by the selfesame reason argue that our Saviours passion did not relate à parte ante to save those beleevers who died before but only à parte post to redeeme such onely who departed after his incarnation which were blasphemy for to thinke since our Saviour was virtually and in destination though not actually a lambe slaine from the beginning of the world Now that the Christian sabbath or Lords day begins at even and so ought to be sanctified from even to even not from morning to morning or from midnight to midnight which ecclesiasticall beginning of dayes we never find in Scripture or in any Ecclesiasticall Writers it is most apparant First because we reade of no other beginning or end of the sabbath in Scripture but this and to make it begin from the very houre or minute of our Saviours resurrection is to make it arbitrary and altogether uncertaine because the very houre and minute of his resurrection is not neither can it certainly be knowne Secondly because the sabbath being nothing else in proper speach but a day of rest it is most naturall and proper it should then begin when as God and man begin their rest and leave off their labour not when as they begin their worke but God began his rest at the end of the sixth day not on the morning or midnight of the seventh day and men begin their rest at evening not at midnight or morning Witnesse Psal. 104.22 23. The Sunne ariseth and man goeth forth to his worke and to his labour unto the evening and Iohn 9.4 I must worke the workes of him that sent me whiles it is called to day the night commeth when no man can worke therefore it is most consonant to reason and nature that it should begin at evening Thirdly this beginning of the Lords day on saturday at even doth best prepare Christians for the sanctification and duties of the Lords day For it makes them put a period to their labours in due time it disburdens them the sooner of their weekday imployments it causeth them to goe to bed sooner to rise earlier and to prepare themselves the better for the duties of the ensuing morning and upon this ground did the Church appoint Vigils and Evening Saturday service in ancient times that Christians laying aside all secular imployments and resorting then unto Gods publike worship might after the manner of the Iews who had their preparatioÌ„ of the sabbath the better prepare themselves for the sacred duties of the Lords day And hence perchance it is that we have seldome any Playes or Masques at Court upon saturday nights Lastly it is infallibly evident by the constant practise of the primitive Church who kept the Lords day onely froÌ„ evening to evening not from morning to morning as is evidenced not onely by the assemblies of the primitive Christians who met together before day-breake upon the Lords day to praise their Lord and Saviour Christ but by sundry Councels Fathers and Imperiall Constitutions To begin with Councels Survey we Concilium Tarraconense Can. 7. Surius Concil Tom. 2. p. 292. Matisconense 2. Can. 2. Ib. p. 683. Toletanum 4. Can. 8. Ib. p. 729. Constantinop 6. Can. 90. Ib. p. 1052. Foro-juliense Can. 13. Surius Tom. 3. p. 266. Turonicum 3. sub Carolo Magno Can. 40. Ib. p. 272. Concilium apud Compendium Apud Alexandr Alesium Summa Theolog. pars 3. Quaest 32. Artic. 2. p. 245. Synodus Francfordiana Anno Dom. 793. cap. 22. Concilium Moguntinum Anno 813. apud Iuonis Decreta pars 4. c. 16. Synodus Galonis et Simonis Legatoris An. 1212. Synodus Andegavensis An. 1282. All these expresly decree Vt dies Dominicus à vespera usque ad vesperam servetur Omnesdies Dominicos à vespera in vesperam omni veneratione decernimus observari et ab omni illicâ—to opere abstinere Nec aliquis à vespera dici Sabbathi usque ad vesperaÌ„ diei Dominicae ad molendina aquarâ— nec ad aliqua alia molere audeat c. So that by the expresse resolution of all these severall Councels whereof one is oecumenicall the Lords day ought to be kept onely from evening to evening and so to begin and end at evening If we peruse the Fathers we shall finde St. Augustine enjoyning Christians to celebrate the Lords day from evening to evening as the Iewes did celebrate their sabbath And that the Lords day and our Christian sabbath begins at evening not at morning or midnight it is the direct and punctuall verdict of Dionysius Alexandrinus Epist. 1. Bibl. Patrum Tom. 3. p. 81. A. to H. Of Theophilus Antiochenus Comment in Evangelia l. 1. Bib. Patr. Tom. 2. p. 153. C D. Of Gregory NysseÌ„ Oratio 1. 2. De Resurrect Christi p. 145 146 151â— 152. Of HieroÌ„ Com. in IonaÌ„ c. 2. ToÌ„ 5. p. 137. E. CoÌ„ in Mat. 12. v. 40. ToÌ„ 6. p. 22 23. of Leo Epist. Decret Epist. 81. c. 1. HRabanus Maurus Homil. De Dominicis Diebus Operum Tom. 5. p. 605. Chrysost. Hom. 5. in Genes Tom. 1. Col 26 B. Hom 82. in Matth Tom 2. Col 559. B. Theophylus Alexandrinus Epist Paschalis 3. Bibl Patrum Tom 4. p 723. G. Cassianus de Incarnatione Domini lib 5 Bibl Patr Tom 5. pars 2. p 81. F G. Anastatius Sianita Anagogicarum Contemplationum Hexaëm l. 2. Bibl Patr Tom 6â— pars 1 p. 634. E. Quaestionum lib Quaest 87. Ibid p 778. Quaest 152 153. Ibid p 794 795. Theophylact. in Matth 12. v 40. 28. v. 1. Anselmus in Matth 12. Tom. 1. p 60 61. in cap 28.1 p 116. Eusebius Gallicanus de Symbolo Hom 2. Bibl Patr Tom 5. parsâ— 1. p 554. G H. Paschatius Rhadbertus in Matth l 12. Bib. Pat Tom 9. pars 2. p 1230. Haymo Halberstattensis Homil. in Die Paschatis p. 7 8. Radulphus Tungrensis De Canonum observantia lib Propositio 23. Bibl Patr Tom 11. p 455. F G. Propositio 15. Ibid p 445. F G. Tom 14. p 242. B. C. Amalarius Fortunatus De Ecclesiasticis Officijs l 1. c 11. Bibl Patr Tom 9. pars 1. p 311. F. Honorius Augustodunensis De Imagine Mundi lib. 1. cap 27. Bibl Patr Tom 12. pars 1. p 947. H. De Antiquo ritu Miss lib 1. c 191. p 1047. F. Christianus Grammaticus Expositio in Matth Bibl Patr Tom 9. pars 1. p 941. D E. Zacharias Chrysopolitanus in unum ex quatuor lib. 4. c. 173. Bibl Patr Tom 12. pars 1. p 203 204. To which I may adde Gregorius 9. Decretal l. 2. Tit. 9. De Ferijs cap. 2. p. 595. Summa Angelica Tit. Dies sect 1. Constitutiones Symonis Islepe Archiepisc. Cantuariensis apud Gulielmum Lindwood Constit. Provinciales l. 2. Tit. de Ferijs fol. 74. B. Ioan. Aton fol 148. a. where he decreeth thus In primis sacruÌ„ diem dominicum ab hora diei Sabbati vespertina
this dissolute and vnruly age For first the Scriptures doe positiuely informe vs that Righteousnesseâ— hath no fellowship with Vnrighteousnesse nor Light with Darkenesse that Christ hath no coâ—cord with Belial that he that beleeueth hath no part nor portion with an Infidell that the Temple of God hath no agreement wiâ—h Idâ—les and that we cannot drinke the cup of the Lord and the cup of Deâ—ils nor be partakers of the Lords table and of the table of Deuils If then Christ if Christians and Infidels haue no communion great reason is it that they should not intercommon in these Heathenish Spectacles and delights of sinne Secondly all Christians haue vowed in their Baptisme to forsake the Deuill and all his workes the Pompes and Vanitiâ—s of this wicked world and all the sinfull lustes of the flesh and haue they any reason then to harbour or retaine the Ceremonies of Worldlings or Enterludes of Pagans which they haue thus seriously renounced Thirdly all true and reall Christians are Redeemed by the red and precious blood of Iesus Christ from the ordinances rudiments and customes of the world from their vaine conuersation receiued by tradition from their Fathers they are purchased from off the earth and from among the sonnes of men they are ransomed and taken out of this World and made mâ—n of another world that so they might haue their whole conuersation with God in Heauen and walke on in all holy conuersation and godlinesse seruing God in holinesse and true Righteousnesse all the dayes of their liues Christ Iesus himselfe hath bought them at the dearest rate for this very end that they should no longer liue to the world or to the will and lusts of men but vnto him alone that they should cast off the workes of Darkenesse and put on the armor of Light that they should not hencefoorth walke as other Gentiles in the vanitie of their mindes following the desires of the flesh and of the minde giuing themselues ouer to Lasciuiousnesse and vncleannesse that the time past of their liues might suffice them to haue wrought the will of the Gentiles when as they walked in Lasciuiousnesse Lusts Reuellings Banquetings and abominable idolatries that they should now denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and walke soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed comming and appearance of their Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ that they should not hencefoorth walke according to the course of this world according to the power of the Prince of the ayre which now worketh in the children of disobedience but that they should be pure and vndefiled before God keeping themselues vnspotted from the World Since therefore Ieâ—us Christ haâ—h thus Redeemed all Christians from the World and all iâ—s Pagan customes pleasures ceremonies and delights of sinne that so they might be holy and blamelesse before him in loue and become a peculiar people to him Zealous of good workes great reason is there that they should abominate all Pagan practises Enterludes and Ceremonies as vnlawfull and misbeseeming Christians else they should but euacuate and make voyde vnto themselues the death of Christ yea trample vnder feete his precious blood and put him vnto open shame And would any Christian be so ingratefull so dispitefull to his blessed Sauiour whose bleeding wounds doe preach Saluation to his fiercest enemies as thus to wrong and shame him Fourthly mans nature is exceeding prone to Paganisme and Heathenish superstition as is euident not onely by the frequent Apostasies of the Israelites to grosse Idolatrie recorded in the Scriptures but likewise by that generall deluge of Heathenisme Mahometisme and hideous Idolatrie which now and alwayes heretofore hath ouerspred the greatest part of all the world God therefore out of his Fatherly care and compassiâ—n â—o his Children to anticipate all occasions which might withdraw them from him to Idolatrie doeth oft times prohibit them to imitate the Fashions Customes Vanities Habites Rites or Ceremonies of Infidels and Heathen Gentiles for feare lest one thing should draw on another by degrees till they were quite Apâ—statized to Idolatrie and seduced from the Faith Whereupon Saint Augustine exhâ—rts all Christians to prohibit the vse of all diabolicall Enterludes Vacillations and songs of the Gentiles and that no Christian should exercise any of these because by this he is made a Pagan Since therefore the imitation of Pagan customes pleasures and delights are but so many ingredients and allectiues to Paganisme and grosse Idolatrie and since they alienate or at least in some degree disioyne our affections from God and heauenly things there is ground and cause enough that Christians should reiect them as sinfull and pernicious So that vpon all these authorities and reasons the force of which no pious heart is euer able to withstand I may safely conclude this second Scaene with this short Corollary That Stage-Playes are sinfull vnseemely pernicious and vnlawfull at least wise vnto Christians because they were the inuentions ceremonies and pastimes of Idolatrous Infidels and the most Licentious Heathens who were no other but the Deuils Purueyers whom Christians must not imitate ACTVS SECVNDVS SEcondly as Stage-Playes are thus sinfull vnseemely pernicious and vnlawfull vnto Christians in regard of their originall and primitiue Inuentors so likewise are they such in respect of those Idolatrous vnwarrantable and Vnchristian ends to which they were destinated and designed at the first The chiefe and primarie end of inuenting instituting or personating Stage-Playes was the superstitious worship or at least wise the pacification or attonement of Iupiter Bacchus Neptune the Muses Flora Apollo Diana Venus Victoria or some such Deuill-gods or Goddesses which the Idolatrous Pagans did adore to whose honour names and memories these Playes which were alwayes Acted and celebrated heretofore as the insuing Authours testifie on those Festiuall and Solemne dayes which were dedicated to the speciall seruice and commemoration of these Idoles were at first deuoted That Stage-Playes yea and Theaters or Play-houses too were primarily inuented for the honour and Dedicated to the seruice or at least-wise oft times Celebrated in times of Pestilence to appease the anger of these Idole-Gods whose Images and Pictures were carried about and represented in them wee haue the expresse authorities not onely of Plutarch in the life Oâ— Romulus and Romanae Quaest. Quaest. 107. of Dionysius Hallicarnasseus Antiq. Roman lib. 2. cap. 3.5 lib. 7. cap. 9. Of Valerius Maximus lib. 2. cap. 4. Of Thucidides Hist. lib. 3. Of Liuie Rom. Hist. lib. 2. Sect. 36. l. 1. Sect. 9.20 l. 7. Sect. 2.3 l. 26. Sect. 23. lib. 5. Sect. 1. lib. 42. Sect. 20. Of Demosthenes Orat. aduersus Midiâ—m Of Horace De Arte Poetica lib. Of Athenaeus Dipnos lib. 2. cap. 1. Diodorus Siculus Histor. lib. 17. Sect. 16. with sundry other Pagan Authors but likewise of Tatianus Oratio aduersus
downe that whereas nothing ought to be more shameful to men then that they should seeme to have any womanish thing in them there nothing did seeme more dishonest to certaine men then that they should seeme to be men in any thing câ— This therefore is more to be lamented and pittied that this so great a wickednesse did seeme the crime of the whole Common-wealth and the whole dignity of the Roman name was branded with the infamy of this prodigious wickednesse For when men should clothe themselves in womans apparell and become more effeminate then women and cover their heads with feminine attires and this publikely in a Roman City yea in the mostâ— famous and chiefe City there what else was it but the shame of the Roman Empire that in the middest of the Commonweale this most execrable wickednesse should be tolerated without controll Asterius Bishop of Amasea who flourished about the yeere of our Lord 390. in his Homily In Festum Kalendarum Bibl. Patrum Tom. 4. p. 705. C.D. writes thus That in this feast the people did learne the infamous and dishonest arts and studies of Stage-players from whence effeminacy and dissolution of manners did proceed Doth not that valiant man that man of courage who is admirable in his armes and formidable to his enemies degenerate into a woman with his vailed face he le ts his coate hang downe to his ankles he twists a girdle about his brest he puts on womens shoes and after the manner of women he puts a cawle upon his head moreover he carries about a distaffe with wooll and drawes out a thred with his right hand wherewith â—e hath formerly borne a trophie and he extenuateth his spirit and voyce into a shriller and womanish sound These are the profits of this solenmnity these are the commodities and fruits of this dayes publike feast O folly O blindnesse c. So vehement is this godly Bishop against this unmanly practice even in case of Stage-playes which he much condemnesâ— Our learned Country-man Alebâ—vinus writing of the practices of the Pagan Romanes on the Kalends of Ianuary now our New-yeeres day informes us that divers of them did transforme themselves into monstrous shapes and into the habit of wilde beasts Others saith hee changed in a feminine gesture did effeminate their manly countenance neither unworthâ—ly haue not they a manly fortâ—tude who have changed themselves into a womans habit or have put on a womans attire Now because the whole world was replenished with these and other miseries the whole universall Church hath appointed a publike fast to be kept on this day which fast it seemes is now forgotten in as much as the Author of life should put an end to â—hese calamities so doth he stile these effeminate practices To these recited Fathers and Councels I might adde Asteâ—anus De Casibus lib. 2. Titâ—lus 54. Aquinas prima secundae Quaest. 102. Artic. 6. 6m. secunda secundae Quaest. 169. Artic. 2. 3m. Alexander Alensis Theologiae summa pars 2. Quaest. 135. Memb. 2. pag. 617.618 Glossa Ordinaris Lyra Tostatus Pellicanus Cornelius à Lapide Rabanus Maurus Calvin Iunius Dionysius Carthusianus Ferus Osiander Ainsworth on Deut. 22. v. 5. Bishop Babington M. Perkins M. Dod M. Downham M Elton Osmond Lake M. Iohn Brinsly Calvin Bishop Andrewes D. Griffith Williams D. Ames with sundry others upon the 7. Commandement Peter Martyr Locorum Communium Classis 2. cap. 11. sect 68.79 Bullinger Marlorat in 1 Cor. 11.6 Gulielmus Parisiensis De Fide Lâ—gibus cap. 13. Danaeus Ethicae Christianaeâ— l. 2. c. 14. Polanus Syntagma Theologiae lib. 10. cap. 26. p. 665. The rich Cabinet London 1616. p. 116.117 118. Maphaeus Vegius Laudensis De Educatione Liberorum lib. 5. c. 5. Bibl. Patrum Tom. 15. p. 882. E. A short Treatise against Stage-playes by an Anonymous Author tendred to the Parliament Anno 1625. p. 17. W. T. In his Absoloms fall fol. 9. Stephen Gosson his Playes confuted Action 2. The third Blast of Retrait from Playes and Theaters M. Northbrook his Treatise against Vaine Playes and Enterludes fol. 36. and D. Reinolds in his Overthrow of Stage-playes p. 8. to 20. p. 85. to 103. where this point is largely and learnedly debated All these with infinite others in their Treatises against Stage-playes doe utterly condemne the putting on of womans apparell especially out of wantonnesse to act a Play as a violation of this text of Deuteronomy and an abomination to the Lord our God neither was there ever any one Divine that I haue met with who did contradict this truth therefore we need not doubt or question it but submit unto it without any more disputes Lastly the very reasons alleaged against the putting on of womans apparell on men will evidently evince it to be sinfull to put it on to act a Play For first the very putting on of womans apparell much more to act a lewde lascivious Enterlude is an unnaturall and so a detestable and shamefull act as not onely Ambrose and the fore-quoted Christian Authors but even Seneca and Statius with other Pagans testifie For since nature hath made a difference not onely betweene the sex but even betwixt the habit and apparell of men and women as well among the most barbarous as the civilest Nations in so much that they are visibly distinguished by the diversity of their rayment one from the other it must needs be a violation of the very dictates of nature for a man to clothe himselfe in that apparel which nature and custome have prescribed to another sex as mis-becomming his As nature it selfe doth teach men that it is a shame for them to weare long haire though our moderne Ruffians glory in it because it is naturally proper unto women to whom it is given for a vaile a covering so much more doth it teach men that it is a detestable unnaturall shamefull thing for them to put on womans attire to act a Strumpets part Hence men in womens and women in mens apparell have beene ever odious Witnesse Heliogabalus Sporus Sardanapalus Nero Caligula Suetonij Calig sect 52.54 others together with the Male-priests of Venus the Roman Galli or Cinaedi the passive Sodomites in Florida Gayra and Peru who clothing themselves sometimes not alwayes in womans apparell as did also William Bishop of Ely to his shame are for this recorded to posterity as the very monsters of nature and the shame the scum of men Witnesse the Inkeepers of â—ez at this day who attyring themselves like women shaving their beards and becomming effeminate in their speech are so odious to these very Infidels some base villaines onely excepted who resort vnto them that the better sort of people will not so much as speake to them neither will they suffer them to come within their Temples If men in womens apparel be thus execrable unto
Playes of the Grecians and hasten unto Theaters desiring to be numbred among those who resorted thither and to be made partakers of filthy that I say not abominable words and spectacles neither doe they heare the Prophet Ieremy saying Lord I have not sate in the assembly of Players or Mockers but I was afraid at the sight of thy hand nor Iob who speakes the like words c. Clemens Alexandrinus in his 3. Booke of the Paedagâ—ge cap. 11. fol. 52.53 complaines That divers after they are departed from the Church laying aside that divine inspiration which was in it assimulate themselves to the company in which they are or rather laying aside the false and counterfeit visour of gravity they are found to be such as they were before unknowne to be and when as they have reverenced that Word which was spoken of God they leave it where they heard it running unto Play-houses the chaire of pestilence and delighting themselves abroade with wicked measures and amorous songs being filled with the noyse of pipes with clapping of hands with drunkennesse with all kinde of filth and dirt But whiles they chaunt and rechaunt this those who before did celebrate and extoll immortality doe at last wickedly sing that most pernicious palinody Let us eate and drindke for to morrow we shall die But they not to morrow but even now already are truely dead to God burying their dead that is interring themselves in death c. A dreadfull speech which I would our Dancers Play-haunters and voluptuous persons would lay neere their hearts Saint Augustine informes us That voluptuous Playes and Spectacles oft-times withdraw men from the Assemblies of the Church and that the whole Citty of Rome did with publike eyes and eares learnâ— those alluring criminous fables and those ignominious deeds which were wickedly and filthily fained of their Idol-gods and more filthily more wickedly committed by them neglecting in the meane time better things Saint Chrysostome in sundry of his Homilies complaines That men did oft-time leave the Church and runne to Playes preferring Stage-play-meetings before the Church Assemblies and chusing rather to see an Harlot or Player in the Theater then the Body and Blood of Christ himselfe in the Church Pope Leo the first laments That Stage-playes and unruly Spectacles were more frequented then the blessed solemnities of the Martyrs Saint Asterius in his Homily against the Feast of the Kalends complaines That many preferring their vaine Stage-playes pleasures and imployments absented themselves from the Church and holy Sermons on Festivals and Holi-dayes and on the Feast of Kalends Alas for griefe writes Cyril Arch-bishop of Alexandria very many among us Christians imitate this madnesse and dishonesty of the Iewes who upon Holi-dayes and solemne Festivals giving themselves over to dishonest Playes to drunkennesse to dancing or other vanities of the world when as they ought to serve God more diligently to frequent the Churches of God more earnestly to be instant in prayers and to be present at Ecclesiasticall duties doe then most of all provoke God with their most dissolute manners Is this O Christians to celebrate an holy day to pamper the belly and to let loose the reines to unlawfull pleasures If worke bee prohibited on Holi-days which must be used for the necessary sustenance of life that so you may the more intirely devote your selves to heavenly things are not those things then much more forbidden which cannot bee committed without sinne and great offenâ—e to God On dayes that are allowed for servile worke every one is intent upon his owne businesse and hee abstaines from drunkennesse pastimes and vanities But on Holi-dayes loe here the true genious picture of our present age men every where runne to the Ale-house to Playes to Enterludes and dances to the very derision of Gods Name and the prevarication of the day where as in truth the sinne is so much the more hainous by how much the more holy the time is in which it is committed Let them therefore repent and labour utterly to extirpate and pull up this tare which the envious man hath sowne in the Field of the Lord. Iohn Damascen out of Eusebius informes us That those who are endued with the feare of God long for the Lords day that so they may pray unto God and be made partakers of the Body and Blood of the Lord. But sluggish lasie persons looke for the Lords day for no other end but that being loosed from their worke they may give themselves over to their vices Now that I lie not the very things themselves doe make it credulous Walke forth upon any other day and thou shalt finde no man idle or playing Goe forth upon the Lords day and thou maiâ—t finde some playing upon and singing to the Harpe others shouting and dancing others sitting and reviling their neighbours others wrestling Doth the Preacher call to the Church all of them grow lasie and make delayes Doe the Harpe or Trumpet sound all of them presently runne as if they were winged We behold the Spectacles of the Church we see the Lord Christ lying on the Table the Ceraphyns singing a thrice holy song the words of the Gospell the presence of the holy Ghost the Prophets ecchoing the Angels singing Alleluia all things spirituall all things worthy salvation all things procuring the Kingdome of Heaven These things heares he that enters into the Church But what seeth he who runnes to Play-houses Diabolicall songs dancing Wenches or that I may speake more truely Girles tossed up and downe with the furies of the Devill A good discription of our dancing females For what doth this Dancerâ—sse She most impudently uncovers her head which Paul hath commanded to be alwayes covered Shee turnes about her necke the wrong way She througheth about her haire hither and thither Even these things verily are done by her whom the Devill hath possessed But the Fidler like a Devill conflicteth with woodden instruments Such verily was the feast of Herod The Daughter of Herodias entred in and danced and cut of the head of Iohn Baptist and obtained the subterraneous places of Hell for her inheritance Therefore those who love Charantoes and Dances have their portion with her Woe unto those who play upon the Harpe on the Lords day or doe any servile worke This day was allotted for the rest of servants and hirelings For this saith he is the day of the Lord let us reioyce and be glad therein c. Salvian is yet more punctuall to our purpose heare but his words for all the other Fathers We preferre saith he pastimes before the Curch of God We despise the Lords Table and honour Theaters Finally besides other things which prove the same this which I now say manifests it to be true For if it fall out as often it doth that at one and the same time an Holi-day be kept and common Playes proclaimed I demand of every mans conscience which
heathenish unchristian polluted spectacles which defile the eyes the eares the soules corrupt the manners enflame the lusts of those who act who see or heare them acted disabling them likewise to and withdrawing them from Gods holy worship and service Fourthly that Stage-playes even in private houses at marriages or feasts are unlawfull and misbeseeming Christians as well as in publike Theatres Fifthly that the acting of Stage-playes whether publike or private by common Actors or others especially in Churches and Church-yards is altogether abominable and unlawfull though it be still permitted in some places among the Papists in forraigne parts Sixthly that the acting of our Saviours passion or of any other sacred history either in the Church or on the Stage a practise yet in use among the prophane sacrilegious Papists and Iesuites is altogether to be abandoned and condemned Seventhly that dancing dicing carding and Stage-playes are unlawfull and abominable as at all other times so chiefly upon Lords dayes holy dayes and solemne Christian festivalls especially on Easterâ— Whitsontide and Christtide set apart and consecrated to Gods peculiar and more speciall worship when they are now most in use If any here demand of me how the beginning and ending of Lords dayes and holy dayes on which these Stage-Playes and Pastimes are more specially prohibited should be accounted I answer that the Lords day notwithstanding some late reverend opinions to the contrary hath alwayes anciently beene reputed to begin at saturday evening not at midnight or daybreaking as some now teach and so to continue to the evening following At the time of the creation it is most apparant that the day began at evening For the evening and the morning were the first second third fourth fifth sixth and so by consequent the seventh day in ratification of which originall law of nature for the beginning and ending of dayes the Lord himselfe above two thousand yeares after commanded the Israelites to celebrate their Sabbath from evening to evening Levit. 23.32 From even to even shall you celebrate your Sabbath By vertue of which precept the Iewes did alwayes begin and keepe their Sabbaths and solemne festivalls from evening to evening till our Saviours passion and this present day Neither did our Saviours resurrection on the first day of the weeke alter the beginning and end of that day nor yet of the Sabbath which we now keepe upon it For if the first day on which our Saviour rose againe tooke its beginning onely from the time of his resurrection as some affirme then our Saviour could not possibly be three dayes in the grave nor yet be truly said to rise againe the third day according to the Scriptures the night in which our Saviour rose being according to this computation a part of the seventh day and no part of the first of which the Fathers and all other Expositors have alwayes made it parcell to justifie the truth of our Saviours resurrection on the third day And whereas some object that it is absurd that our Christian sabbath should begin before the houre of our Saviours resurrection which is the ground of it for thâ—s were to put the effect before the cause and to make the sabbath precede Christs resurrection which was the cause of its commencement I answer first that Christs resurrection did not sanctifie onely the first houre but the first day on which he rose therefore the antecedent part of the first day which was past before his resurrection as well as the subsequent For as Christians celebrate the day of our Saviours passion even from the very morning though our Saviour suffered not till towards evening and as the Israelites by Gods owne appointment were to begin their Passeover the evening of the foureteenth day not at midnight though the Angell slew not the first-borne of Egypt nor yet passed over the Israelites till midnight And as all Christians keepe holy the mornings of those dayes wherein they receive any publike deliverances as well as the evening though the deliverances perchance were not till noone or after And as if our Saviour should have risen at two of the clocke in the afternoone about which time he first shewed himselfe to his Disciples yet no man would have argued that therefore the sabbath must not begin before that houre so be kept from noone to noone because we observe not the houre but the intire day So our Christian sabbath by the selfsame reason must be still kept from evening to evening though our Saviour rose not till the morning because we observe not the houre the minute but the intire day whereon he rose againe which then began at evening Secondly I would demand on what day our Saviour rose on the seventh or on the first day of the weeke If on the seventh then he was not three dayes in the grave and then we have no ground for sanctifying the first day If on the first day of the weeke then the day was begun before he rose for if the day began not till he was risen then he rose not on it but before it If he rose after the day began as it is certaine he did by severall Scriptures then his resurrection did not change the beginning of the day it being begun befoâ—e else this day should have two beginnings and so it was begun before it began and after it began which is a contradiction and if it altered not the beginning of the first day then by what authority is it changed now Neither can it be here replied that the first day hath one beginning and the Sabbath or Lords day another for as it is said of the seventh day that the seventh day is the sabbath and the sabbath the seventh day so it may be truly said that the Lords day is the first day of the weeke and the first day of the weeke the Lords day they having both the selfe-same limits Thirdly no Scripture informes us that our Saviours resurrection changed the beginning or end of the sabbath that it should now begin at midnight or morning not at evening therefore it kâ—epes the selfâ—same beginning and end it had before Neither doth the objected reason viz that the cause should precede the effect warranted by no Scripture prove any thing at all Indeed if any had celebrated the first day as a sabbath before our Saviour had risen the reason had beene good but since our Saviour was risen againe before the first day was ever kept holy and since his resurrection on it was the cause why Christians subsequently observed the whole day not the very minute or houre on which he rose or that part onely of the day which remained after he was risen the reason is of no weight at all For if our Saviours resurrection should not extend to consecrate that part of the first day which preceded it because the effect should not goe before the cause a man might
inchoandum c. to which the forequoted Authours suffragate Lastly King Edgar and Canutus enacted by their Lawes That the Sunday should be kept holy from saturday at noone till monday in the morning And Charles the Great Capit. lib. 6. enacted that the Lords day should be kept holy from evening to evening By all which testimonies and reasons it is most apparant that Lords dayes and holy dayes begin at evening and so ought to be celebrated and kept holy from evening to evening Therfore all dancing dicing carding masques stageplaies together with all ordinary imployments of mens callings upon saturday nights are altogether unlawfull by the verdict of the forequoted Councels because the Lords day as all these ancient Authorities and reasons against all new opinions prove is even then begun Neither will it hereupon follow that we may dance dice see Masques or Playes on Lords-day nights as too many doe because the Lords day is then ended since these Councels prohibit them altogether at all times whatsoever But put case they were lawfull at other times yet it were unseasonable to practise theÌ„ on Lords day nights For this were but to begin in the spirit and end in the flesh to conclude holy daies duties with prophane exercises and immediately after the service of God to serve the Divell and to commit our selves to his protection Wee must therefore know that though the Lords day end at evening yet there are then evening-duties still remaining answerable to the workes of the precedent day as the repetition meditation and tryall of those heavenly instructions which we have heard or read in the day-time prayer to God for a blessing upon all those holy ordinances of which wee have beene made partakers thanksgiving to him for his manifold mercies singing of psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs instruction and examination of our children servants and families examination of our owne hearts estates and wayes by the touch-stone of Gods word together with a serious commendation of our soules and bodies into the hands of God by prayer and well-doing when as we are lying downe to our rest All which most serious necessary duties with which wee should close up every day and night it being for ought we know the utmost period of our lives will out all dancing dicing Masques and Stage-playes which are incompatible with these holy duties and altogether unseasonable for the night which God made for sleepe and rest not for these dishonest workes of darknesse in which too many spend whole nights who never imployed one halfe night or day in prayer as their Saviour and King David did Since therefore we never reade of any faithfull Saints of God in former times who practised dancing dicing Masques or Enterludes on Lords day nights no nor yet on any other dayes or nights for ought appeares by any Author though they have oft times spent whole dayes and nights in prayer let us not take up this godlesse practise now which will keepe us off from God and better things But let us rather follow Edgars and Canutus Lawes keeping the Sunday holy from saturday evening till monday morning spending the whole day and night in prayer and praises unto God and in such holy actions as we would be content that Christ and death should finde us doing No man I am sure would be willing that Christ that death or the day of judgement should deprehend him whiles he is dancing drinking gaming Masquing acting or beholding Stage-playes yea who would not tremble to be taken away sodainly at such sports as these especially on a Sunday night when every mans conscience secretly informes him that they are unexpedient unseasonable if not unlawful too Let us therfore alwaies end the Lords day yea every weekday too with such holy exercises in which we would willingly end our dayes then neede we not be ashamed for to live nor feare to die Lastlyâ— it is evidently resolved by the foregoing Councelsâ— that the very beholding and acting of Stage-playes either in publike or private is altogether unlawfull unto Christians and more especially to Clergy men who now are not ashamed to frequent them against the expresse resolution of all these Councels who are neither to behold nor countenance any dancing dicing carding table-playing much lesse any publike or private Stage-playes the very acting or beholding of which subjects them both to suspension and degradation as the recited Canons witnesse to the full which I wish all Ministers would now at last remember If any man here object that many of the alledged Councels prohibit Clergy men onely from acting and beholding Stage-playes therefore Lay men may safely personate and frequent them still To this I answer First that most of these Councels expresly inhibit as well Lay men as Clergy men both from acting and beholding Stage-playes therefore the objection is but idle Secondly the very reason alledged by these Councels why Clergy men should abstaine from Stage-playâ—s to wit lest their eyes and eares deputed unto holy mysteries should be defiled by them c. extends as well to the Laity as the Clergie since every Lay Christian is as apt to be defiled by Playes and ought to be as holy in all manner of conversation as Clergy men Every Lay Christian is or ought to be a spirituall Priest to offer up spirituall sacrifices of prayer and praise to God both morning and evening and at all other seasons whence God himselfe enjoynes even Lay men as well as others to cleanse themselveâ— from all pollution of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God to keepe themselves unspotted of the world to abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against the soule and to be holy even as God is holy There is the selfesame holinesse required both of the Laity and Clergy both of them ought to be alike spirituall Priests to God at leastwise in respect of family-duties and private exercises of piety and devotions if therfore Stage-playes unsanctifie or pollute the one and indispose them to Gods service needes must they defile the other too and so they are equally unlawfull to both by these Councels verdict Lastly though many of these Councels prohibit only Clergie men froÌ„ acting or beholding Stage-plaies partly because their Canons bound none but Clergy men not the Laity untill they were received and partlie because the reformation of the Clergie whose resort to Stage-playes did seduce the Laity was the â—peediest meanes to reclaime all Laicks yet they intended not to give anie libertie to Lay men to haunt Plaies or theatres for as they inhibit Ministers themselves from Plaies so they charge them likewise both by preaching by ecclesiasticall censures all other meanes to withdraw their parishioner and all others from them So that the objection is meerelie frivolous
harboured or beheld them heretofore But likewise the patterns of Constantine Theodosius Leo Anthemius Iustinian Valentinian Valens Gratian Charles the Great Theodoricus Henry the 3. Emperour of that name Philip Augustus King of France our famous Queen Elizabeth her Counsel with our London Magistrates and Vniversities in her raigne who all suppressed inhibited Stage-playes Sword-playes and Actors as unsufferable mischiefes in any Christian State or City To these I might adde Lodovicus the Emperour who by his publike Edicts agreeing verbatim with the the 7. 8. forequoted Canons of Synodus Turonâ—nsis 3. p. 589 590. inhibited all Ministers all Clergy men from Stage-playes hunting hauking c. Together with Charles the 9. and Henry 3. of France who by their solemne Lawes and Edicts prohibited all Stage-playes all dancing on Lords-dayes or other solemne annuall festivals â—nder paine of imprisonâ—ment and other penalties to be inflicted by the Magistrates and our owne most gracious Soveraigne Lord King CHARLES who together with the whole Court of Parliament in the first yeare of his Hignesse Raigne enacted this most pious Play-condemning Law intituled An Act for publishing of divers abuses committed on the Lords day called Sunday Forasmuch as there is nothing more acceptable to God than the true and sincere worship of him according to his holy will and that the holy keeping of the Lords day is a principall part of the true service of God which in very many places of this Realme hath beene and now is profaned and neglected by a disorderly sort of people in exercising and frequenting Beare-baiting Bull-baiting ENTERLVDES COMMON PLAYES and other unlawfull exercises and pastimes upon the Lords day And for that many quarrells bloodsheds and other great inconveniences have growne by the resort and concourse of people going out of their owne parishes to such disordered and unlawfull exercises and pastimes neglecting Devine service both in their owne parishes and elsewhere Be it enacted by the Kings most excellent Majesty the Lords spirituall and temporall and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That from and after 40 dayes next after the end of this Session of Parliament assembled there shall be no meetings assemblies or concourse of people out of their owne parishes on the Lords day within this Realme of England or any the Dominions thereof for any sports or pastimes whatsoever nor any Bull-baiting Beare-baiting ENTERLVDES COMMON PLAYES or other unlawfull exercises or pastimes used by any person or persons within their owne parishes and that every person or persons offending in any the premises shall forfeit for every offence 3 shillings 4 pence the same to be employed and converted to the use of the poore of the Parish where such offences shall be committed And that any one Iustice of the peace of the Countyâ— or the chiefe Officer or Officers of any Citie Borough or Towne Corporate where such offence shall be comitted upon his or their view or confession of the partie or proofe of any one or more witnesse by oath which the said Iustice or chiefe Officer or Officers by vertue of this act shall havâ— authority to minister shall finde any person offending in the premises the said Iustice or chiefe Officer or Officers shall give warrant under his or their hand and seale to the Constables or Church-wardens of the Parish or Parishes where such offence shall bee committed to levie the said penalty so to bee assessed by way of distresse and sale of the goods of every such offendor rendring to the said offendors the overplus of the monie raised of the said goods so to be solde And in default of such distresse that the party offending be seâ— publikely in the stockes by the space of three houres Which Act being to continue unto the end of the first Session of the next ParliameÌ„t only was since recontinued by the Statute of 3. Caroli cap. 4. and so it remaineth still in force So that if it were as diligently executed as it was piously enacted it would suppresse many great abuses both within the letter and intent which is very large that are yet continuing among us to Gods dishonour and good Christians griefe in too many places of our Kingdome which our Iustices our inferiour Magistrates might soone reforme would they but set themselves seriously about it as some here and there have done If then all these Pagan these Christian Nations Republickes Emperors Princes Magistrates have thus abandoned censured suppressed Playes and Players from time to time as most intollerable pernicious eviâ—s in any State or City how can how dare we now to justify theÌ„ as harmelesse coÌ„mendable or usefull recreations What are we wiser are we better than all these Pagan Sages than all these judicious Christian Worthies who have thus abandoned suppressed Playes and Actors out of a long experimentall knowledge of their many vitious lewd effects Or are we ashamed to be like our ancestors in judgement in opinion as wee are in tonsure complement habit and attire in this age of Novelties which likes of nothing that is old or common though such things commonly are the best of all that wee thus undervalue the resolutions of all former ages in this caâ—e of Playes and Players preferring our owne wits and lusts before themâ— O let us ashamed now at last to countenance to pleade for that which the very best the wisest Heathen yea Christian Nations States and Magistrates of all sorts have thus branded and cast out as lewd as vitious as abominable in the very highest degree let us now submit our judgments our practise lusts and foolish fansies to their deliberate mature experimentall censures abominating condemning Playes and Players if not exiling them our Cities coasts and Countrey as all these have done arming our selves with peremptory resolutions against all future Stage-playes with this 52 Play-oppugning Syllogisme with which I shall terminate this Scene That which the ancient Lacedemonians Athenians Graecians Romans Germanes Massilienses Barbarians Gothes and Vandalsâ— the whole Iewish Nation of old divers Christian Countries and Citties since together with many Pagan many Christian Republickes Magistrates Emperours Princes in severall ages and places have censured abandoned rejected suppressed as a most pernicious evill as a very seminary of all vice and wickednesse must certainly be sinfull execrable and altogether unlawfull unto Christians Witnesse Rom. 13.6 c. 13.1 to 8. 1 Pet. 2.13 14. But such is the case and condition of Stage-playes as the premises and Act. 6. Scene 5. c. most plentifully evidence Therefore they must certainly be sinfull execrable and altogether unlawfull unto Christians CHORVS YOV have seene now Courteous Readers 7 severall Squadrons of unanswerable Authorities encountering Stage-playes and Actors and giving them such an onset as I hope will put them with their Patrons quite to route so that they shall never be able to make head againe their forces
his And did we withall remember that this our blessed Saviour hath called us not to uncleannesse but unto holinesse that he hath likewise enjoyned us to cast off all the workes of darknesse and to put on the armour of light to walke honestly as in the day not in chambering and wantonnesse not in rioting and drunkennesse not in divers lusts and pleasures according to the course of this wicked world according to the power of the Prince of the ayre which now worketh in the children of disobedience That he hath seriously charged us That wee walke not from henceforth as other Gentiles walke in the vanity of their mindes who having their understandings darkned and being alienated from the life of God and past all feeling have given themselves over unto all lasciviousnesse to worke all uncleannesse with greedinesse That wee put off concerning our former conversation the olde man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts and that we put on the new man which after God is created in holinesse and true righteousnesse That we take heed unto our selves lest at any time how much more at times of greatest devotion our hearts be overcome with surfetting and drunkennesse and that day come upon us at unawares That we crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof and abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against our soules since the time past of our lives may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when as we walked in lasciviousnesse lusts excesse of wine revellings banquettings and abominablâ— idolatries That we give up our soules and bodies as an holy and living sacrifice unto God not fashioning our selves to the course of this present evill world but keeping our selves unspotted from it walking circumspectly as in the day not as fooles but as wise redeeming the time because the dayes are evill and making no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Did we I say but seriously ponder and unfainedly beleeve all this it would soone turne our dissolute Christmas laughing into mourning our bacchanalian jollities into sin-lamenting Elegies our riotous grand-Christmasses into such pious Christian duties as would both honour our Saviours birth-day and make it welcome to our soules Let us therefore cordially meditate on all these sacred Scriptures on the ends of our Saviours blessed incarnation which was to redeeme us from all these our sinnes and sinfull pleasures to crucifie our lusts to regenerate and sanctifie our depraved natures to make us holy even as he is holy and to conforme us to himselfe in all things and then this inveterate heathenish common custome of prophaning Christs Nativitie with all kinde of lasciviousnesse wickednesse and delights of sinne which should be â—pent in honouring blessing and praising of our gracious God for all his mercies to us in his Sonne in Psalmes in hymnes and spirituall songs in holy and heavenly contemplations of all the benefits we receive by our Saviours blessed incarnation in charitable relieving of Christs poore members and mutuall amity one towards another will become most execrable to your pious soules The damnablenesse of which much applauded unruly Christmas keeping that you may more evidently discerne I shall for learning and religions sake discover whence it sprang and that was originally from the Pagan Saturnalia from whence Popery hath borrowed and transmitted it unto us at the second hand The ancient Pagan Romans upon the Ides of December consecrated to Saturne and their Goddesse Vesta not in the Moneth of Ianuary as Macrobius misreports accustomed to keepe their Saturnalia or annuall Feast of Saturne for 7 dayes together which they spent in feasting drinking dancing Playes and Enterludes at the end of which they celebrated their Festum Kalendarum on the first of Ianuary now our New-yeares day to the honour of their Idol Ianus which they likewise solemnized with Stageplayes Mummeries Masques dancing feasting drinking and in sending mutuall New-yeares gifts one to another for divers dayes together In these their Saturnalia and feasts of Ianus all servants were set at lihertie and became checke-mates with their masters with whom they sate at table every man then wandred about without controll and tooke his fill of pleasure giving himselfe over to all kinde of luxurie epicurisme deboistnesse disorder pride and wantonnesse to pastimes Enterludes Mummeries Stage-playes dan-cing drunkennesse and those very disorders that accompany our grand unruly Christmasses which Saturnalia and Festivalls the ensuing Authors thus describe Servicum Saturnalia caenant writes Plutarch aut Liberalia in agro vagantes celebrant ululatio eorum et tumultus ferre non possis prae gaudio et imperitia rerum pulcrarum talia agentium et loquenâ—â—um Quid desides quin bibimus et capimus cibos Sunt haec miselle in promptu cur tibiinvides Vocem statim hi dedêre tum Bacchi liquor Infunditur et corona aliquiâ— ornat caput Laurique pulcram ad frondem turpiter canit Inducia Phaebo januamque alius domus Pulsam operiens excludit caram conjugem c. Saturnalibus tota servis licentia permittitur ludi per urbem in compitis agitantur writes Macrobius Maxima pars Graiâ—m Saturno et maxima Athenae Conficiunt sacra quae Cronia esse iterantur ab illis Cumque diem celebrant per agros urbesque ferè omnes Exercent Epulis laeti famulosque procuraut Quisque suosâ— nostrique itidem et mos traditur illinc Iste ut cum dominis famuli epulentur ibedeus c. Parallell to which is of Seneca Decembâ—r est mensis quo maximè Civitas desudat jus luâ—â—uriae publicè datum est ingenti apparatu sonant omnia tanquam quicquam inter Saturnalia nunc intersit et dies rerum agendarum Adeo nihil interest ut non videatur mihi errâsse qui dixit olim mensem Decembrem esse nunc annum c. And that of Horace Age libertate Decembri Quando ita majores voluerunt utere narra c. Nunc est bibenduÌ„ nunc pede libero pulsanda tellus Nunc saliaribus ornare pulvinar Deorum tempus c. That the ancient Romanes yea and the Graecians too in times of Paganisme did spend their Saturnalia Feriae and other solemne Festivals in dancing drinking feasting Mummeries Masques and Enterludes the Poet Virgil Ovid Tibullus Philo Iudaeus with sundry others will plentifully informes us The first of these describes it thus Veteres ineunt proscenia ludi Praemiaque ingentes pagos et compita cirâ—um Thesaiâ— posuêre eatque inter pocula laeti Mollibus in pratis unctos saliêre per utres Necnon Ausonij Troia gens missa coloni Versibus incomptâ—s ludunt risuque soluto Oraque corticibus sumunt horrenda cavatis Et te Bacche vocant per carmina laeti tibique Oscilla ex altâ suspendunt mollia pinu The second thus
colit peccat quoniam homini mortuo defert divinitatis obsequium Inde est quod ait Apostolus Dies observatis et menses et tempora et annos timeo ne sine causa laboravero in vobis Observavit enim diem et mensem qui his diebus aut jejunavit aut ad Ecclesiam non processit Observavit diem qui hesterno die non processit ad Ecclesiam processit ad campum Ergo Fratres omni studio Gentilium festivitatem et fâ—rias declinemus ut quando illi epulantur et laetâ— sunt tunc nos simus sobrij aâ—que jejuni quo intelligant laetitiam suam nostra abstinentia condemnari Illi habeant mare in theatro nos habeamus portum in Christo. If then our Saviours Nativitie ought thus to be celebrated by us if all drunkennesse epicurisme health-quaffing dancing dicing Enterludes Playes lascivioâ—snesse pride and pagan customes must now be laid aside if all kinde of sinne and wickednesse whatsoever must now be banished our bodies soules and houses if our soules must now especially be cleansed by repentance from all their spirituall filâ—hinesse adorned beautified with every Christian grace and made such holy spirituall Temples that Christ the King of glory may come and dwell within them if nought but holinesse temperance sobriety and devotion must now be found within us yea if fasting and abstinence must now be practised as all these Fathers teach us let us now at last for very shame abandon all those bacchanalian infernall Christmas disorders Enterludes sports and pastimes which now overspread the world as diametrally contrary not onely to Christians but to our Saviours Nativitie which they most desperately dishonour and prophane And if there be any such deboist ones left among us as alas there are too too many every where who will still support and pleade for these abominable Christmas excesses not onely in despite of God of Christ of Angels Fathers Councels and godly Christians who condemne theÌ„ but even of our owne pious Statute viz. 5. 6. Ed. 6. cap. 3. Which expresly enjoynes menâ— even in the Christmas holy-dayes as well as others to cease from all other kinde of labour and to apply themselves ONELY AND WHOLLY to laâ—d and praise the Lord to resort and heare Gods word to come to the holy Communion to heare to learne and to remember almighty Gods great benefits his manifold mereies his inestimable gracious goodnesse so plentifully powred upon all his creatures and that of his infinite and unspeakable goodnesse without any mans desert and in remembrance hereof to render him most high and hearty thankes with prayers and supplications for the reliefe of all their daily necessities because these holy-dayes are separated from all prophane uses and sanctified and hallowed dedicated and appointed noâ— to any Saint or creature but onely unto God and his true worship Which Statute excludes all Stage-plaies Masques dancing dicing and such other Christmas outrages from this sacred festivall it being separated from all prophane uses and onely and wholly devoted to Gods worship and the forenamed duties of religion which are inconsistent with them If there be any such I say as these within our Church I only wish them banished into Nelewki in Moscovia every Christmas where if we beleeve Guagninus all Moschovites are prohibited to health to be drunke or to keepe revel-rout except onely in the Christmas Easter Whitsontide and certaine other solemne feasts of Saints especially of St. Nicholas their Patron and the festivities of the Virgin Mary Peter and Iohn on which like men let out of prison they honour Bacchus more than God or these their Saints healthing and quaffing downe sundry sorts of liquors so long till they are as drunke as swine and then they fall to roaring shouting quarrelling abusing and from thence to wounding stabbing and murthering one another Insomuch that if this drunkennesse and disorder were permitted every day they would utterly destroy one another with mutuall slaughters This is the Moschovites Christmas-keeping who have liberty granted them to be drunke all Christmas yea these are their drunken fatall ends which if our Christmas roaring boyes affect they may doe well to keepe their Christmas commons with these beastly drunken swine where strangers have libertie to be drunke to carouze health even all Christmas at all times else But let all who have any sparkes of sobriety temperance or grace within them abominate these unchristian Christmas extravagancies passing all the time of their sojourning here in feare concluding with that speech of holy Peter The time past of our lives may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles and to have walked in lasciviousnesse lusts excesse of wine and riot revellings banquettings abominable idolatries bacchanalian Christmas pastimeâ— and disorders And thereupon resolving to purge out all this old leaven of dancing dicing healthing Playes and riot that so they may be a new lumpe because Christ their Passeover is now sacrificed for them casting away all these workes of darknesse and putting on the armour of light walking honestly as in the day especially in the dayes of Christs Nativitie not in rioting and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnes strife and envying no nor yet in dancing dicing carding Stageplayes MuÌ„meries Masques and such like heathenish practises which are altogether unsuitable for Christians especially at such sacred times as these as sundry forequoted Councels have resolved but putting on the Lord Iesus Christ who about this time put on our nature as wee must now put on his grace his holinesse and making no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof So shall wee celebrate our Saviours Nativity and all other Christian Festivals with which Stage-playes are altogether inconsistent both to our Saviours honour our owne present comfort and our eternall future joy For the third part of the Objection that Stage-playes are necessary to recreate and delight the people I answer first that there are many other farre better easier and cheaper recreations void of all offence with which the people may seasonably delight themselves therefore they neede not these lewd superfluous costly Enterludes to sport themselves withall Secondly wee see that people live best of all without them There are many Nations in the world who never knew what Stage-playes meant yea there are sundry shires and Citties in our Kingdome where Players who for the most part harbour about London where they have only constant standing Play-houses never come to make them sport and yet they never complaine for want of pleasures or these unnecessary Stage-delights The most the best of men live happily live comfortably without them yea farre more pleasantly than those who most frequent them Therefore they are no such necessary pastimes but that they may well be spared Thirdly there are none so much addicted to Stage-playes but when they goe unto places where they cannot
vanities Alas one day one houre in Gods Courts Gods service had beene farre better to us then all tâ—e yeeres of our vaine uselesse lives which wee have spent on Playes and Theaters which now bring nothing else but a more multiplied treasure of endlesse miseries and condemnation on our owne and others soules which these our Enterludes have drawne on to sundry sinnes O that the day had perished wherein we were borne and the night wherein it was said there is a man-childe conceived Why dyed we not from the wombe why did we not give up the ghost when we came out of the belly before ever we had learnt the art of making Playes for then should wee have lien still and beene at rest then had we beene free from all those Play-house sinnes and tortures which now â—urcharge our soules then had wee never drawne such troopes of Players of Play-haunters after us into Hell whose company cannot mitigate but infinitely enlarge our endlesse torments And then all this over-late repentance will be to little purpose O then be truely penitent and wise beâ—imes before these dayes of horror and amazement over-whelme you that so you may have peace and comfort in your latter ends in that Great that terrible Day of the Lord Iesus when all impenitent Play-poets Players and Play-haunters faces shall gather blacknesse their hearts faint their spirits languish their joynts tremble their knees smite one against the other and their mouthes shreeke out unto the Mountaines to fall upon them and unto the Rockes to cover them for feare of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty when he shall come in â—laming fire to render indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish to every soule of man that doth evill whether he be Iew or Gentile Certainely the time will come ere long when the Sunne shall become blacke as sackcloth and the Moone aâ— blood when the Starres of Heaven shall fall unto the earth even as a Figtree casteth her untimely fruit when shee is shaken with a mighty winde when thâ— Heaveâ—s shall depart as a scrowle when it is rolled together and the Elements melt with fervent heat when every Mountaine and I sland shall be moved out of their places yea the earth also and the workes that are therein shall be burnt up with fire when the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chiefe Captaines and the mighty men who now wallow securely in their sinfull lusts and pleasures without feare of God or man and every Bond-man and every Free-man who lives and dyes in sinne and vaine delights shall hide themselves in the Dennes and Rockes of the Mountaines yea say to the Mountaines and Rockes fall on us and cover us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lambe for the Great Day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand And then what good what profit will all the Stage-playes you have penned seene or acted doe you will they appease that sin-revenging Iudge before whose Tribunall you shall then bee dragged Will they any way comfort or support your drooping trembling soules or any whit asswage your endlesse easelesse torments O no! nothing but Christ nothing but grace and holinesse which the world which Playes and Play-poets now deride and laugh at will then stand you instead and sheild of all the terrors of that dismall Day Wherefore beloved seeing that all these dreadfull Spectacles and this day of horror draw so nigh be diligent that yee may be found of God in peace without spot and blamelesse abandoning Play-making with all such fruitlesse studies passing all the time of your sojourning here in feare endevouring to be holy in all manner of conversation even as God is holy and growing up daily more and more in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ laying up in store for your selves a good foundation against the time to come that so you may lay hold on eternall life and receive that Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give at that Day to all those who love and wait for his appearing Secondly I shall here beseech all voluntary Actors of academicall or private Enterludes in the name and feare of God as they tender the glory of their Creator and Redeemer the peace of their owne consciences the eternall welfare of their soules or their owne credit and repute with men now seriously to consider the intolerable infamy sinfulnesse shame and vanity of acting Playes which not only the Primitive Christians aâ—d Protestants but even Pagans and Papists have condemned Alas how can you justifie or excuse your selves in the sight of God for this your action when as you are thus condemned in the eyes of men or how can you appeare before God with comfort in the Day of Iudgement when as you are unable to stand innocent before mans tribunall in these dayes of grace Certainely if for every idle word that men shall speake yea and for every idle part or gesture to which they shall act or use they must give an account at the day of Iudgement what a dreadfull reckning must you then expect for all those idle wanton words and gestures which have passed from you whiles you have acted Playes Repent therefore repent I say with floods of brinish teares for whaâ— is past and never adventure the acting of any academicall Enterlude for time to come And if any Clergie-men who have taken ministeriall Orders upon them are guilty of this infamy this impiety of prophaning of polluting their high heavenly profession by acting or dancing on any publike or private Stage becomming thereby the worlds the Devils professed Ministers instead of Christs to the intolerable scandall of Religion the ill example of the Laity who are apt to imitate them in their lewdnesse and their own deserved infamy Let such disorderly histrionicall Divines consider that of Bernard Si quis de populo deviat solus perit Verum Pastoris error multos involuit tantis ob est quantis praeest ipse Verum tu Sacerdos Dei altissimi cui ex his placere gestis mundo an Deo Si mundo cur Sacerdos Si Deo cur qualis populus talis Sacerdos Nam si placere vis mundo quid tibi prodest Sacerdotium Volens itaque placere hominibus Deo non places Si non places non placas Alas how can any commit the custody of their soules to such who are altogether negligent of their owne Qui sibi nequam cui bonus Placet vobis ut illi homini credam animam meam qui perdidit suam was S. Bernards question to Pope Innocent it may be mine to Patrons and Ordinaries who present or admit such Play-acting or other scandalous Ministers to the cure of soules which