and Perverfenefs. Alafs! If this were truc that they only doubted Things meerly indifferent and nothing more,and agreed with us in Effentials, the Schifm would foon fail. But even the Presbyterians, who may fay this with the beft Colour, do differ 'from us in Effentials; they live in open Oppofition to the Express Word of God in Many Inftances; they hold Opinions direct ly oppofite to the received Doctrine of the Church in all Ages, and to what is Eftablifhed in our own; and have Enthusiastick Notions intirely deftructive of Practical Holinefs.

This Cafe lay directly in my Way, and I thought it better to ftop a little to fhew it in this clear Light, than ftep over it; because, thô it is thus Plain and Evident, yet it hath been generally Mifunderflood and Mifapplyed; fo that nothing hath contributed more to the Countenance and Support of Schifm and Schifmaticks, than that Opinion of their being Weak Brethren, which you fee hath not the leaft Colour or Foundation in Scripture. Nay fo far from it,that the giving Offence and Scandal is all on

+ See Hammond's View of the New Directory. The Archbishop of Dublin's Inventions of Men in the Worship of God.

their Side, who in St. Paul's Language De fpife, and Fudge, and Lay a ftumbling Block, or an Occafion of Falling from the Church, in the Way of their Brethren, under Pretence of Scruple, without any plain Foun→ dation in the Laws of GOD or Man.

After this short stay I defire my good Reader to pass on again, and bring the Cuftom of Drinking Healths to a Teft and Tryal, by each of these Four Rules, and then let him tell me whether the leaving them off be any Injury to his Christian Liberty? And whether upon Suppofition the Thing were in its own Nature perfectly indifferent, he is not bound in Confcience to forbear it?

T

CHAP. VI.

HERE are fome other Objections of a leffer Size, which ought not to be quite paffed over; as That the publishing a Difcourfe againft Healths at this Juncture, is not Seafonable. If this Word Unfeafona ble is to be understood in a Political Senfe, and that the Force of the Objection confifts in this, That the Cuftom is in our Age come to fo great an Height, that This and Lying have been looked on as the Two main Hinges upon which the greatest Changes

and

and Revolutions move; infomuch that you may every where observe a mighty Party ftruggle in Drinking Down one Ministry, and Drinking Up another; and that this is performed with as much Industry and Application as if they were to ftand or fall, and all the Grand Affairs of State were to take their Turn according to the Majority of Healths. Nay that it is come to fuch a Pafs that Religion, Liberty, Property, Conftitution, Monarchy and Epifcopacy, are thought not a little concerned in the Language and Style of Healths; and in the General Afpect and Tendency they have to favour or deftroy them all. And what if a Jun&ture fhould happen when most of the Liquor drank in Healths fhould run into a wrong Chanel; and this dreadful Artillery should be turned againft all these Things of nearest Concern and greatest Importance to us, and be in a fair way of Prevailing against them: Then what other Confequence would the crying down Healths have, but the difarming of fuch as are Friends to Religion, Liberty, &c? Putting it out of their Power to do them a fignal Service? And in fhort a removing the most effectual Means of their Safety and Preservation; by Drinking fuch as are

A

well

well difpofed into Heart again, and Dif couraging their Enemies by the Heartiness and Number of Oppofite Healths?

I must confefs there is Truth enough in this Objection to render it very Formidable; and I have no Answer to make to it but what will fuit those only who are on the Side of Truth and Sincerity, namely, That when any Party Contest or Engagement is to be managed with Unlawful Weapons, the Advantage is always like to be on the wrong Side, they understanding them best, and being more dexterous and expert in the Management of them. And therefore where People have a true and fincere Concern for Religion, Church, and Conftitution, &c. it is their Intereft to have fuch Warlike Engines totally Difufed, in the Use of which they are not fo well versed as their Adverfaries, and must ever be in Danger of being worsted. It is therefore most advifable intirely to give up Drinking as well as Lying, and henceforward to trust to Prayer and unfeigned Loyalty.

But if the Word Unfeafonable is to be taken in a Religious Senfe, then I Answer, That there are Two very different Times in the Opinion of St. Paul, 1 Tim. iv. 2. when we are to be inftant in reproving and

and rebuking of Vice; One is when it is In Seafon, the Other when it is Out of Seafor I take it to be then Out of Seafon, when their is leaft Occafion for it; And then to be In Seafon when it is moft neceffary. Nothing hath been all along more fatal to the Church, and the Truths of Religion; and ferved more to ufher in all the Misfortunes which have befallen them, than that Piece of Cunning, which you fee is not from GOD. O! it is not Seafonable to Defend and Maintain them openly; no, nor is it ever fo with Men of fuch Profound Politicks till the Season is past, and that it becomes too late. I take that to be the Proper Seafon for Owning the Truth, when it is Flatly deny'd for Defending it, when it is most Vigorously oppofed; and for Declaring against vitious and finful Practices, when general Custom hath wore all Senfe of the Guilt of them out of the Minds of Men. Then is the Time to Clear up the Truths of Revealed Religion, when they are Obfcured and Darkned either by Miftake, or Defign; then to fhew a Zeal for the Ordinances of God, when they are habitually Profaned; then to explain the Nature of Loyalty, in an Age when that Gofpel Duty is at Stake, and like to be loft; then to Expofe Schifm and

Herefy