Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	holy_a	son_n	trinity_n	4,094	5	10.4029	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09809	The liues of Epaminondas, of Philip of Macedon, of Dionysius the Elder, and of Octauius Cæsar Augustus: collected out of good authors. Also the liues of nine excellent chieftaines of warre, taken out of Latine from Emylius Probus, by S.G. S. By whom also are added the liues of Plutarch and of Seneca: gathered together, disposed, and enriched as the others. And now translated into English by Sir Thomas North Knight	Nepos, Cornelius. Vitae excellentium imperatorum. English. Selections.; Goulart, Simon, 1543-1628.; North, Thomas, Sir, 1535-1601?	1602 (1602)	STC 20071; ESTC S111836	1,193,680	142

upon them as not worthy the enjoying It is an excellent saying of Bernard Gustato spiritu necesse est desipere carnem affectanti caelestia terrena non sapiunt aeternis inhanti fastidio sunt transitoria Revera illud verum solum est gaudium quod non de creatura sed de creatore concipitur quod cum possideris nemo tollet à te Cui comparata omnis aliunde jocunditas maeror est omnis suavitas dolor est omne dulce amarum omne decorum faedum omne postremò quodcunque aliud delectari possit molestum Every pious Christian hath the God of all comfort and consolation without whom nothing is pleasant with all his great and glorious attributes the mercies of God the Father the merits and soule-saving passion of God the Sonne the consolations joyes and graces of God the holy Ghost the wisedome power goodnesse eternity omnipotency mercy truth and alsufficiency of the sacred Trinity which are onely able for to fill the soule the word the promises of the God of truth the eternall joyes of Heaven the fellowship of the blessed Saints and Angels to ravish solace and rejoyce his soule upon all occasions on these he may cast the eyes yea fix the very intentions and desires of his heart in the●e his affections may even satiate themselves and take their full contentment without any subsequent repentance sinne or sorrow of heart Those then who cannot satisfie their soules with these celestiall Spectacles and soule-ravishing delights in which all Chistians place their complacency and supreme felicity it is a sure character that they have yet no share in Christ no acquaintance with the least degrees of grace no interest in Gods favour no true desire of grace of Heaven and everlasting life which would soone embitter and debase al worldly pleasures which are but cyphers in respect of these Lastly if any Play-haunter bee yet so devoted to his Play-house Spectacles that he will not part with them upon any tearmes let him then behold farre better farre sublimer Spectacles then these with which to delight himselfe which I shal commend unto him in S. Augustines words Quid ergo facimus fratres writes he in our very case Dimissuri eum sumus sine spectaculo morietur non subsistet non nos sequetur Quid ergo faciemus Demus pro spectaculis spectàcula Et quae spectacula daturi sumus Christiano homini quem volumus ab illis spectaculis revocare Gratias ago Domino Deo nostro sequente versu ostendit nobis quae spectatoribus spectare volentibus spectacula praeberemus ostendere debeamus Ecce aversus fuerit à Circo à Theatro ab Amphitheatro quaerat quod spectet prorsus quaerat non eum relinquimus sine spectaculo Quid pro illis dabimus Audi quid sequitur Multa fecisti tu Domine Deus meus mirabilia tua Miracula hominum intuebatur intendat mirabilia Dei. Multa fecit Dominus mirabilia sua haec respiciat Quare illi viluerunt Aurigam laudas regentem quatuor equos sine lapsu atque offensione currentes Forte talia miracula spiritalia non fecit Dominus Regat luxuriam regat injustitiam regat imprudentiam motus istos qui nimium lapsi haec vitia faciunt regat subdat sibi teneat habena● non rapiatur ducat quo vult non ●rahatur quò non vult aurigam laudabat aurigam laudabit Clamabat ut auriga veste cooperiretur immortalitate vestietur Haec munera haec spectacula dedit Deus clamat de caelo Specto vos luctamini adjuvabo vincite coronabo c. Nunc specta histrionem Didicit enim homo magno studio in fune ambulare pendens te suspendit Illum attende aeditorem majorum Spectaculorum Didicit iste in fune ambulare nunquid fecit in mare ambulare Obliviscere Theatrum tuum attende Petrum nostrum non in fune ambulantem sed ut ita dicam in mari ambulantem c See here pag. 345. to 349. to the same purpose Christians then in this Fathers judgement have farre greater farre better Spectacles then all the Play-houses in the world can yeeld them They have many heavenly sweet and spirituall Spectacles on which to cast their eyes and thoughts these they must alwayes contemplate not these base filthy Enterludes I shall therefore cloze up this objection with that excellent passage of Tertullian which answers it to the full Nostrae caenae nostrae nuptiae nondum sunt non possum cum illis Spectatoribus discumbere quia nec illi nobiscum Vicibus disposita res est Nunc illi letantur nos con●lictamur Seculum inquit gaudebit vos tri●tes eritis Lugeamus ergo dum Ethnici gaudent ut cum lugere caeperint gaudeamus ne pariter nunc gaudentes tunc quoque pariter lugeamus Delicatus es Christiane si in seculo voluptatem concupiscis im● nimium stultus si hoc existimas voluptatem Philosophi quidem hoc nomen quieti tranquillitati dederunt in ea gaudent in ea avocantur in ea etiam gloriantur Tu mihi metas scenas pulverem harenas suspiras Dicas velim non possumus vivere sine voluptate qui mori cum voluptate debebimus Nam quod est aliud votum nostrum quàm quod Apostoli exire de seculo recipi apud Dominum Haec voluptas ubi votum Iam nunc si putas delectamentis exigere spacium hoc cur tàm ingratus es ut tot tales voluptates à Deo contributas tibi satis non habeas neque recognoscas Quid enim jocundius quàm Dei Patris Domini reconciliatio quàm veritatis revelatio quàm errorum recognitio quàm tantorum retrò criminum venia quae major voluptas quàm fastidium ipsius voluptatis quàm seculi totius contemptus quam vera libertas quàm conscientia integra quam vita sufficiens quàm mortis timor nullus quod calcas Deos Nationum quod Daemonia expellis quod medicinas facis quod revelationes pe● is quod Deo vivis Hae voluptates haec spectacula Christianorum sancta perpetua gratuita in his tibi ludos circenses interpraetare cursus seculi intuere tempora labentia dinumera metas consummationis expecta societates ecclesiarum defende ad signum Dei suscitare ad tubam Angeli erigere ad martyrij palmas gloriare Si scenicae doctrinae delectant satis nobis literarum est satis versuum est satis sententiarum satis etiam canticorum satis vocum nec fabulae sed veritates nec strophae sed simplicitates Vis pugillatus luctatus praesto sunt non parva sed multa Aspice impudicitiam dejectam à castitate perfidiam caesam à fide saevitiam à misericordia contusam petulantiam à modestia adumbratam tales apud nos sunt agones in quibus ipsi coronamur Vis autem

upon their solemne Festivals and that within their Churches in their Mother tongue not out of any devotion but for mirth anb recreation sake after the manner of the ancient Pagans Saint Augustine writing of the honour not of the adoration a thing not then in vse which the Christians gave the Martyrs in his age informes us that they did neither exhilerate them with their crimes nor yet with filthy Playes with which the Gentiles did vsually delight their Idol-gods Yet our novellizing Romanists who vaunt so much of antiquity though their whole Religion wherein they varry from us be but novelty abandoning the pious practice of these Primitive Christians conscious to themselves no doubt that many of their late Canonized Tiburne-Martyrs were no other no better then the devil-gods of Pagans who were oft-times deified for their notorious villanies as Popish Saints are for their matchlesse treasons have not onely adored them as gods erecting temples to their names and worship but likewise solemnized their anniversary commemorations by personating in their severall Temples the blasphemous lying Legends of their lives and miracles so fit for no place as the Stage it selfe in some theatricall shewes adoring and honouring them in no other manner then the very Pagans did their Devil-gods with whō these ●ell-saints are most aptly paralleld Such honour such worship give the Papists to our blessed Saviour to these their idolized Saints as thus to turne not onely their Priests into Players their Temples into Theaters but even their very miracles lives and sufferings into Playes To leave the Papists and close up this Scene It is recorded of one Porph●ry a Pagan Stage-player that he grew to such an height of impiety as he adventured to baptize himselfe in ●est upon the Stage of purpose to make the people laugh at Christian Baptisme and so to bring both it and Christianity into contempt and for this purpose he plunged himselfe into a vessell of water which he had placed on the Stage calling aloud upon the Trinity at which the Spectators fell into a great laughter But loe the goodnesse of God to this prophane miscreant it pleased God to shew such a demonstration of his power and grace upon him that this sporting baptisme of his became a serious lauer of regeneration to him in so much that of a gracelesse Player he became a gracious Christian and not long after a constant Martyr The like I find registred of one Ardalion another Heathen Actor who in derision of the holy Sacrament of Baptisme baptized himselfe in jest vpon the Stage and by that meanes became a Christian Gods mercy turning this his wickednesse to his eternall good not any wayes to justifie Playes or Players or to countenance this his audacious prophannesse but even miraculously to publish to the world the power of his owne holy Ordinaces which by the co-operation of his Spirit are even then able to regenerate those who most contemne them when they are used but in scorne These notable histories with the premises sufficiently evidence the subject matter of Stage-playes to be oft-times impious sacrilegious blasphemous from whence I raise this ninth Argument That whose subject matter is impious sacrilegious blasphemous must needs be sinfull and unlawfull unto Christians Witnesse Levit. 24.11 to 17.2 Kings 19.6.22 Isay 37.6.23 c. 52.5 Matth. 12.31 Luke 22.65 1 Tim. 1.20 But such oft-times is the subject matter of Stage-playes witnesse the premises Therfore they must needs be sinfull and unlawfull unto Christians SCENA SEXTA SIxtly Stage-playes are for the most part satyrically invective against the persons callings offices and professions of men but more especially against Religion and Religious Christians the chiefest objects of the Divels malice From whence I deduce this tenth Play-oppugning Argument That whose stile whose subject matter is ordinarily satyricall and invective being fraught with bitter scoffes or jests against Religion Virtue and Religious Christians against the persons callings offices or honest professions of men must needs be odious and unlawfull unto Christians But such is the ordinary stile and subject matter of most popular Stage-playes Therefore they must needs be odious and unlawfull unto Christians The Major needeth little proofe since God himselfe injoynes all Christians to put away all bitternesse anger wrath clamour and evill speaking with all maliciousnesse to be courteous and tender-hearted one towards another not rendring railing for railing but forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any one hath any quarrell against another much lesse then when as there are no personall variances betweene men even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven them The Scripture requires that Christians should be patient peaceable gentle easie to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits without grudging or calumny without hypocrysie or backbiting without rayling or slanders especially against godly men whose lives whose persons whose graces should no where be traduced much lesse upon the Stage Mens persons are the worke and image of G●d himselfe their honest callings offices and imployments the very Ordinances of God their graces their holinesse to omit their credit and good names which are better then precious oyntment yea more desirable by farre than great riches the very beames that flow from the Sunne of Righteousnesse Wherefore to personate deride revile or scoffe at all or any of these upon the Theater must needs be sinfull because it not onely brings them into contempt and scorne but also offers open indignitie to God himselfe from whom they issue The Minor is abundantly evident First by the expresse testimony of prophane Author● It is storied of Aristophanes that scurrilous carping Comaedian that he personally traduced and abused virtuous● Socrates on the Stage by the instigation of some lewde Athenians● who maligned him for his resplendent vertues accusing him both for a trifler an Atheist who did neither know nor reverence the gods of purpose to bring him into derision with the people Eupolis the Comaedian did the like to that famous Graecian Worthy Alcebiades for which he commanded him to be drowned in the Sea Aristotle writes of Comaedians that they are wholly occupied in surveying in deriding the vices of other men which they proclaime upon the Stage whence he rankes them in the number of traducers and evill● speakers Isocrates blames the Athenians much for preferring Comaedians who did nothing but carpe at them and blaze abroad their vices to their infamy before such who best deserved at their hands Diogenianus in Plutarch reputes it an unbefitting thing to entertaine Players or their Comedies at any solemne Feasts because their virulent invectives scoffes and jests would occasion sudry quarrels and debates The Lacedamonians banished all Stage-playes Players and Play-Poets out of their Territories because they could not endure to heare their lawes carped at or spoken against in jest or

of their Husbands and Husbands of their Wives so that every way from foure of the clocke in the afternoone till nine at night especially over London-bridge many were carried in chaires and led betwixt their friends and so brought home to their houses with sorrowfull heavy hearts like lame Cripples A just though terrible judgement of God upon these Play-haunters and prophaners of his holy day the originall relator of which doth thus conclude And therefore for a conclusion I beseech all Magistrates by the mercies of God in Iesus Christ that by this occasion and example they take good heed to looke to the people committed to their charge that they take order especially on the Sabbath dayes that no Citizen or Citizens servants have liberty to repaire to any of those abused places and that they keepe their stragling wantons in that they may be better occupied And as they have with good commendation so farre prevailed that upon Sabbath dayes these Heathenish Enterludes and Playes are banished so it will please them to follow the matter still that they may be utterly rid and taken away For surely it is to be feared besides the destruction of body and soule that many are brought unto by frequenting the Theater and Curtin● that one day these places will likewise bee cast downe by God himselfe and draw with them an huge heape of such contemners and prophane persons to be killed and spoyled in their bodies Neither was he a false prophet altogether For in the yeere of our Lord 1607. at a Towne in Bedford-shire called Risley the fl●ore of a chamber wherein many were gathered together to see a Stage-play on the Sabbath day fell downe by meanes whereof divers were sore hurt and some killed If these domestique examples together with that of Thales the Philosopher who was smothered and pressed to death at a Play will not move us let us cast our eyes upon some forraigne Tragedies of this nature I read in Munster his Cosmography that about the yeere of our Lord 1380. Lodovicke a Marquis of Nisina a man not very religious was made Arch-bishop of Magdeburge who thereupon invited many Gentlemen and others together with their Wives and Daughters into a Towne called Calven to feast and make merry with him who came accordingly The Bishop for their better entertainement provided the Towne-hall for them to dance in they being much addicted to dancing and singing and to act other vanities and whiles they were busily turning dancing and playing and every one danced merrily at the hands of their Ladies the house being oppressed with the great weight began to sinke giving a great cracke before The Arch-bishop taking the Lady who stood next him by the hand hastned to goe downe the staires with the first and as soone as he begun to goe downe the stony staires being loose before fell downe and miserably crusht to death the Arch-bishop and his consort with divers others It is storied by Froyssart in his Chronicle and by some others since that in the Raigne of Charles the sixt in the yeere of our Lord 1392. at a marriage made in the Kings Court at the hostle of Saint Pauls in Paris betweene Sir Yvan of Foiz Bastard Sonne to the Earle of Foiz and one of the Queene of Erance her Gentlewomen the Tuesday before Candlemas day A Squire of Normandy called Hogrymen of Gensay provided for a Play or Mummery against night● for which purpose he had devised 6. Coates made of Linnen cloth covered with Pitch and thereon cloth and flax like haire and had them ready in a Chamber The King himselfe put on one of these Coates the Earle of Iovy a yong lusty Knight another Sir Charles of Poytiers the third Sir Yvan of Foiz another the Son of the Lord Lanthorillet had on the fift and the Squire himselfe put on the sixt Being thus apparelled and sowed fast on these Coates which made them soone like wilde wode-houses the King upon the advice of Sir Yvan of Foiz commanded an Vsher of his Chamber to enioyne all the Torch-bearers in the Hall where the Ladies were dancing to stand close to the wall and not to come neere the wode-houses for feare of setting them on fire which he did accordingly Soone after the Duke of Orleance who knew nothing of the Mummery or the Kings command entred into the Hall with foure Knights and sixe Torches to behold the dancing and begun himselfe to dance Therewith the King and the fiue other Masquers came in in these their disguises fiue of them being fastned one to the other the King onely being loose who went before and led the device When they entred the Hall every one tooke so great heed to them that they forgate the Torches The King departing from his company went to the Ladies to sport with them as youth required and came to the Dutches of Berry who tooke hold of him to know what hee was but he would not shew his name The Duke of Orleance running to the other fiue to d●scover who they were put one of the Torches his servants held so neere the flax that he set one of the Coates on fire and so each of them set fire on the other so that they were all in a bright flame the fire taking hold of the living Coates their shirts began to scorch their bodies so that they began to bren and to cry out for helpe The fire was so great that none durst come neere them and those that did brent their hands by reason of the heate of the pitch One of them called Manthorillet fled into the Botry and cast himselfe into a vessell of water where they rynsed pots and so saved his life by quenching the fire but yet hee was sore hurt The Countesse o● Berry with her long loose Gowne covered the King and so saved him from the fire two of the other were burnt to death in the place the Bastard of Foiz and the Earle of Iovy were carried to their lodgings and there died within two dayes after in great paine and misery Thus was this Comedy turned into a dolefull Tragedy The King though he escaped was much distracted in minde and his servants distressed with griefe at this unhappy accident so that he could not sleepe quiet that night The next day these newes being spred abroad in the City and every man marveling at it some said how God had sent that token for an ensample and that it was wisedome for the King to regard it and to withdraw himselfe from such yong idle wantonnesse● which he had used overmuch being a King All Lords and Ladies thorow the Realme of France and elsewhere that heard of this chance had great marvai●e thereof Pope Boniface being at Rome with his Cardinals reioyced at it and said that it was a token sent from God to to the Realme of France which had taken part against him Sure I am it was a just judgement of God to teach

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 thē 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 Lastly● it is evidently resolved by the foregoing Councels● 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-play●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 themselve● 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 frō 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 ●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

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 abominabl● 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 ●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 loquen●●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 aliqui● 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 Grai●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 suos● nostrique itidem et mos traditur illinc Iste ut cum dominis famuli epulentur ibedeus c. Parallell to which is of Seneca Decemb●r est mensis quo maximè Civitas desudat jus lu●●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 bibendū 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 cir●um Thesai● posuêre eatque inter pocula laeti Mollibus in pratis unctos saliêre per utres Necnon Ausonij Troia gens missa coloni Versibus incompt●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 f●rias declinemus ut quando illi epulantur et laet● sunt tunc nos simus sobrij a●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 lascivio●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 fil●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 thē but even of our owne pious Statute viz. 5. 6. Ed. 6. cap. 3. Which expresly enjoynes men● 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 la●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 no● 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 pastime● 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 Mūmeries 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