The Players Scourge, Part 1 · Act 6 · Scene 17
SCENA DECIMA-SEPTIMA.
THe 17. effect of Stage-playes is, that they draw men on to aSee here, pag. 27. & Act 3. Scene 3. p. 75. to 84.Atheisme, Heathenisme, and grosse Idolatry and prophanesse. This is evident by Clemens Romanus. Constit. Apostol. lib. 2. cap. 65.66. By Tertullian De Spectaculis… …ap. 22. where hee affirmes, That many by communicating with the Devill in Stage-playes, hav… falne quite away from God. Lactantius, De Vero Cultu. cap. 20. & 21. & Cyprian & Tertullian. De Spectaculis. lib. By Augustine De Civitate Dei. lib. 2. cap. 6. to 29. De Rectitudine Catholicae Conversationis. Tract. Tom… 9. pars 1. pag. 1447.1448. By Minucius Felix. Octavius. pag. 70. By Chrysost. Hom. 6.7. & 38. in Matth. Salvian. De Gubernatione Dei. lib. 6. By Master Brinsly, in his True Watch. cap. 11. Abomination 30. pag. 302. where hee writes; that Stage-playes sow the seeds of Atheisme in mens hearts: and that Stage-players are the Trumpeters of Satan, who call men from God and his House unto the Theaters, from his heavenly Maiesty, to his sworne enemy, and by sundry others, who expresly testifie; that Stage-playes, (which bSee here, Act. 3. Scene 3. accordingly.are commonly stuffed with the names, the histories, persons, fables, rites, ceremonies, villanies, incests, rapes, applauses, oathes, imprecations, and invocations of Pagan Idols; cSee here, Act. 3. Scene.with atheisticall… blasphemous, prophane, and wicked scoffes and iests; with abuses of Scripture phrases, and bitter invectives against piety, and religion; that matter to ingender athei…me, Idolatry, and Heathenisme both in the Actors, Auditors, and Spectators of them) are a ready way to draw men on to Atheisme, Paganisme, Idolatry, and all prophanesse, which are there acted and applauded. Yea dDiabolus enim est ille, qui etiā in artem jocos ludos que digessit, ut per haec ad se traheret milites Christi virtutis que …orum nervos fa…eret molliores, &c. Hom. 6. in Matth Tom. 2. Col. 51. D.Chrysostome, eDiabolus artifex quia idololatriam per se nudam sci… bat horreri, spectaculis miscuit ut per voluptatem posset amari, &c. De Spectaculis. lib.Cyprian, Lactan…ius, Tertullian, and Augustine, in their forequoted places affirme: That the Devill himselfe invented Stage-playes for this very end, that he might withdraw men from God unto Idolatry: and by these pleasures writes f…ocosi ferme ac ridiculi sunt plaeri que mortalium, ne que illis est… cord… studiosum vitae genus, sed fluxum po…us ac remissum. Ex quo …it, ut perquam facile illis dominetur malignissimus Daemon, neque enim eos horta…atur ad rectam illam viam augustamque capessendā, salebrosam, difficilem & acclivem; sed ad alteram quae prona, inclinata, levis at que expedita est; haud enim illis… unquā temperantiae, justitiae que ullam habere rationem praecepit, sed confidenter at que impun… cunctis flagitijs libidinibus que incumbere, omne demū scelus impudenter audere permisit. Hinc haud difficulter quam plurimos in servitutem adduxit, fugientes enim laboriosam virtutem, legis que divinae difficultatem evitantes… ad eum scilicet transfugerunt, qui factu facilia eadem que jucundissima imperavit, &c. De Sacrificijs. l. 7. Tom. 2. p. 382. C.Theodoret, which suite well with the pleasurable, sloathfull, and voluptuous disposition of men, who are most of them addicted to pastimes, to a remisse and idle life, the most malignant Devill very easily domineeres over men, and hath drawne very many into bondage; who flying laborious virtue, and avoyding the difficulty of Gods Law, have revolted unto him, who hath commanded things easie and most pleasant to be done. Stage-playes and Play-poems as the gSee here, p. 80. l. & August. De Civit. Dei. l. 1.2, 3, 4 & 6. thorowout.Fathers joyntly testifie; were the chiefe occasioners, propagators and fomenters of Atheisme, Heathenisme, Idolatry, and all dissolute prophanesse heretofore: hSee Act 2. thorowout, with the severall Authors there recorded… & Cicero De Aruspicum Responsis Oratio. p. 524. to 528. In Catilinam. Oratio 3… p. 452. accordingly.they being wholy consecrated to Idols, and celebrated to their honour in their solemne Festivals, and anniversary commemorations, as the very principall part of their irreligious worship, and idolatrous adoration. And doe they not produce the selfesame dangerous effects and issues still? Alas whence is all that practicall iSunt qui fortunae jam casibus omnia ponunt, Et nullo credunt mundum rectore moveri, Natura voluente vicis & lucis, & anni. At que ideo intrepido quaecun que altaria tangant. Tam facile & pronū est superos contēdere testes, Si mortalis idē nemo sciat… Iuvenal. Satyr. 11. p. 119.Atheisme, Paganisme, and prophanesse; whence all those Heathenish vanities, customes, ceremonies, habits, speeches, blasphemies, kPer solis radios, Tarpeia que fulmina juvat, Et Martis framiā, & Cirrhae… spicula vatis. Per calamos venatricis …h…retramque… puellae, Perque tuum pater AEgaei Neptune tridentem: Addit & Hercul…os arcus, hastamque Minervae, Quicquid habent telorum armamentaria coeli. Iuv…nal. Ibidem.execrations, Idolatries, superstitions, and the like; whence that open lMal. 1.6, 7. Solus Deus in comparatione omnium nobis vilis est. Salvian De Guber. Dei. lib. 6. pag. 195.neglect and contempt, that mTitus 1.16. 2 Pet. 2.1.denying of God in workes, in actions; that ordinary nEphes. 2.12.living without God in the world; those secret whisperings in many Players, and Play-haunters oPsal. 10.4. Psal. 14.1. Psal. 53.7.hearts, that there is no God at all, at least pPsal. 73.11.no God to take notice, or vengeance of their sinnes; whence all the reall atheisme and prophanesse that wee see in Players and Play-haunters lives: is it not principally from Playes and Enterludes; wherein, not onelyonly pNunquid Priapo mimi, non etiam Sacerdotes enormia pudenda fecerunt? An aliter stat adorandus in locis sacris, quàm procedit ridendus in Theatris? Num Saturnus senex, Apollo ephe…us, ita persona sunt histrionum, ut non sint statuae delubrorum, &c? A…gust. De Civita…e D…i. lib. …. cap. 7. See lib. 2. cap. 3. to 29. lib. 4. cap. …7.28.the Pagan Deities, but likewise the very God of Heaven and Earth, together with his Word, his Saints, his service are *See Act 3. Scene 5. & I. …. his Refu…ation of the Apologie for Actors. pag. 28.54, 55.derided? Vndoubtedly it is. Never is there greater Atheisme, or more open desperate prophanesse, more notorious contempt of God, his Word, his worship, his feare, his service, then in such places, such times, wherein Stage-playes most abound. In Stage-playes (as Master Brinsly well observes) there is a continuall sowing of all Atheisme in the hearts of poore sim…le soules; they are the very Nurseries of Atheisme, of Paganisme, of Idolatry and prophanesse, as the experience of all ages testifies: Wherefore I shall conclude against them which this 42. Syllogisme.
That which ingenders Atheisme, Paganisme, Idolatry, and all prophanesse in Actors and Spectators, must of necessity bee altogether abominable and unlawfull unto Christians.
But this doe Stage-playes; witnesse the premises, and premised Authors.
Therefore they must of necessity bee altogether abominable and unlawfull unto Christians.qTrue Watch 3. part. cap. 11. Abomination 30. pag. 392.