A Discourse of Drinking Healths

TO THE READER- "Before the Reader Enters into the following Tract, it will not be amifs to remove fomefew Prejudices that may lye in his Way. It may be thought no great Prudence to write againfi a Cuftorn fo generally received, that it muft make Each of the Two mofl con- fiderable Parties among us my Enemiesj for that all agree in Drinking Healths: But it is better to difoblige Both; than not to be an Impartial Friend to Each Side, and to the Truth. It is a ftire Indication of an Abje£t Spirit to make the Serving of a Party the main Principle of a Man's Actions^ hecaufe it Cancels all to the Reward of his befl Per- formances in another World: I Write not a- gainft any Party, but againfi the Sins of Men) and if 'Thefe prevail more in One Party than another, it is not amifs that they take the Re- proof to themfelves. They have done fo ac- . cordingljy and it hath fallen to my hot to fuf- fer their Indignation, not having confultedfo much the Politick, as the Religious Part; becaafe I have obferved that too much Caution A 2 in Matters of Duty, and Religious Politicks are among the Reigning Bins of ths Time. It is a ready and Vulgar Turn to Brand this Trafr with the Name of Quakerifm. 'But that-the Quakers decline All Healths ii Praife-worthy in them; nor is it likely they will ever be Tempted by the Wicked one to the contrary, while they continue to Renounce the Two Sacraments; the Refurre&ion of the fame Body; and All Scripture, without immediate Infpiration in themfelves, From being a Rule of* Faith ot Practice. It hath been always a fuccefsful Piece of Policy in Him not only to Difpence with, but to Encou- rage fomefew Inflames of Real Goodnefs, but of Lefs Conference, with Defign to give a Colour to great Impieties ; or to Varnifh o- ver ths Rankefl Herefies, and Schifms. Perhaps you may fay the Habit is fo Inve- terate, that I jhall but Provoke Men to Drink Healths the More, and Confirm them in the Cuftom* But this can be trite only of the Wicked, and the Pefverfe; not of thofe who are Well difpofed, or Religioufly Incli- ned, for whofe Saks alone this Treatife is writ- ten: This Argument, if it be one, will hold againft all Attempts made to difcourage Any prevailing Cufiom whaifoever which is either Evil in it [elf; or the Inftrument and Occa- sion of Sin. And no Other Return is to be rnade here, but dsfiring People to Corf ler, whether it is My Vault or Theirs, that they grow more Obftinate by fair Endeavours that are ufed to make them more Religious