CHA P. III.

HE laft Instance I fhall give of the

T Evil Effects and Confequences of

Healths, is that they are the immediate Cause and Occasion of most of that Drunkennefs which is fo common in the World: And that it is by them that the Generality of Men, who can afford it, are almost every Day drawn on infenfibly to fome Degrees of Intemperance in Drinking; which tho' they may not come up to the Sin of Drunkenness,yet are no way justifyable before God,nor confiftent with the Character of a truly good Man. For this very Reafon they are condemned and forbidden by the moft Pious and Learned Writers against that Sin of Drunkenness. Inftead of many I fhall chufe to Quote only Two, becaufe what they fay to this Purpose is by way of Stating the Cafe of Confcience, and a Determination upon it, Wendelinus in Anfwer to this Queftion, Whether it is Lawful to Drink to the Health of another Man? Refolves thus at laft, Tho' it might not be Simply and in its Own Nature Unlawful;

*

* Quæritur an liceat in alterius Salutem bibere?

yet

yet it being generally abufed, and fo many ways the Occafion and Inftrument of Sin, and of Drunkenness in particular, His Conclufion is pofitive, that It is Unlawful; and then adds, † Let Courts and Courtiers confider this. Amefius among his Cafes of Confcience determines thus, *We are bound to refrain all thofe Customs and Forms of Drinking which are artfully contrived to promote and forward the Sin of Drunkennefs. Such as adjuring Men to drink their Glass for the Sake of any dear Friend, or great Man. Sending about the Liquor that every Man may empty his Glafs in his Turn. And all other Rites and Myfteries of Bacchus which are invented to lead Men on to any Degrees of Excefs in Drink ing. Thus have they determined, and I am perfuaded that, notwithstanding this evil Custom hath ftolen in upon us, and the Prejudice in Favour of it from thence, yet there is no Pious and Learned Divine

+ Cogitent hoc Aulæ & Aulici.

* Abftinendum igitur ab illis Ritibus quibus folet Ebrietas artificiofe promoveri. Cujus generis funt adjurationes aliorum per Nomina magna, vel chara ad pocula evacuanda; circummiffio Poculorum, ut ab omnibus & fingulis pariter exhauriantur Et Quæ cunq; fimilia myfteria Bacchi, & manuductiones ad exceffum potandi.

of

of our own Church who confiders this Cafe of Confcience thorowly, but will make the fame Decifion that they have done.

And if fo, what can we think of that Custom which hath obtain'd fo univerfally at all plentiful Tables of fitting to the Drinking of Healths after every Meal? This was the very Cuftom of the Heathen exactly described by † Virgil in his Æneids. Poftquam prima Quies Epulis,menfaq; remota; Crateras Magnos ftatuunt.

you

The very Thing in Practice in St. Ambrofe's Time, and feverely Condemned and Reproved by him, When Dinner or Supper is over, and would think all were to rife from Table, then they begin a-new, and Solemn Preparation is made for Drinking. And again, To fee the Difpofition of the Glaffes, you would imagine them placed Rank and File. He calls this, || A fort of Difcipline in Drinking; and adds that it is, A Mark of Infamy in any one to decline it. Doth not this Father fpeak the Senfe of all good

Eneid. 1. 1. 727.

* ubi confummatæ fuerint Epulæ & putes jam effe furgendum, tunc de integro potum inftaurant fuum, Cernas poculorum ordines, aciem ordinatam putes.

Il Bibendi Difciplina.

S Nota gravis fi quis fe excufet. De Hei. & Jej,

Chriftians

Christians in condemning this Custom? And if it was fo highly wicked Then, as he describes it afterwards when he speaks of Healths in that Paffage I have before quoted, is it not fo Now? If he had seen the Modern Practice, cou'd he have fet it out in more lively Colours? Are not the Healths of All round the Table to be drank firft? And is not he thought to be flighted whofe Health is paffed over and neglected? Then comes on all State Healths in their Order; and as Sanctius fays, * When the Health of your Friend or your Prince is propofed, it is in no Man's Power to refuse: Tho all thefe Divines have afferted it to be a Sin to comply; this wou'd be to deny Duty, or Honour, or Refpect, to the Patron of the Cup; and this bears down all Veneration and Regard to Go D, and a Man's own Confcience. Nay is it not come to that Pass among us, that long Lifts of Healths are prepared before hand, and Wrote down for all publick Entertainments; which are drank with Noife and Clamour, and afterwards Printed and Published thro the Nations with great Applause and Com

* Cum Principum aut Amicorum Salus interponitur, nemo poteft non obtemperare. In Efth. 1. 7.

mendations

mendations of the Performance, to the publick Scandal of our Christianity.

I fhall add here the full and pofitive Decifion of the Learned Stuckius upon this Point. After he had been defcribing the Manner of Drinking Healths among the Heathen, and lamenting how they had prevailed among Chriftians. † Chriftians, fays he, Now a-Days Drink the fame Healths, nay and have invented new ones of their own. Here is a Cup of Love, or FriendShip, or Honour. Here is Success to this, or the other Perfon, or Affair; a Cup of Health to you, or to this, or the other Man. Nothing is more fure than that these monftrous Healths are contrary to all Right Reafon, and Modefty, and the Duty of a good Man. And again in Oppofition to all Manner of impious Healths, as he often calls them, drank to the Living or the Dead either among Heathens or Chriftians, he hath this

+ Similibus hodiè Chriftiani utuntur, imo novæ quotidie excogitantur. Hoc tibi fivè tuæ gratiæ Poculum, Amoris, Amicitiæ, Notitiæ, Hujus alteriufve perfonæ five Rei caufa; Pro tuâ, hujus, illiufve Salute. Certò certius conftat immanes hujufmodi Propinationes Omni Rationi, Modeftia, probiq; Viri Officio planè contrarias effe & inimicas. Antiq. Con. p. 362.

excellent