullian replies, as Diogenes ſaid of the Megarenſes: Megarenſes obſonant, quaſi craſtinâ die morituri; that they did eat, as if they were to die next day. And Minutius Felix vindicates the Chriſtians from ſuch Aſperſions. Convivia non tantùm pudica colimus, ſed & ſobria; nec enim indulgemus epulis, ut convivium mero ducimus, ſed gravitate hilaritatem temperamus. We do not lengthen our Feaſts with Wine, but temper our Mirth with gravity.

Theſe Primitive Fathers and Chriſtians took it for a Scandal and Diſhonour to be intemperate.

And Clemens Alexandrinus gives us an account of their Way, and ſaith, Let us exhort one another with a twofold Invitation out of the Law, Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God, and then thy Neighbour. — Let the ſecond be with an honeſt Converſation. — As before we eat, it is fit we praiſe the Lord, the Maker of all things; ſo when we drink, it becomes us to ſing unto him. Padag. I. 1. c. 4.

§. 5. Arg. 3. The Occaſions of Sin, and innumerable evil Effects and Conſequences, are carefully and conſcienciouſly to be avoided: but Healthing is the apparent and known Occaſion of many Sins and Miſeries. I muſt prove every Branch of this Argument, becauſe I bring my Argument and Impeachments againſt this Uſage before Parties and Judges, that are corrupted, and bribed, and pre-ingaged.

1. That Occaſions of Sin have ſome kind of Cauſality, as the Object and Matter, is plain enough, but grant a difference between them: Yet as they are Occaſions, they are carefully to be ſhunn'd, or elſe we fall upon wilful Sins, by a wilful taking the occaſions of them. They that wait for Occaſions and Opportunities, do ſtay no longer out of the Snare, than the Snare is making for them, and lie in wait for their own deſtruction. But if Men have any fear of Death and Judgment, or any common averſion from Sin, they muſt not go in at the door of Occaſion, which the Devil and his Porters hold open to them. Solomon doth adviſe and charge us, that we ſhould not look upon the Wine when it is red, and giveth its colour in the Cup, when it moveth it ſelf aright: For the Colour will inflame the Appetite, when it is look'd upon in earneſt; and then when the inflamed Appetite muſt be fed, Sin preys upon the enſnared Sinner; when it ſmiles in the Glaſs, it bites and ſtings like a Serpent in its Effects. Prov. 23.31, 32. It is not required that we muſt drink blindfold, we may ſee what we drink; but if the ſparkling of the Wine makes us dote upon it, and exceſſively covet it, then we are poyſoned by it, and it goes down ſmoothly, but bites like a Serpent, and ſtings like an Adder. The Miſchiefs of it are very ſenſible and great, yea, deadly. The Wine that was red, was turn'd into an Adder or a Serpent; and a Man ſhould forbear fondly to look on the briskneſs of his Wine, as it is a Temptation, as he would refuſe to drink off that Cup that had a living Serpent in it. The wiſe Man doth dehort us from Occaſions and Temptations, becauſe of the deadly Effects thereof. If any deſpiſe Solomon in this, they deſpiſe both him that was the greateſt and wiſeſt of Kings, and the only wiſe God, who is infinitely greater than he, and he gives them warning. And what demonſtration can be ſo ſenſible, as what is taken from ſuch Effects? And they that feel not the point of the Argument, are in danger of Inſenſibleneſs and Stupidity, deſcribed in the laſt Verſe: They have ſtricken me, ſay they, and I was not ſick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not. A deadly Diſeaſe doth ſeize upon the Conſcience; the Heart is untouched with the ſmartneſs of God's Judgments, until the Sting of Death take that faſt hold, that it can never be taken out. A prudent Man foreſeeth the Evil, and hideth himſelf; but the ſimple paſs on, and are puniſhed. Prov. 22.3. & 27.12.

I could be too tedious, to prove that Occaſions of Sin are to be eſchewed, as the Doors and Entries into Sin. I will paſs from this to the Effects of Healthing, which are exceeding many; and becauſe the ill Effects are ſo many and notorious, they ſhould not be retain'd amongſt Men and Chriſtians. And if it be any Motive to us, as it ought to be, we have the Examples of Churches and Ages, who diſuſed and laid aſide an ancient, primitive, Chriſtian Cuſtom, becauſe it was an occaſion of much Diſſoluteneſs and Immorality. The Agapae, or Feaſts of Charity, which commenc'd with the firſt Aſſemblies of Chriſtians at the Lord's-Table, and were continued for ſeveral Centuries in ſome Churches, were reproved, and put down, becauſe of the Exorbitance of ungoverned People, and prohibited to be uſed in Churches, by ſeveral Canons of Councils. And after that thoſe Love-Feaſts were changed into Fealtings at the Memorials of Martyrs, and Dedications of Churches,Ep. Ang. Aurel. ſupra citat. Serm. de Temp. 232 S. 2, &c. they were met with there alſo, by the Zeal of holy Men, offended with the diſorders of thoſe Meetings, after the manner of Heathens. Their uſe, abuſe, and reaſons why they were prohibited, may be ſeen in ſhort, but fully, in learned and laborious Hornbeck, Vetera & Nova, l. 1. c. 20. item Exam. Bullae de Feſtis.

If ſuch a Cuſtom, well begun, and continued for good uſes, was reproved and vacated, becauſe it was abuſed and corrupted into Sin; ſhall we retain that which had no better an Inſtitution than you have ſeen, and is ſo pregnant of evil and terrible Effects, which grow greater and greater, and worſe and worſe, almoſt every day? They that retain it ſtill, in defiance of the many Proclamations from Heaven againſt it, ſeem to be reſolved to continue in their Sins, whatever it ſhall coſt them or others.

I will not undertake to reckon the common Products of this fair-faced, inſinuating Cheat; it looks like Health, but it brings forth a Spawn of Deformities. 'Tis confeſſed, if this were not, as long as the Hearts of the Sons of Men are evil, theſe Streams of Iniquity will break out; but then this is a very plauſible occaſion for them, and gives colour and reputation to them, which without it, would nakedly appear uncomely Vices: Quid enim delectant damna ſine gratiâ?

Firſt: Healthing is an Invitation, a Provocation, an Engagement to drink, not only as a Sign of Welcome, and hearty Friendſhip, but an Obligation to drink, for drinking ſake. And according to the intention and affection of them that engage together, the Current of Evil that flows from it, is either higher or lower. If Men are prepared for a Debauch, for a Revenge, for a Victory, for Sport with the Infirmities of ſome, then Healthing can never be waſh'd clean from their Iniquities: if it be in Pride, Oſtentation of Generoſity, if to make a Party, to pick a quarrel, to give offence, or to make an occaſion of quarrel, or diſcrimination of Affections and Parties, Healthing is as great a Sin as any of theſe are, and can be no more excuſed than any of the Works of Darkneſs. And as Healthings do multiply among us, as they do to a great exceſs; ſo the Peſtilence of contagious Manners breaks out, and a Man cannot come among them that have the Receipts and Arts of Poyſoning, but his Soul and Body are in danger of preſent Death. Whatſoever the Sin is that Healthing is an Introduction to, and ſo made uſe of, Healthing is forbidden in that ſame Commandment in which that Sin is forbidden, that Men by Healthing fall into: for it is a known Rule in the Expoſition of the Commandments, that in what Commandment ſoever any Sin is forbidden, the Occaſions of that Sin are forbidden in that ſame Commandment. All the Sins that are drawn on by Healthing, run into it, and it is tainted with them, and therefore can never be acquitted from Pollution and Guiltineſs. It hath the ſame tendency to Drunkenneſs, which is againſt many of God's Commandments, and other Sins, as the giving of a Lye, or a box of the Ear to a Quarrel, and that to drawing Blood and Murder: it hath the ſame tendency to the Sins that are drawn after it, that Wantonneſs and Dalliance hath to Fornication and Adultery.

Secondly; It is plain, by and in common Practice, a flattering Preface and Dedication before a whole Tome of Sins, and in particular, if not to down-right Drunkenneſs, yet to an Exceſs in Drinking. Thus indifferent Men take it, and ſo Parties find it. And this I prove by theſe Evidences.

1. It is manifeſt, when Men intend a Debauch, they begin with a Health, and proceed from ſome great one to give credit to the Work: and to deny a Health, is as much as to deny Duty or Honour to the Patron of that Cup, to whom the Dedication is made; ſo it was of old, and ſo it is ſtill. As St. Auguſtin relates the manner of it. Then they drink to ſeveral Names or Perſons, not of the Living only, but of the Dead, of Saints, of Angels, thinking they pay them Honour: Serm. de Temp. de Ebriet. §. 2. So Ambroſe above quoted. Apud Germanos Ebrietatis contilianda gratia, ſaith Wendelin. Lib. ſupra citate: When the Germans deſign a drunken Bout, eſpecially in Princes Courts, they have their Pocula Soteria, their Healthing Cups, which they drink to the Health of their Princes, and which they can by no means refuſe. So that ingenious Mercurius Britannicus, ſaid to be the moſt Reverend Biſhop Hall, in his Mundus alter & idem, deſcribes the Service of Bacchus, l. 1. c. 3. One of the Gueſts having put off his Garland, with bended Knees, as if he were at Prayer, takes a Cup, holding a Pint and half, and ſaith, Here's a Health to Caguſtrius, the moſt Potent Arch-Duke of Crapulia, (that is Drunken-Land): every one from the higheſt to the loweſt, with the ſame Cup, Action, Geſture, approves himſelf a faithful Citizen, and well affected, or which he had rather, a ſtout Drinker. Another riſes up preſently after, and ſaith, Benè vos, benè nos, all Happineſs to you, and to us, and to the moſt famous and imperial City Zouffenberga. — A third drinks in Honour to Yurania, and the Nobles, and every one adds ſomething to allure the Company to new Draughts.

2. It is an Engagement to drinking, if you conſider the Perſon that begins it, who, as he expects to be pledged, ſo they that follow, hold it Civility to follow their Leader.

3. If it ſtayeth, the ſtop or neglect is looked upon as a Default, and he that neglects, is called upon as to do his Duty; it muſt not die upon his Hands, or at his Door.

4. It is often taken as an Affront, a Slight, a matter of wrangling, if not of Duelling and fouleſt Murder.

5. It is looked upon as a Debt in the Bond of Civility and Courtſhip, and paid as duly as a How-do-you: if one begins your Health, you muſt thank him, and call for his.

Object. But what if it be an Engagement? what then? what harm is there in that?

Anſw. No ſeeming harm at all to them that ſwallow Sins, and it never ſtays with them to make Conſcience ſick; but to them that walk and live nearer the Light of God's Law, it is apparently a Treſpaſs upon Holineſs and Goodneſs.

1. He that begins, makes himſelf a Debtor to pledg all that pledg him, as oft as any of them can hold out. He opens his Boſom to the Tempter, and all his Angels and Agents; they lay by their Armour, and take off their Watch againſt the Aſſaults of the Devil, or drinking Men to a wet Encounter, when they lay by their Hats out of Reverence to this Paganiſh Devotion.

2. They who cannot bear much Drink, or are not forward to it, do by their Fear and Compliance give Countenance to the moſt ſhameleſs Soker, and harden him in his Sin, and are acceſſary to all his Exceſs, and juſtify his drinking many, by their drinking ſome.

3. By this means the worſt of Men have an opportunity to take in others, into a Partnerſhip in this trade of breaking, and going behindhand in all manner of Goodneſs: no Man ſhall carry away one Mite of Sobriety, but the beſt is become as bad as the worſt. A Man of a large Appetite, and profound Veſſel, that is an Infundibilum, Equites aurei dolii Mer. Brit. Aelian vere Hiſt. a Tunnel, as one great Knight of the Golden Tun was called in Aelian. This Man who dies his Face to a Scarlet above a modeſt Bluſh, may be aſhamed to drink all, or moſt himſelf: Modeſty may make him take a turn in the Air, divert himſelf with ſome Diſcourſes, or Exerciſe, and come to his Element by leiſure, even as Ducks that come ſometimes to Land. But when Healthing is up, he drinks but in a mode, hath a fair Pretence, even the Rule of the Company, for his pouring down, and all that can bear it are as bad as he. And where can you ſee a difference between one and another, while Healths are called and pledged, except that one can bear more than another.

4. It is a Temptation to many weak Men, quickly to loſe themſelves by yielding.

5. It is a very plauſible Excuſe for loſs of Time, bad Hours, and an hundred Faults, for in Civility they could not break off, nor refuſe, it would be ill taken, &c.

6. Let him look to it that begins; for tho all that pledg are guilty, yet they all lay the evil Conſquences upon him; as he that begins a Fray, is blam'd of all; they make his beginning the great Fault, and their following too little to be repented of.

7. Many particular Perſons have been ſpoiled by it; and it hath been the beginning of many a Man's being given to Drink, and by that to his Ruine. Many Men were modeſt and ſober, and ſeem'd religious in their private Capacities, but being call'd to Office muſt be modiſh, and drink Healths, and according to their place begin them too. They have in time been throughly wet with a ſhower of Sin, gone home with Shame, and what then? either they muſt repent of it, and do ſo no more; and then they are Wh— or elſe they muſt turn it. into a leſt, and make little of it, and ſo become hardned in that, and other Sins. Healthing now is become one of the genteel Qualities of an Office.

8. It corrupts or divides Society. If a Man drink according to the meaſure and pleaſure of Companies, if he do not renounce and abjure Reverence of God, Modeſty, and Temperance, he muſt put them off for a time. To refuſe Healths, looks as ill as a Truly founds meanly. We are miſerably disjoynted; and there is not any one thing that keeps us out of joynt more than factious and contradictory Healths. And if a Man be not of the ſame Party, he muſt drink, and groſly diſſemble his Diſaffection, or hear of it. Holy, ſober, modeſt Perſons muſt keep home, for they are not qualified for publick Company.

9. The Evil of Healthing hath been ſo great a Sin and Provocation, that ſome have loſt their Lives by it, ſome have repented of it in particular, as a great Sin; ſo did Mr. Francis Cartwright: See Mr. Bohon's Directions. And one of the greateſt, and worthieſt of Honour, that ever this Nation bred, vow'd againſt it, and kept his Vow, and that was the great Sir Matthew Hale: See his Life, p. 14. And tho he was afterwards preſt to drink Healths, (I wonder who had ſo little Reſpect or Reverence for him) particularly the King's, which was ſet up by too many, as a diſtinguiſhing mark of Loyalty, and drew many into great Exceſs after his Majeſties happy Reſtauration, but he would ne're diſpenſe with his Vow, tho he was ſometimes roughly treated for this, ſaith the Reverend Dr. Burnet. And now let any Man of never ſo much Wit, ſhew as much for Healthing, as ever theſe two Inſtances againſt it, and he will ſay ſomething to bring up the Objection again to receive further Anſwers, when theſe are enervated.

To conclude this Argument, I ſay confidently, that Healthing falls under the Imputation and Charge of all thoſe Faults, and fatal Conſequences that are occaſioned by it, and in probability had not been at thoſe times, but through it.

§. 6. But ſuppoſe it never had been attended with thoſe foul Effects of Drunkenneſs, or any other, take it ſimply in its own Nature, as it is a kind of Sacrifice or a Prayer, and let it appear as it is.

1. Take it as a Sacrifice to Health for any Perſon, and it is ſo putid, a heatheniſh, irrational Vanity, that I will not ſtand to expoſe it. Salus and Aeſculapius were helpleſs Deities of the blind and deluded Heathen: they had a God for every thing, for every State of Man; one to be a Midwife, another to rock the Cradle, and ſo on, as St. Auguſtin runs them over. Lib. 4. c. 11. But to us there is but one God, as the wiſeſt of the Heathens alſo thought, that one Jupiter was in all thoſe Powers which the more ignorant adored. The ſimple and ruder ſort of Chriſtians carried their Banquets to the Sepulchers of the Martyrs, to be bleſſed by them; but did no Sacrifice to them. The Papiſts, like the Heathen, built Altars and Temples to Saints, and had a Saint for every Artificer, for every Diſeaſe, &c. Homily of the Peril of Idolatry, 2d Part. But while we have the Reaſon of Men, and the Revelation from God, let us not come near in Imitation to Heathens and Papiſts: Or, if it be a Sacrifice for Health, who is it offered to? the God that gives it? Where hath he required it? Or rather, is it not offered to the Stomack and Belly of him that drinks it? I loath to think of ſo vile a Sacrifice, it looks ſo like an Imitation of them that ſacrificed among the Pagans.

But the Notion I fix upon, is that which I think none can deny, that when we drink an Health, we ſignify our good Wiſhes to the Party, and think this Interpretation of it, doth juſtify and excuſe it, and rather commend than condemn it. But if this Notion will bear a Trial, I will try it, and ſearch into it.

Let it be granted, that drinking to any Perſon is a Signification of Federacy, Love, Friendſhip, Peace, of Favour from a Superior to an Inferior, of Reſpect and Honour, if due Circumſtances be obſerved, from an Inferior to a Superior; and alſo we have ſeen Perſons of great Civility to drink what they think beſt to another, with a deſire that he drink the ſame, becauſe it is thought to be the beſt, and by that the Stranger is encouraged to a Freedom, and that the beſt is for his Service. But when Healths are called for, and delivered, theſe things are quite altered, and I think perverted.

To make out this Notion more diſtinctly: 1. It is clear to us, that no Prayer is accepted with God, but what is according to his Will; and that he is the only Object of our Prayers, becauſe the Giver of all things. 2. Health, if it be taken largely, for all manner of outward good things, beneficial to Life and Health, or for ſpiritual Well-being, which comes within the Signification of Salus, or for that particular Bleſſing of bodily Health and Soundneſs; Health in all theſe Acceptations is an invaluable Mercy, and the loſs of it a very great Affliction and Miſery.

Hence I conclude two things.

1. That no Man is fit to drink a Health, but he that at that time is fit to pray to the Holy God, the God of Heaven, by Jeſus Chriſt. 2. No Man is fit to pray, or to drink a Health, but he that is truly ſerious, and conſiders what he doth.

The reaſon of both is plain, becauſe drinking a Health, in the moſt innocent Notion of it, doth intimate, or is attended with a Prayer, or a good Wiſh to them they drink to; and that Prayer is, or ſhould be to the merciful God only, for one of the greateſt outward Mercies that Mankind can deſire or enjoy.

If any Man ſay, This carries the Notion too high, for no Man deſigns to intereſt or concern God at all in a Health. (Truly it may be ſo, that it is furtheſt from the Heart of many.) But how can you drink a Health and not intereſt God in it? for if you wiſh well to the Perſon whoſe Health is drunk, and wiſh him ſo great a Mercy as Health is, in its loweſt Signification; you muſt wiſh it of God, for none can give or continue it but he; and if you do not ſeriouſly and heartily wiſh it of God, you do but delude, or mock, or hypocritically complement your Friend, whoſe Welfare you pretend ſolemnly to wiſh: you wiſh him Health, but do not intend therein to pray to God to give it. Here's now a Trial of the great Love of Healthers! But if you do heartily deſire that Mercy from God, how can you do it and not be ſerious? and make it a piece of your Devotion? It is ſeriouſly to be pray'd for, or not at all, for you ought not to diſſemble in the matter. If it be a ſerious good Wiſh or Prayer then, Procùl hinc, procùl ite profani, ſancta ſanctis. Healths are only to be drunk by holy and ſerious Perſons: And I think they will hardly be brought to it upon the Premiſes, and what's yet to follow.

Firſt; Either you muſt joyn Drink and Prayer, or ſeparate them.

1. If you joyn Drink and Prayer, whether mental or oral in a Health, then by whoſe Inſtitution do you drink and pray? by God's? or by Man's, by what Man, or what kind of Men? Doth Prayer ſanctify that Cup? or doth the Cup pollute the Prayer? or do you ſeem to pray for the Drink's ſake, and drink for your own pleaſure, or another's Health? I grant, and I wiſh it were more common, that we may pray and praiſe God as we drink: But then by what Authority of Inſtitution do I drink that Cup, ☞ to that end that it may be to the Health of another Perſon? or what kind of ſign is it that I wiſh the Health of another, when I drink? or what Efficacy hath any drinking upon anothes Conſtitution? If it had any Virtue at all to give, reſtore, or continue Health, either naturally, or by Inſtitution. I would adviſe all Phyſicians and Apothecaries to forbear it, becauſe it hinders them; and to adviſe againſt it, or to uſe it as the laſt Remedy, when they have had as many Fees as they deſire, before they try it: But they know it hath no virtue to that end, but rather the contrary, as ſometimes they find it to their Profit. What help doth their drinking afford to their Prayer? What, is it like Water to a Mill? Drink turns about the Wheel of their Affections to make them more ardent in their Requeſts for Health? Or, is it becauſe they cannot wiſh well to others, but when they are pleaſing their own Senſe and Appetite? or then their Devotions are as violent as Raptures, when they are tranſported, and in an Elevation? What a kind of carnal Fanaticiſm is this?

2. Or, though you do joyn Drink and Prayer, yet their Virtue is diſtinct and ſeparate; Prayer goes one way, and Drink another. Indeed I think they are better parted than joyn'd; and leſt God be diſhonoured by ſuch kind of Prayers, as the Generality diſhonour him and themſelves by ſuch kind of drinking; it were plain dealing for them to ſpeak the naked Truth, and ſay, when they drink, Here's to my ſelf: or, Here's to my own Health, and drink no more than will conſiſt with their Health, and promote it, and not hinder their holy and fervent Prayer for themſelves and others. Moderate drinking doth promote their own, but can never promote anothers, much leſs doth immoderate ſave either, but endanger one at leaſt. When you pray, pray ſo that God may mercifully hear you; and when you drink, drink ſo that God may mercifully bleſs you. But away with theſe profane, uninſtituted, carnal Sacraments, leſt the Sin of Drinking cry louder than your Prayers. We have often ſeen how Drinking hath drowned Prayer, and carried away all ſenſe of God and Duty before it.

What? whether God hear you, yea or no, you care not for that; drink you muſt, and drink you will! It is a Cuſtom and a Complement in faſhion, and if you keep Company, you muſt do as Company do, and you look no further. This is moſt like to be true. But if any be reſolved to perſiſt in their way, I am alſo reſolved to proceed to argue againſt it, and dehort from it; and ſome Arguments are humbly preſented to the moſt ſober and innocent, and ſome earneſtly ſubmitted to the wiſe and diſcerning, and all to them that are highly guilty, to reclaim them if poſſible.

1. All Prayer for Health, and all other temporal Bleſſings, is to be preſented to God through our Mediator Chriſt, with Underſtanding, Intention of Mind, and Faith and Reverence, in ſubordination to the hallowing of God's Name, and concurrence with doing his Will on Earth as it is in Heaven. But is drinking of Healths accompanied with ſuch a Prayer? I propoſe my Aſſumption by way of ſerious Queſtion, whence every conſidering Man may conclude,

2. We ought to wiſh very well to our Neighbour, and to wiſh Health to them that want it, with Submiſſion to the Will of God, and a ſanctified Health to them that have it? And when ever we wiſh it, to be in a Diſpoſition of Mind to pray for it. But in drinking Healths, do we mind or regard theſe things? The Phyſician is ſerious in many Years hard ſtudy, in cautious Preſcription: The ſick and languiſhing are ſerious and patient in their Applications: And will not you be ſerious in wiſhing it?

3. All Mercies that are wanting and deſirable are to be ſought for by proper means of divine Appointment and Bleſſing. But ſeriouſly, Is drinking a Health, or Healths, a proper, a natural, a moral, an inſtituted Means? a Means and Method that God ever bleſſed to ſo great an end? The Phyſician applies proper natural Means; the Chriſtian and the Divine uſes, and ſhould only uſe inſtituted Means to procure it; and is drinking Healths a proper, or a likely means to obtain it? Then Healthers, heal your ſelves of Gouts, Feavers, Surfeits.

4. When you drink a Health, do you mean that particular and ſingular Mercy, or a Collection of Spiritual and Temporal Mercies? If the firſt; then why do you ſeek that above all? is it becauſe you place Felicity in it? know we not that Sickneſs brings us as near Felicity? or do you make Health your top-Mercy and your Idol? How many have you ever known attain Health that drunk it, (if you have, adviſe the ſick to drink Healths to themſelves in Sack and Claret, or Brandy, or any other ſtrong and pleaſing Liquor.) If under Health, you comprehend ſpiritual Welfare and Salvation, (which you ought to wiſh continually for all you love and Honour) is drinking Healths a ſpiritual Means to procure it? If Healthing be a Means, why do you ſend for the Miniſter to pray? and deſire your Friends to pray by you when you are ſick, and not for your Companions to drink by you? God is more diſhonoured by one days healthing, than he is honoured, or Salvation promoted by a Lent of Prayers, except they for ſake their Drinking. If a Conception of Devotion ſpring within them, it is made away like the Male Children of the Iſraelites, by the cruel Hands of Healthers; it is drown'd and ſmothered under this Cover.

5. Do not we plainly ſee there is a Repugnancy between theſe two? do not we ſee, that thorow-drinking doth caſt off all thorow-Prayer? or effectual thorow-Prayer doth pray away Healthing? Where there is a ſenſible Repugnance, can there be a true Conſiſtence, and Co-operation?

6. That which God diſlikes, ſhould not be followed; and do not we ſee how God diſlikes theſe Practices? How Men are given up to the ſtrong Deluſions of Wine and Strong-Drink? to the Mockage of Wine? ſee we not how Men are given up to fill up their meaſure of Iniquity, and cut ſhort their precious Lives? Do not we hear what Organs play at theſe Devotions? Do not we know and hear what Songs, inſtead of Pſalms? what Blaſphemy and Atheiſm, inſtead of God's Fear? what Curſing inſtead of Bleſſing? what Affronts are offered Heaven? and what Violence is offered to Hell? Are not Healthers commonly given up to Debauchery and Senſuality? like Men forſaken of God, and poſſeſt of Satan? And how can any Men that have a Reverence, or Tenderneſs, or Zeal for God, give Countenance to Healthing, any more than to any other Sin, whether Whoredom or Murder? See in conſtant Obſervation at all Feaſts of Companies, Pariſh-Meetings, Elections for Parliaments, &c. who begin firſt, or hold out longeſt, and go through the whole Service, they that pray moſt, or ſwear moſt? that love their Neighbour, or hate him? Why will you joyn and imitate, or countenance ſuch Men in ſuch things? As you ſhould hate the Garments ſpotted with the Fleſh, ſo you ſhould hate the Tables, Floors, Cups that are more than ſpotted with theſe Libations: Iſa. 28.8. For all Tables are full of vomiting and filthineſs, ſo that there is no place clean. If you thought ſo well of your earthly Tabernacles, as you do of your Halls, Houſes, Shops, you would no more ſet your Bodies on fire, than your Houſes: why will you partake in that Levity, Profaneneſs, Scorn, and Deriſion of true Seriouſneſs and Goodneſs in that ribbald, py-bald Wit and Folly, in the Factiouſneſs, and other Ingredients that make theſe Cups bitter to any Soul that hath any Senſe and Taſte? Theſe are ſome of the things that are mingled with your Prayers for Health, and Proſperity, and I know not what.

And in my Mind, theſe things are highly aggravated, that they ſhould be the common uncontrolled Practice in many publick Meetings, at a time, when very many are proſecuted to the utmoſt, for not receiving the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and when many croud in, whether fit or unfit, and when ſo many Officers are by Law obliged to receive the Sacrament, as a Teſt againſt Popery. What can come nearer the holy Inſtitution of our bleſſed Lord, than bleſſing of Cups, hallowing them with Prayers, handling and delivering them with Prayers? (doth God take them ſo?) receiving them bare, and often either kneeling or ſtanding up? And who is this Service done to? and what more unlike to the holy Sacrament than this? what more contrary in Effects? and inconſiſtent with the Uſe and End of that divine Communion! — But I muſt ſmother many other Conſiderations to make an end.

10. Which do you chieſly intend in Healthing, whether Praying, or Drinking? if Drinking, why will you prophane Prayer by a carnal Subordination of it to the Fleſh? if Prayer, why do you drink ſo much? &c.

CHAP. V. Remedies and Antidotes againſt Healthing.

§. 1. ALL that hath been hitherto ſaid, might be made up in Antidotes againſt this Cup of moral Poiſon; to which I will more briefly add theſe following, which are preſcribed to none but them that will take them.

1. As it was ſaid of old in another caſe, Go to Jordan; ſo ſay I, Go to the Font, to the Laver of Regeneration, and remember that you put on Chriſt, and were admitted into that Society, whereof he that was cruciſied, complained in his Extremity, I thirſt, and is now exalted high above every Name, is Head, Maſter, Governour; and the Society are all Saints by Vow and Profeſſion.

2. Value the Price and Purchaſe of Souls and Bodies; remember that both are not your own, being redeemed by, and dedicated to the Lord, you are bound to glorify him with both; you are not Debtors to the Fleſh, to live after the Fleſh; but if you would live, muſt mortify the Fleſh, and honour God in your Perſons, which you cannot do if you diſhonour even your Bodies, which are not for Drink any more than for Fornication, or Pride, or any other filthy Service.

3. Conſider the Price of your common Mercies, of infinitely greater Worth than all the precious Jewels, the profuſe and prodigious Cajus diſſolved in Vinegar to drink them off. The Tenure by which you hold is the nobleſt by Gift, by the Covenant of Grace, for your uſe, but for his Glory; 1 Cor. 10.31. If you do not like them upon theſe Conditions, why do not you throw them up, and hold them ſo no longer? and then ſee the Conſequence!

4. By the Goſpel we are indulged a great Liberty in the Enjoyment of Creatures, we are under no Prohibition and Reſtraint that was upon the Jews: But we are no where ſo enjoyned Temperance and Sobriety, as by the Goſpel; none made ſuch Laws for the Appetite as Chriſt, who call'd them Bleſſed that are poor, and pronounced a Wo to them that are full. He preferred Lazarus in his Sores, with Dogs, before the rich Man. Carnifices ſalutis, ventrem & gulam, coercebat exemplis. Novatianus Epiſt. de Cibis Judaicis.

5. Do not affect to be civil, modiſh, and genteel in thoſe things by which Sobriety, Modeſty, Seriouſneſs, and Holineſs are defaced. Grace, and pure Chriſtianity, are the moſt noble qualities, except we think the Divine Nature the meaneſt. And what's Gentility, but the World's old Livery newly trimm'd? an upſtart Foreigner, that claims equal Privileges with Grace, if it doth not take the upper hand of it at moſt of our Tables. If Men did affect to be regenerate, and Chriſtians indeed, in all Converſation, and to be accompliſhed with gracious Habits, ſupernatural Qualities and Graces, above all Qualities, no Book would be more ſtudied than the Bible, and what Chriſt teacheth would never be forgotten, &c. But Men ſoon learn, becauſe they affect the Modes of Speech, and Actions, and Converſations, (and this of Healthing is taken up as ſoon as any,) and carry it, as if it were a mean thing to be religious, and ſillineſs to be ſerious, and an odd thing to be ſtrict, and an indecent thing to be ſingular, where we ſhould not be ſingular indeed, that is, becauſe we ſhould all follow the Rules and Examples of our Maſter in Heaven, the Teacher that came from God, to teach us the way to him.

6. Be not ſo much taken with the Modiſhneſs of this Complemental Snare, as not to be out of love, and in the utmoſt deteſtation of its ordinary Attendants. To this end frame and draw true Images of things, and take off the Vizors from the face of Healths; when it is enjoined as a Sign of Loyalty, (which I hope it will never be, that hath been forbidden by Royal Proclamation) then it will be ſoon enough. It was an Apothegm of a moſt learned Stateſman, I will pray for the King's Health, and drink for my own. Sir Francis Bacon. When it can be proved to you, that it is a real Sign of Honour and Reſpect, or an Act of Civility, or Generoſity, Nobleneſs or Hoſpitality; and when it ends as well as it began, then take it up. But do not you find, that then Perſons drink together more like Friends, and leſs like Strangers, when there are no Healths drunk, than when there be? And do not you find it true, what St. Ambroſe obſerved, Rogas ad jucunditatem, cogis ad mortem; invitas ad prandium, efferre vis ad ſepulchrum, &c. You invite to a Dinner, but they are carried to their Grave, &c. Vocatis ut amicos, emittitis ut inimicos: You invite them as Friends, but ſend them out like Enemies.

You may, if you will, ſee in Healthing, 1. Irreverence of God, taking his Name in vain. 2. No Kindneſs to your Friends, but their Health in pretence. 3. An ungrateful Abuſe of excellent Mercies, Wine and Strong-Beer, that loſe their comforting Virtue by exceſs, and their Uſe by wantonneſs. 4. Sin and Levity fac'd and painted with a deceiving Complement. Some drink in meer Bravery and Pride, or in Flattery, or out of Fear, or miſtaken Love, but moſt commonly from Self-love, and Senſepleaſing.

Secondly, draw right and lively Idea's and Images of that great Sin of Drunkenneſs, for deteſtation ſake. Laeſa eſt pietas, ubi irridetur ebrietas. Ambr. You may find enough to turn your Heart from it, if you will but ſearch for it. And is not this the daily Attendant upon Healthing? 'Tis the greateſt Diſgrace a Man can put upon himſelf or others. Why ſhall it not be reputed to be as great a diſhonour to be laid by the heels by this Sin, as to be put in the Stocks, or a Priſon? Suppoſe a Company of rude and impudent Servants ſhould combine to abuſe their Maſter, a Perſon of noble Birth, and great Honour; to that end they ſhould wheedle and gull him into a pleaſant Humor, make him very merry; and when they have levell'd him down to a Familiarity, they take his place, and play the Maſter; they then put out one Candle, and anon another, and then come the Grooms and Footmen, and paw upon him, and at laſt lay him under the Table, or in a meaner place. Thus the Divine Reaſon is abuſed by the Senſes, and the Inferiors being little better, or rather in that worſe than Brutes, make ſport with their Maſter. Again, imagine a noble Perſon to have many graceful and uſeful Servants under him, and if they be not true and officious to him, it is his Fault, and not theirs; and this noble Perſon being out of humor, he turns one out of his place, and then another, until he have left him none to help him: Would it not be a very ignoble Action? Would he not, when come to himſelf, repent, and do ſo no more? Is it not like this, when the noble Reaſon and Affections are depraved by Luſt, do ſerve his Senſes, and the Members of his Body, even thoſe that were born with him, bred with him from the very Cradle, went to School with him, lay in the ſame Bed with him, and are as dear to him when he is himſelf, as his very Eyes, Hands, and Feet; but he doth caſt them off by the inſinuation of Wine; the Eyes fail, the Hands ſhake, the Legs wave like Reeds: Ne que pes, ne que mens ſatis officium faciunt. And tho they are next day taken home again, yet for ought he knew, they were quite gone, never to be ſeen till the Reſurrection. — It is a high Offence to our glorious Creator; it perverts the end of our Redemption; it unmans the Man, and is a contempt of Death, the Grave, and Hell it ſelf. If Men had any reverence for their God, Creator, Saviour, Sanctifier; if any honour to their own Nature; if any ſenſe of Mortality, and of the reference this mortal Life hath to eternal Life, they would never live it thus, throw away their Time thus. How curious are Men of their own Pictures, of their Childrens Faces and Shapes, of the Monuments of their Anceſtors! how enraged at the violation of their Daughters! And will you with your own hands, by the ungrateful abuſe of Plenty, deprave, deſile, ſwill, and proſtitute your ſelves! What if you were ſtript by your own Servants, of your own Clothes, and they ſhould put on you their Liveries or Frocks? would you brook it? Yet a Gentleman is a Gentleman in the meaneſt Garb; but you are not Men, when you undreſs, or put off Sobriety. In a word, it is a great Sin, and what if the Lord find you ſo doing?

7. If you would not drink to exceſs, nor health about, be ſure you do not begin. And know, there is an honour due to Temperance, as much as Chaſtity. If you would not diſhonour the Chaſtity of the deareſt Friend, if you would take it for a diſhonour to have your Chaſtity attempted, never tempt, or ſuffer Temperance to be tempted; for Temperance and Chaſtity are of the ſame great Family, tho but low in the World.

8. Prize and improve Retirement; ſtudy to bear it, and to be happy in it. And be no oftner, nor longer abroad, than good occaſion will require. And in your own Houſe, under God, be Maſter; ſuffer no Servants to be drunk, nor any of them to play the Gentleman with Healths. And no Man of breeding or worth, will put you out of your own way.

9. Preſerve the purity of your Souls, as well as your Hands; the purity of your Bodies from Exceſs, as from all Uncleanneſs. And as you would not be a Companion of Thieves, neither in their Thievery, nor in their Priſons, nor in the place of Execution, be not a Companion of Drunkards; for Thieves and they ſhall be condemned together. 1 Cor. 6.9. And as ſleight of hand, and cunning conveyances of ſmall Things, are preparatory Exerciſes to the Art of Cheating; ſo is Healthing the initiating Ceremony in the Profeſſion and Society of Good-Fellows. Next to the purity of your own Perſons, preſerve the purity of your own Families, and then of Societies, which are corrupted commonly by nothing more, than by this wanton playing with plenty of the beſt of Creatures. Poor People, that labour hard, and drink Water or ſmall Beer, do not uſe it; nor you neither, but when you have the beſt, and wantonly waſte it.

10. If you have not experience of your own, you may ſoon be informed of the many Evils which befall others, and that this is the entrance into the Schools of Vanity and Iniquity, and the Chambers of Death. It is good for you to be eſtabliſhed with Grace, and not with Meats, ſaith the Apoſtle, and not with Drink, ſay I; and be reſolved neither to offend nor entice any, nor to impoſe upon any, nor to be impoſed upon, that you may not communicate your ſins to others, nor be partakers of other Mens ſins. Be ſober, and watch; and if Men will not contain themſelves, be as reſolute to refuſe, as others are to offer. Purity will do you more good, and bring you a greater Glory, than all theſe ſhews of Civility and Breeding, as this is thought to be, by them who firſt grow modiſh, then apiſh, and then bold, and then obdurate. And whether Healthing be a ſin, or ſinful, or how far it partakes or contracts, I humbly leave it to them that will peruſe this Diſcourſe; but this I think is too manifeſt, that it is an Inlet of a Flood of Sin in all parts of the Land, and doth more harm than Floods in Harveſt.

I have but one thing more to do, to commend the Reader to the Grace of God, and Holineſs and Sobriety to his ſtudy, and conclude with thoſe grave Words of the great St. Auguſtin. Ergo Fratres chariſſimi, dum haec ſuggero, me abſolvo apud Deum. Quicun que me audire contempſerit, & ad bibendum pronus fuerit, vel in convivio ſuo alios adjurare vel cogere voluerit, & pro ſe, & pro illis in die Judicii reus erit. Et quia, quod pejus eſt, aliqui etiam Clerici, qui hoc deberent prohibere, ipſi cogunt bibere aliquos plus quàm expedit, amodo incipiant & ſeipſos corrigere, & alios caſtigare, ut cùm ante Tribunal Chriſti venerint, nec de ſuâ, nec de aliorum ebrietate incurrant ſupplicium. Serm. de Temp. 232. & in ead. Domin. Serm. 2.

If All that has been ſaid by me, will not prevail on our common Healthers to leave off this ill Cuſtom, I will deſire them to read and ponder his Majeſty's Proclamation (here adjoined) againſt vicious, debauch'd, and prophane Perſons, and againſt drinking his Health, publiſhed a little after his Happy Reſtauration, in the Twelfth Year of his Reign.

CHARLES R.

SInce it hath pleaſed the Divine Providence, in ſo wonderful a manner, and by ways and means no leſs miraculous, than thoſe by which he did heretofore preſerve and reſtore his own choſen People, to reſtore Vs, and Our good Subjects to each other, and to ſhew Vs a very hopeful Proſpect, if not to put Vs already into poſſeſſion of that Peace, Happineſs and Security, with which this our Kingdom hath been heretofore bleſſed: It will become Vs all, in our ſeveral Stations, to acknowledg this tranſcendent goodneſs of Almighty God in ſo ſeaſonable a conjuncture, with ſuch a Circumſpection, Integrity, and Reformation in Our Lives, that we may not drive away that Mercy which ſo near approacheth Vs, by making Our ſelves (wholly) unworthy of it. And in Order hereunto, We think it high time to ſhew Our Diſlike of thoſe (againſt whom We have been ever enough offended, tho We could not in this manner declare it) who under pretence of Affection to Vs and our Service, aſſume to themſelves the liberty of Reviling, Threatning and Reproaching others; and as much as in them lies, endeavour to ſtifle and divert their good Inclinations to Our Service, and ſo to prevent that Reconciliation and Vnion of Hearts and Affections, which can only, with God's Bleſſing, make Vs rejoyce in each other, and keep Our Enemies from rejoycing.

There are likewiſe another ſort of Men, of whom we have heard much, & are ſufficiently aſhamed, who ſpend their time in Taverns, Tipling-houſes, and Debauches, giving no other Evidence of their Affection to us, but in Drinking Our Health, and inveighing againſt all others, who are not of their own diſſolute temper: and who, in truth, have more diſcredited Our Cauſe, by the Licence of their Manners and Lives, than they could ever advance it by their Affection or Courage. We hope, that this extraordinary way of delivering Vs all from all We feared, and almoſt bringing Vs to all We can reaſonably hope for, hath and will work upon the Hearts even of theſe Men, to that degree, that they will cordially renounce all that Licentiouſneſs, Prophaneneſs, and Impiety, with which they have been corrupted, and endeavoured to corrupt others, and that they will hereafter become examples of Sobriety and Vertue, and make it appear, that what is paſt was rather the Vice of the Time, than of the Perſons, and the fitter to be forgotten together.

And, becauſe the fear of Puniſhment, or apprehenſion of Our Diſpleaſure, may have influence upon many, who will not be reſtrained by the Conſcience of their Duty, We do declare, That We will not exerciſe juſt Severity againſt any Malefactors, ſooner than againſt Men of diſſolute, debauch'd, and profane Lives, with what parts ſoever they may be otherwiſe qualified and endowed; and We hope that all Perſons of Honour, or in Place and Authority, will ſo far aſſiſt Vs in diſcountenancing ſuch Men, that their Diſcretion and Shame will perſuade them to reform what their Conſcience would not, and that the diſpleaſure of good Men towards them, may ſupply what the Laws have not, and, it may be, cannot well provide againſt, there being by the Licenſe and Coruption of the Times, and the depraved Nature of Men, many Enormities, Scandals, and Impieties, in Practice and Manners, which Laws cannot well deſcribe, and conſequently not enough provide againſt, which may by the example and ſeverity of vertuous Men, be eaſily diſcountenanced, and by degrees ſuppreſſed.

However, for the more effectual reforming theſe Men, who are a diſcredit to the Nation, and unto any Cauſe they pretend to favour, and to wiſh well to: We require all Mayors, Sheriffs, and Iuſtices of Peace, to be very vigilant and ſtrict in the diſcovery and proſecution of all Diſſolute and prophane Perſons, and ſuch as blaſpheme the Name of God by prophane Swearing and Curſing, or revile or diſturb Miniſters, and deſpiſe the Publick Worſhip of God; that being firſt bound to the good Behaviour, they may be further proceeded againſt, and expoſed to ſhame, in ſuch a manner, as the Laws of the Land, and the juſt and neceſſary Rules of Government ſhall direct or permit.

God ſave the King.

I intended to produce ſome ſad Examples (of which there are too many) of the lamentable Effects of Healthing, but I ſhall only relate one, viz.

At a Tavern near Cheapſide in London, certain Gentlemen drinking Healths to their Lords, on whom they had dependance, one deſperate Wretch ſteps to the Tables end, lays hold on a Pottle-pot full of Canary, ſwears a deep Oath, What will none here drink a Health to my noble Lord and Maſter? And ſo ſetting the Pottle-pot to his Mouth, drinks it off to the bottom, was not able to riſe up or to ſpeak when he had done, but fell into a deep ſnoring Sleep; and being removed, laid aſide, and covered by one of the Servants of the Houſe, attending the time of the drinking, was within the ſpace of two hours irrecoverably dead.

FINIS.