A practical exposition of the X. Commandments with a resolution of several momentous questions…A practical exposition of the X. Commandements with a resolution of several momentous questions…

6. There is your drinking at Lick-wakes or Dergies (as ye call them) after the death, and also after the burial of friends or neighbours, as if that gave a call, and made a rendezvous to drink. Certainly if drunkenness and tippling be unsuitable at any time, much more on such an occasion is it so, even most unsuitable! Is this the way to be made christianly, to mind your own approaching death, and to be prepared for it? is it not rather to make the house of mourning a house of feasting, and to forget the end of all living, which the living should lay to heart? Is this to bear burden with a smitten family wherein one is dead, to come and burden them, and table your selves in their house? Will this fit them who are alive to get the right use of the stroke, to be disturbed by providing such and such meat, drink, servants for you: when it is like that thus, praying comes to be neglected, and heaviness swallowed up in this heathenish way of drinking away care and thought; certainly if the parties be sad, that sort of fellowship is not fit at all, and proper, if they be in hazard to take no impression of the rod, this stumbleth them, and quite driveth it away: O heathenish, hateful and abominable practise! And where was it ever seen that frequent company at such a time, and such company, proved useful? yea, often it hath been followed with abuse and many sad consequents; and is the dreg of old superstitious Popery not fully removed out of the hearts of some.

6. There is your drinking at Lick-wakes or Dergies (as ye call them) after the death, and also after the burial of friends or neighbours, as if that gave a call, and made a rendezvous to drink. Certainly if drunkenness and tippling be unsutable at any time, much more on such an occasion is it so, even most unsutable! Is this the way to be made christianly, to mind your own approaching death, and to be prepared for it? is it not rather to make the house of mourning a house of feasting, and to forget the end of all living, which the living should lay to heart? Is this to bear burthen with a smitten family wherein one is dead, to come and burthen them, and table your selves in their house? Will this fit them who are alive to get the right use of the stroak, to be disturbed by providing such and such meat, drink, servants for you: when it is like that thus, praying comes to be neglected, and heaviness svvallovved up in this heathenish vvay of drinking avvay care and thought; certainly if the parties be sad, that sort of fellovvship is not fit at all, and proper, if they be in hazard to take no impression of the rod, this stumbleth them, and quite driveth it avvay: O heathenish, hateful and abominable practise! And vvhere vvas it ever seen that frequent company at such a time, and such company, proved useful? yea, often it hath been follovved vvith abuse and many sad consequents; and is the dreg of old superstitious Popery not fully removed out of the hearts of some.