1. To prevent the commiffion of a crime, which, when committed, would be punishable with death. Thus it is lawful to shoot a highwayman, or one attempting to break into a house by night; but not fo if the attempt be made in the day-time; which particular distinction, by a confent that is remarkable, obtained alfo in the Jewish law, as well as in the laws both of Greece and Rome.

2. In neceffary endeavours to carry the law into execution, as in fuppreffing riots, apprehend, ing malefactors, preventing escapes, &c.

I do not know, that the law holds forth its authority to any cafes befide those which fall within one or other of the above defcriptions; or that, after the exception of immediate danger to life or chastity, the deftruction of a human being can be innocent without that authority. The rights of war are not here taken into the

account,

CHAP.

DRU

1

RUNKENNESS is either actual or habitual; juft as it is one thing to be drunk, and another to be a drunkard. What we fhalb deliver upon the fubject, muft principally be understood of a habit of intemperance; although part of the guilt and danger defcribed may be applicable to cafual exceffes; and all of it, in a certain degree, forafmuch as every habit is only: a repetition of fingle inftances.

The mischief of drunkenness, from which we are to compute the guilt of it, confifts in the following bad effects:

1. It betrays moft conftitutions either to extravagancies of anger, or fins of lewdness.

2. It disqualifies men for the duties of their ftation, both by the temporary diforder of their faculties, and at length by a conftant incapacity and ftupefaction.

3. It is attended with expences, which can often be ill fpared.

4.

It is fure to occafion uneafinefs to the family of the drunkard.

5. It fhortens life.

To these consequences of drunkenness must be added the peculiar danger and mischief of the example. Drunkenness is a focial feftive vice; apt, beyond any vice that can be mentioned, to draw in others by the example. The drinker collects his circle; the circle naturally spreads; of those who are drawn within it, many become the corrupters and centers of fets and circles of their own; every one countenancing, and perhaps emulating, the reft, till a whole neighbourhood be infected from the contagion of a fingle example. This account is confirmed by what we often obferve of drunkenness, that it is a local vice; found to prevail in certain countries, in certain diftricts of a country, or in particular towns, without any reason to be given for the fashion, but that it had been introduced by fome popular examples. With this obfervation upon the spreading quality of drunkenness, let us connect a remark which belongs to the feveral evil effects above recited. The confequences of a vice, like the fymptoms of a difeafe, though they

be

be all enumerated in the defcription, seldom all meet in the fame fubject. In the inftance under, confideration, the age and temperature of one drunkard may have little to fear from inflammations of luft or anger; the fortune of a fecond may not be injured by the expence; a third may have no family to be difquieted by his irregula rities; and a fourth may poffefs a constitution fortified against the poison of strong liquors. But if, as we always ought to do, we comprehend within the confequences of our conduct the mifchief and tendency of the example, the above circumstances, however fortunate for the individual, will be found to vary the guilt of his intemperance, less, probably, than he fuppofes. The moralift may expoftulate with him thus: Although the waste of time and money be of small importance to you, it may be of the utmost to fome one or other whom your fociety corrupts. Repeated, or long continued exceffes, which hurt not your health, may be fatal to your companion. Although you have neither wife, nor child, nor parent, to lament your abfence from home, or expect your return to it with terror; other families, in which husbands and fathers have been invited to fhare in your ebriety, or encouraged to imitate it, may juftly lay their misery or ruin

at

1

at your door. door. - This will hold good, whether the perfon feduced, be feduced immediately by you, or the vice be propagated from you to him through several intermediate examples. All thefe confiderations it is neceffary to affemble, to judge. truly of a vice, which ufually meets with milder names, and more indulgence, than it deferves...

I omit those outrages upon one another, and upon the peace and fafety of the neighbourhood, in which drunken revels often end; and also thofe deleterious and maniacal effects, which ftrong liquors produce upon particular conftitu-, tions; because, in general propofitions concerning drunkenness, no confequences fhould be included, but what are conftant enough to be generally expected,

Drunkenness is repeatedly forbidden by St.Paul: "Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excefs." "Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in riot"ing and drunkennefs." "Be not deceived: "neither fornicatorsnor drunkards, nor re"vilers, nor extortioners, fhall inherit the king"dom of God." Eph. v. 18. Rom. xiii. 13.

1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. The fame Apostle likewise condemns drunkennefs, as peculiarly inconfiftent with the Christian profeffion: "They that be "drunken, are drunken in the night; but let

CC us,