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.

CHAP. II. Shewing how the Question of drink∣ing Healths hath been stated and resolved, with some Animad∣versions upon it.

§. 1. THe famous Philosopher and Divine, Mar. Trider. Wen∣delinus, 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, Ro∣mans, Germans, and Muscovites, he resolves the Question in the Affirma∣tive, but with a Limitation: It is law∣ful to drink to the Health of another; quatenus fieri id nullo sobrietatis detri∣mento potest, as far as it may be done without the harm or detriment of So∣briety; 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 con∣sist not with another Grace, or Ver∣tue, or Duty, or with Prayer to God, which is implied in it, or it signifies nothing, it may be unlaw∣ful.

But saith he, Quod si vero propinan∣tis intentio sit: But if it be the Inten∣tion of him that drinks, to overwhelm others, with Cups to the Health of o∣thers, and to thrust them down, and de∣throne 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. Co∣gitent hoc, saith he, Aulae & Aulici, &c. Let Princes Courts, and Courtiers think of this, who so drink the Healths of o∣thers, 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, with∣out asking Questions for Conscience∣sake? 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 Drun∣kenness, &c.? Here's small Thanks to be paid to Wendeline for his Reso∣lution, 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 arti∣ficially to be promoted: Of which kind are Adjurations of others, by great Names,* 1.1 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 necessi∣ty upon the Guests: And from all other the like Mysteries of Bacchus, and Ma∣nuductions 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 Con∣versation, Mr. R. B. in his volumi∣nous 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 unco∣vered while others drink it?

Answ. Distinguish between drink∣ing 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, espe∣cially when it is taken for a Crime to deny it.

3.* 1.2 The ordinary drinking and pledging of such Healths is unlaw∣ful, because it is the scandalous hard∣ning of others in their Sin, unto their Ruine.

4. But if we fall among such fu∣rious 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, be∣cause it is not a thing simply evil in it self, to drink that Cup, but by Ac∣cident, 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 Compa∣nies, 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 Superi∣ors upon it, is a Ceremony, that on the aforesaid reason may be com∣plied 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 Scan∣dal, 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 Ser∣vant 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 Pra∣ctice is shut out of the question, as an unlawful Custom, as he plainly speaks.

2. When it will be ill taken to re∣fuse, and then when a Man cannot without danger put it by; intima∣ting, 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 Com∣pany, 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 unco∣vered when Healths are drunk, is a∣nother part of the Case, and inti∣mates, 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 in∣vitation 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 sin∣ful and scandalous thing, hardning of Men to their Ruine.

6. And here ariseth another Case: What if a Man fall among those fu∣rious 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 preponde∣rate. Where note, that such Per∣sons 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 Formali∣ty in which it was urged and impo∣sed.

(2.) But what if the Cup be un∣lawful in it self? What if a Prote∣stant fall into the Company of furious Papists? or if a sober Person fall in∣to the Company of raging Hectors? And he be required to drink to the coming in of Popery, or to the Con∣fusion 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 Prospe∣rity, Success, long Life of an Ene∣my to God, Religion, and my Coun∣try? 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 inno∣cent is dangerous and scandalous.

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

Notes

• * 1.1

  i. e. Hëalths.
• * 1.2

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