The Players Scourge, Part 1 · Act 6 · Scene 18
SCENA DECIMA-OCTAVA.
THe 18. effect of Stage-playes is this; that they cause an apparant breach of all Gods Commandements: Of the first Commandement, rSee here, Act 2. & Act. 3. Scene 3. thorowout, accordingly. & Augustine Epist. 202.in honouring, applauding, invocating, naming, representing, adjuring, and extolling Pagan Idol-gods, and Goddesses, by the name of God, and in reviving their infernall ceremonies, rites and worship: and in propagating Atheisme and Idolatry. Of the second Commandement, sSee here, Act 1. Scene 1. Act 2. & Act 3. Scene 3. Iosephus Iudaeorū Antiqu. l. 15. c. 11. Philo Iudaeus, Decalogo. lib. Cyprian & Tertullian De Spectaculis. Augustin. De Civit. Dei. l. 2. c. 4 to 13. l. 6. c. 7. Bullingerus De Circo. lib. cap. 38 p. 153. accordinglyin making the Images, pictures, shapes and statues; in representing the persons, vices, ceremonies and customes of those Pagan Deities: and in relating their histories, pedegrees, acts and monuments. Of the third Commandement, tSee 3. …acobi. cap. 21 & Act 3. Scene 5. accordingly.in prophaning and blaspheming the Name of God by cursed oathes and horrid execrations, which are frequent in our Enterludes; by traducing and prophaning the holy Name and Word of God, by inserting them into Stage-playes, and making them no better then a sport or May-game: *See Act 3. Scene 3. p. 77. to 87.by swearing by the names of Idol-gods… whereas *Eusebius Eccles. Hist. l. 4. c. 15. Nicephorus Epist. Eccl…s. Hist. l. 3. c. 35.Polycarpus would not so much as sweare by the fortune of Caesar, though by doing it hee might have saved his life; by deriding the sincere worship and service of God, and by taking all Gods Names, his attributes, his Ordinances in vaine. Of the fourth Commandement, uSee 1. Caroli. cap. 1. The 3. Blast of Retrait from Playes and Theaters. M. Brinsl…, 3. part of the True Watch. c. 11. Abomination 30. pag. 392. & Act 7. Scene 12. accordingly.in prophaning the Lords-day in a notorious manner, xSee Act 7. Scene 1.5. & 6… accordingly.and in drawing men on to idlenesse on those other dayes in which God commands them for to labour. Of the fift Commandement, yAct 3. Scene accordingly.In dishonouring, reproaching, controlling and traducing Princes, Magistrates, Iudges, Ministers, and others, who are the Fathers, the Mothers of Church and Common-weale. Of the sixt Commandement, zAct 7. Scene 10. Act 3. Scene 2. &c. accordingly.in occasioning and commending murthers, quarrels, duels; tyranny, cruelty: in murthering the good names of other men; in teaching plots to poyson, murther, betray, and ruine others: and in murthering infinite soules of men and women whom Stage-playes cause to perish. Of the seventh Commandement: aSee Act 3. Scene 7. Act 7. Scene 3.4. & Act 5. Scene accordingly.in ingendring, fomenting, exciting unchaste affections in the Actors and Spectators, in drawing them on to fornication, whoredome, adultery, and all other actuall uncl…a…esse which Christians should abhorre to name or thinke of: and in making them ribaldrous, effeminate, wanton, lascivious in apparell, speech, gesture, haire, &c. and fit for any filthinesse or lewdnesse whatsoever. Of the eight Commandement, bAct 7. Scene 9. accordingly.in teaching men how to cheate and cozen others: how to steale away Wards from their Gardians, and Daughters from their Parents: In picking other mens purses, by receiving mony for the exercise of these unlawfull, these ungodly Playes, which God never authorized as a meanes to procure gaine withall; the taking of which money is plaine theft, as cAugustinus. Tract. 100. in Io…n. Gratian. Distinct. 86. Tostatus in 4. R…gū. Tom. 7. pag. 100. C.D. B B. Babington, M. Dod, and others on the 8. Commandement. Alvarez Pelagius De Planctu Ecclesiae. l. 2. Artic. 40. A.B.C. 150.Divines expresly teach: dAct 7. Scene 2. accordingly. & Iosephus Antiqu… Iudaeorum. l. 16. c. 9.and in occasioning much prodigall and vaine expence. Of the ninth Commandement, eAct 3. Scene accordingly.in slandering, misreporting, and personally traducing particular persons and professions on the Stage; and in laying false aspersions, with tearmes of ignominy and scorne upon the Saints and service of God. Of the tenth Commandemen…; In causing Children and yong Prodigals to desire the death of their more rigid Parents, that so they might enjoy, and prodigally waste their Patrimonies, and Portions, on their lusts and pleasures: and in causing men to cove… the Pomp, the State, the po…sessions, fAct 3. Scene 1. & Act 7. Scene 3.4… accordingly.the wives, the servants, the goods of other men, as Players, Whores, and others who resort to Stage-playes learne to doe. Stage-playes in these and sundry other regards forementioned by S. Chrysostome, and others in the precedent Scene occasion the breach of all the ten Commandements, and so plunge their Composers, Actors, Spectators over head and eares in sinne, involving them in the guilt of all the evils that are occasioned and produced by them. This gD. L. Speculum Belli Sacri cap. 45. The Mirror for Magistrates of Cities. The 3. Blast of Retrait from Playes and Theaters. See here, pag. 231.232.Authors, this the premises and experience testifie: Wherefore I shall hence deduce this 43. invincible Argument against Stage-playes.
That which commonly occasions an apparent violation of all the ten Commandements, hDeut. 6.1. to 20. c. 27.1.26. Matth 5.18. to 42. Ioh. 14.15, 21. Iam. 2.9, 10, 11.must needs be sinfull and utterly unlawfull unto Christians, intolerable in any wel-ordered Common-weale: No Christian can deny it.
But this doe Stage-playes: witnesse the premises. See pag. 231.232. before.
Therefore they must needs bee sinfull and utterly unlawfull unto Christians… intolerable in any wel-ordered Common-weale.