The Law Unsealed, Postscript
POSTSCRIPT.
Chriſtian and Candid Reader,
THou ſeeſt that in this Epiſtle, which for the moſt part of it was written above two years ago, I have ſpoken a word of Stage-playes, prophane Interludes, Comedies, &c. at that time, and ſeveral years before, much in uſe amongſt us; whereto I would now add a few words more, and deduce a little their infamous, idolatrous, deviliſh, and damnable Pedigree and Original, and give thee a brief account of the judgement of the ancient Chriſtian Church about them; that the Actors in them, with the Patrons and haunters of them, may with the greater diſſatisfaction reflect on there own by-paſt unſuitable and diſconform practiſe, and that all others may for ever hereafter learn to fear, and to do no more ſo unchriſtianly: To which I am the rather induced, that the worthy Author of this Treatiſe, hath onelyonly in paſſing made mention of them as a breach of the ſeventh Command, they being then utterly in deſuetude with us, and it having not ſo much as once entered into his thoughts, that after ſo bright and glorious a Sun-ſhine of Goſpel-light, the Generation would ever, let be ſo quickly, have ſo far degenerated, as to ſuffer themſelves to be tempted to have any fellowſhip with ſuch unfruitful works of darkneſs: I ſay then, that Stage-playes, in their ſeveral ſorts, were prohibited, reprobated, and condemned, and the Actors in them appointed to be excommunicated by the Canons of ſeveral more particular, and of ſome general Councels (which Canons I forbear for brevities ſake, to ſet down at length) as namely, by the fifth Canon of the firſt Councel at Arles in France, Anno 314. in the time of Conſtantine the Great; by the twentieth Canon of the ſecond Councel held there, Anno 326. or more probable 389. as Fr. Longus a Coriolano reckoneth in his ſum of all the Councels; by the fifty ſeventh, ſixty ſecond, and ſixty ſeventh Canons of the Eliberine Councel in Spain, Anno 305. by the eleventh and thirty fifth Canons of the third (to wit, from Conſtantines time as Spondanus reckoneth) Councel of Carthage, Anno 397. the very ſame with the thirteenth and thirty fifth Canons of the Councel of Hippo in Africk, held Anno 393. as Longus a Coriolano ſheweth; who ſets down the ſum of the Canons framed at Hippo at the cloſe of the Canons made in this third Councel of Carthage; by the twelfth Canon of the African Councel held Anno 408. where Auguſtine was preſent; the Canons of both which Councels ſuppoſe perſons to have been excommunicated on this account, and provide for their reconciliation to the Church, in caſe of repentance and turning from theſe practiſes to the Lord; and by the fifty firſt and ſixty ſecond Canons of the ſixth general Councel (called by ſome the fifth) held at Conſtantinople, Anno 680. the Canons whereof were renewed in that Councel held at Conſtantinople, Anno 692. which is called Quimſextum; theſe two Canons are very expreſs and peremptory in this thing. And can any Chriſtians warrantably, and without ſin, recreate themſelves with beholding ſuch playes, the Actors wherein deſerve to be excommunicated? what? is there no better, no more innocent and inoffenſive way? or is this the onelyonly or the beſt way to recreate men▪ to refine, ſharpen, and poliſh their wits; to perſwade and prevail with them to hate and flee vice, and to love and follow vertue; to acquaint them from Hiſtory with, to impreſs on them the remembrance and to excite them to the imitation of, the noble and truely imitable actions of illuſtrious Heroes, and other great men; to breed them to a ſuitable confidence; to make them eloquent and fine ſpokesmen; and to help them to a becoming geſt in all actions, places, and ſocieties? the grave Seers, and great Lights of the Church, did never ſee any ſuch thing in them; but on the contrary, have with common ſuffrage judged them to be the moſt effectual and compendious way to make men ſoft, diſſolute, and ſenſual; nay, even in a manner quite to emaſculate, if not to brutifie them; and have without any diſcord declared, that the lightneſs, laſciviouſneſs, and leudneſs that in theſe playes were touched under, and covered over with ſuch shreds and pieces of Learning, Hiſtory, Eloquence, Invention, Wit, and Art, were thereby onelyonly made the more dangerous; and that Satan shewed his pernicious and peſtilent policy not a little in thus tincturing, ſugaring, and guilding theſe poyſonable Pills, that they might go the better down, diffuſe themſelves the leſs ſenſibly, and operate the more ſtrongly. And however ſome empty and effeminate, vain and vicious, Roman Emperours reduced ſuch Playes, yet ſome of the graveſt and ſobereſt, manlieſt and braveſt, even Heathen Emperours, did oppoſe and exterminate them (ſo that Guevara noteth it to have been one of the tokens and characteriſticks to know a vertuous or vicious Prince of Rome by, to wit, whether he maintained Players, Jeſters, and J…glers among the people, or not) as did alſo many Senators, Chriſtian Emperours, and well regulated Republicks, both Pagan and Chriſtian; as unbeſeeming exerciſes, and effeminate arts, which did much dishonour and corrupt the ſtate, and as Seminaries of all vice and intolerable miſchiefs in the Common-wealth: And no doubt, whatever good is pretended to be got in a Play-houſe, or at the Stage (hardly without a predominant mixture of evil) may be learned as well, as eaſily, and much more ſafely, if not more cheap too, elſewhere. As they have been thus forbidden & cenſured by Councels, ſo I ſay more particularly they have been very unanimouſly condemned by the Fathers, on theſe and other ſuch like grounds; 1. As being a breach of the ſeventh Commandment, wherein a multitude of modern Divines writing on this Command, accord with them. 2. As being a conforming to, and participating with Pagans in their idolatrous and ſuperſtitious practiſes, expreſly forbidden to the people of God in the Scripture; which put Cyprian deſpect. peremptorily to conclude, That the Scripture hath everlaſtingly condemned all ſorts of ſuch Spectacles and Stage-playes, when it took away Idolatry, the Mother of them, whence all theſe Monſters of vanity, lightneſs, and leudneſs did proceed. 3. As being croſs to, and a practical renunciation of, the baptiſmal Vow of Chriſtians, wherein they ingage to renounce the Devil and all his pomps and works, of which ſort they account the acting and beholding popular Stage-playes to be. 4. As being the removal of a diſtinguishing character of Chriſtians from Heathen Gentiles, Who (as Tertullian ſayes, lib. deſpect. cap. 24.) did moſt of all diſcern men by this, that they abandoned and renounced all Stage-playes. 5. As being unſuitable to, if not inconſiſtent with, the Goſpel, which forbiddeth Chriſtians to make proviſion for the fleſh to fulfill the luſts thereof, to be Caterers for their corruptions, and to be conform to the World; and commandeth them to walk circumſpectly, accurately, even with ſpiritual preciſeneſs and ſtrictneſs, not as fools, but as wiſe, redeeming the time; wofully waſted away, and miſerably miſpent this way; to abſtain from all appearance of evil; to rejoyce in the Lord; and when they are merry, to ſing Pſalms, and to vent and expreſs their mirth in Songs of praiſe to God, and not in this wanton way; and aſſureth them withal, that evil communications corrupt good manners. 6. As being a corruption of manners, incentives to lightneſs and luſt, and ſeminaties and nurſeries of wantonneſs and uncleanneſs. And 7. as holding their pedigree, original, and inſtitution from the Devil▪ the Inventer of them: and being at firſt Idolatrouſly and ſuperſtitiouſly celebrated to the honour, and for many hundreds of years together, dedicated, devoted, and appropriated to the worship and ſervice of the Heathen-Devil-Gods; Who (as Augustine affirmeth, lib. 4. de Civ. Dei, cap. 36. intituled De l…di… Scenicis, &c. that is, concerning Stage-playes, which the Gods required to be celebrated to them by their worshippers) did themſelves importunately demand theſe Playes to be exhibited to them for their honour, fiercely and cruelly command them, denounce calamities if they were not exhibited, avenge moſt ſeverely, if any thing about them was neglected, and if they amended what was formerly omitted or neglected in them, show themſelves pacified and well pleaſed. Which may further appear by theſe few inſtances taken out of famous Writers, whereof the firſt may be that which is mentioned by Pol. Virg. de invent. rerum, l. 4. cap. 14. pag. 375. where he ſayes, That Playes were chiefly celebrated for the health and ſafety of men with lectiſternes (that is, beds that were dreſſed up in their Temples for lulling and rocking (as it were) their Gods aſleep when they raged with anger) the beginning of which Playes (ſayes he) it is manifest was the work of the Devil; For (ſayes he) there was one Valeſius a wealthy Roman (ſometime before the inſtitution of the Conſular office) who had three ſons deſperately ſick of the Peſtilence, for whom when he prayed to his houshold Gods, he was by them bidden go to Tarentum, and take water from before or from beſide the Altar of Pluto and Proſerpina, and give them to drink (or as ot hers, to waſh them in) which he having done, they were reſtored to health; and in gratitude commanded by theſe Infernal Spirits to celebrate night Playes to them, which he and they accordingly did for three nights together. The next may be that which is reported by Titus Livius, lib. 2. and by Auguſtine lib. 4. de Civ. Dei, cap. 26. and by Lud. Vives in his notes upon that chapter, concerning one Titus Latinus or Larinus, who in the ſecond Conſulſhip of M. Minutius and Aur. Sempronius, Ann. ab urb. cond. 263. when the Gods were diſpleaſed, was warned in a dream to go to the Senate, and tell them that they were not ſatisfied with the Preſultor or Dancer before, or ring-leader in the laſt Playes, in which Playes they take pleaſure, being recreated by them, and that unleſs the Playes were renewed by their order with greater ſtate and ſumptuouſneſs (called by Florus in his Breviary on that Book, Religious Ceremonies) ſome great calamity should be inflicted (or as others, the preſent not be removed) which the man not doing was sharply rebuked, and yet delaying out of reverence to the Senate, and from fear that himſelf should be looked at as frantick, his ſon was taken from him; and yet ſtill deferring, he was ſeized in all his joynts with a tormenting diſeaſe, ſo that he could not ſtir; and at the laſt telling his friends he was by them willed to acquaint the Senate, and being carried to them, and having done his errand, …n as preſently reſtored to his health (ſo much power may the Devil in the righteous Judgement of God have granted to him, to ſeduce men unto, and detain them in his worſhip and ſervice) wherewith the Senate was ſo much taken, that they forthwith commanded the Playes to be celebrated with greater care, coſt, and shew, then formerly. The third may be that ſpoke of alſo by Titus Livius, lib. 7. In the Conſulſhip of C. Sulpitius Petieus, and C. Lucinius Stole, Anno ab urb. cond. 390. in the time of the great and raging peſtilence wherein Furius Camillus, Dictator and Deliverer of Rome from the Gaules died; wherein for procuring the mercy of the Gods there was a lectiſterne, but when by no device of man, nor help of the Gods, the violence of the plague could be aſſwaged, their minds were ſo poſſeſt with ſuperſtition, that the Stage-playes were, as men ſay, firſt invented (that is belike, Playes in that pompous; ludicrous, effeminate, and luxurious mode on the Stage, which had never before been uſed in the City (for ſeveral Playes they had ere this time) a ſtrange device for a martial people, who before time (for moſt part at leaſt) accuſtomed to behold games of activity and ſtrength in the great lift called Circus; and from this ſmall beginning (ſayes he) in a ſecond and wholſome State, this folly grew to ſuch a height of madneſs, as is untolerable to the moſt opulent States and Empires; and yet theſe Playes ſo brought in, and ſet forth (called by Florus in his Breviary on that Book, new and ſtrange Religions) imployed about a religious buſineſs, did neither rid mens minds of ſcruple and ſuperſtition, nor eaſe their bodies: Thus they are condemned as ſuperſtition and an innovation of their old Religion, by theſe two famous Heathen Hiſtorians. The fourth may be that which is made mention of by Tit. Livius alſo towards the end of his 40-Book concerning Fulvius Flaccus, fellow-Conſul with his own German-brother L. Manlius Occidinus, Ann. ab urb. cond. 575. Who declared that before he would meddle with his Office, he would diſcharge both himſelf and the City of duty towards the Gods, in paying the Vows that he had made on that ſame day, that he had his laſt battel with the Celtiberians, anent the celebraeting Playes to the honour of the moſt mighty and gracious God Jupiter, and to build a Temple to Fortuna Aequeſtris; and accordingly levied a great Tax for that end, which behoved to be retrenched, becauſe of the exorbitancy of it. The fifth and laſt ſhall be that which is touched by Pol. Virg. ubi prius pag. 377. concerning the Romans, their taking care for Apollo his Playes, which were firſt dedicated to him in the time of the ſecond punick War for obtaining Ʋictory from him, to drive Hannibal out of Italy. To theſe may be added what Spondanus in his Eccleſ. Annal. pag. 263. reports from Zozimus concerning Conſtantine the Great, when he returned victorious over the Germans to Millan, That he quite neglected and contemned ſuch Playes, to the great grief of the Heathens, who alledged that theſe Playes were inſtituted by the Gods for the cure of the peſtilence and other diſeaſes, and for averting of wars. From all which it is manifeſt, that the original of theſe Stage-playes and ſuch others, was from the Devil, and celebrated by the Heathens to the honour and worſhip of their Devil-Gods in way of religious Sacrifices to them, either as pacificatory or gratificatory; with whom in their Idolatries and ſuperſtitions, the Scriptures forbid all ſymbolizing and fellowſhip. Let us hear now in the next place ſome more of theſe Fathers ſpeak their own and the Churches thoughts, a little more particularly of Stage-playes, with reſpect to ſuch grounds, having heard ſome of them already: Clem. Alex. orat. adhort. adv. Gentes, calls Stage-playes, Comedies, and amorous Poems, teachers of Adultery, and defilers of mens ears with Fornications; and ſayes, That not onelyonly the uſe, the ſight, the hearing, but the very memory of Stage-playes should be abolished: And elſe-where (for I do here purpoſely forbear very particular citations, becauſe ordinary Readers will not much, if at all, ſearch after them; and the Learned that have a mind to it, will eaſily find them out) tells Chriſtian youths, That their Paedagogues muſt not lead them to Playes or Theaters, that may not unfitly be called the chairs of Peſtilence, becauſe theſe Conventicles, where men and women meet together promiſcuouſly to behold one another, are the occaſion of leudneſs, and there they give or plot wicked counſel▪ Cyprian de ſpect. ſtiles Theaters the ſtewes of publick Chaſtity, the maſtership of obſcenity, which teach theſe ſins in publick, that men may more uſually and eaſily commit them in private, he learneth to commit who accuſtometh himſelf to behold the theatrical repreſentations of uncleanneſs: It is not lawful for faithful Chriſtians, yea, it is altogether unlawful, to be preſent at theſe Playes: And elſewhere he ſaith, She that perchance came a chaſt Matron to the Playes, goes away a Strumpet from the Play-houſe: (We may here notice what the Satyrical Poet Juvenal ſayes to this purpoſe, Sat. 6. That a man in his time could not pick one chaſt woman, whom he might ſafely love as his wife out of the whole Play-houſe; and that all women, who frequent Stage-playes, are infamous, and forfeit their good names It were good that our women, who love and haunt ſuch Playes, would conſider this: as alſo what is reported of Sempronius Sophus, a noble Roman, who divorced from his Wife for this alone cauſe, that ſhe frequented Stage-playes without his knowledge, which might make her an Adultereſs; which Divorce the whole Roman Senate did approve (though it was the very firſt they did approve) as being a mean to keep women chaſte: So great an enemy to chaſtity were theſe Playes judged to be; which is touched by Rhodiginus, amongſt others, in his Antique Lections, lib. 28. cap. 16.) Tertullian calls the Play-houſe, the Chappel of Venery, the Houſe of Letchery, the Conſiſtory of uncleanneſs: And in his Apol. adv. Gent. We renounce your Spectacles and Stage-playes, even as we reject their original, which we know to have had their conception from Superſtition; we have nothing at all to do with the fury of your Circus, with the dishoneſty of the Theater, we come not at all to your Playes. Origen in Epiſt. ad Rom. ſayes, That Chriſtians muſt not lift up their eyes to Stage-playes, the pleaſurable delights of polluted eyes, leſt their luſts be inflamed by them. Lactantius de vero cultu, ſayes, That theſe Interludes with which men are delighted, and whereat they are willingly preſent, becauſe they are the greateſt inſtigations to Vice, and the moſt powerful inſtrument to corrupt mens minds, are wholly to be abolished from amongſt us. Greg. Naz. de rect. educ. calls Stage-players the Servants of lewdneſs, and Stage-playes, the dishoneſt, unſeemly inſtructions of laſcivious men, who repute nothing filthy but modeſty; and Play-houſes the Laſcivious chops of all filthineſs and impurity. Ambroſe in Pſal. 118. ſtiles Stage-playes ſpectacles of vanity, by which the Devil conveys incentives of pleaſure to mens hearts; Let us therefore (ſayes he) turn away our eyes from theſe vanities and Stage-playes. Hierom. Epiſt. ad Salvinam, Have nothing to do with Stage-playes, becauſe they are the pleaſing incendiaries of mens luſts. Auguſtine de Civ. Dei, brands Stage-playes with this black mark, That they are the ſpectacles of filthineſs, the overturners of goodneſs and honeſty, the chaſers away of all modeſty and chaſtity; whorish shews, the art of miſchievous villanies, which even modeſt Pagans did blush to behold, the inventions to lewdneſs, by which the Devil uſeth to gain innumerable companies of evil men to himſelf. In another place he calls Theaters, Cages of uncleanneſs, the publick profeſsions of wickedneſs; and Stage-playes, the moſt petulant, the moſt impure, impudent, wicked, shameful, and deteſtable attonements of filthy Devil-gods; which to true religion are moſt abominable. And elſewhere he declares, That when the Goſpel came to be ſpread abroad in the World, Stage-playes and Play-houſes, the very caves of filthineſs, went to ruin almoſt in every City, as inconſiſtent with it; whence the Gentiles (ſayes he) complained of the times of Chriſtianity, as evil and unhappy times. Epiphanius contra haereſ. ſayes, That the Catholick and Apoſtolick Church doth reprobate and forbid all Theaters, Stage-playes, and ſuch like Heathenish ſpectacles. Chryſoſtom. Hom. in Matth. ſayes, I wish the Theaters and Play-places were all thrown down, though as to us they did lye deſolate and ruined long ago: Elſewhere he ſayes, That nothing brings the Oracles and Ordinances of God into ſo great contempt, as admiring and beholding Stage-playes: And that neither Sacraments nor any other of Gods Ordinances (pray mark this diligently, O! how often is it ſadly verified?) will do a man good ſo long as he goes to Stage-playes. Bernard Serm. ad milites templi, ſayes, That all the faithful Souldiers of Jeſus Chriſt abominate and reject all diceing and Stage-playes, as vanities and falſe frenzies. Let Salvian his weighty words, de gub. Dei, ſhut up this ſhort account of the judgement of theſe ancient Fathers anent this matter, who ſayes, That in Stage-playes there is a certain Apoſtacie from the Faith.—For what is the firſt confeſsion of Chriſtians in their Baptiſm, but that they do proteſt they renounce the Devil, his Pomps, Spectacles and Works; know thou Chriſtian, when thou doeſt wittingly and knowingly return to Stage-playes, thou returneſt to the Devil, who is in his Playes, for thou haſt renounced both of them together: wherein many Fathers agree with him, they being harmonious in condemning Stage-playes, as being ordinarily ſtuffed with the Names, Hiſtories, Perſons, Fables, Rites, Ceremonies, Villanies, Inceſts, Rapes, Applauſes, Oaths, Imprecations, and Invocations of the Idol-gods; as when the Actors cry, Help Jove, Juno, Apollo, Bacchus, &c. and exclaim, O Jove! O Cupid! O Venus! O Apollo! O Mars! O ye Gods! &c. and ſwear by Jove, Mars, Venus, the c…leſtial Gods, &c. (beſide all theſe, they are often fraughted in theſe dayes with wicked and prophane ſcoffs and jeſts, abuſes of Scripture, and bitter invectives againſt piety) and as drawing men on to Profanity; Idolatry, and Atheiſm. In fine, to shew the perfect agreement betwixt the Primitive and Proteſtant Church anent ſuch Playes, it will neither be impertinent, nor I hope unedifying, to ſubjoyn here the judgement of the famous Reformed Proteſtant Church of France (from which other reformed Proteſtant Churches in this do not differ, yea, the ſtream of Proteſtant Divines runneth this way) declared in a National Synod held at Rochel, Anno 1571. where this Canon was unanimouſly framed; Congregations shall be admonished by their Miniſters ſeriouſly to reprehend and ſuppreſs all Dances, Mummeries, and Interludes, and it shall not be lawful for any Chriſtians to act or to be preſent (mark well) at any Comedies, Tragedies, Playes, Interludes, or any other ſuch ſports, either in publick or in private Chambers, conſidering that they have alwayes been oppoſed, condemned, and ſuppreſſed, in and by the Church, as bringing along with them the corruption of good manners, eſpecially when as the holy Scripture is prophaned, which is not delivered to be acted or played, but onelyonly to be preached. What uſeth now to be ſaid in Apology for, and defence of Stage-playes, and for reforming of them, yet ſo as to retain them ſtill, was long ſince objected by the witty and voluptuous Pagans, and ſolidly anſwered, and ſtrongly confuted by the Fathers; as it hath been by ſeveral Modern Writers, particularly Doctor John Reynolds, Mr. Stubbs, and notably by Mr. Pryn (to whoſe indefatigable diligence in collecting, and great judgement in diſpoſing of many of the particulars here diſcourſed, I profeſs my ſelf much beholden;) and may be in a great p… by what hath been here hinted concerning the invention and original of them, the nature… end, and uſe of them; beſide all that hath been, and may moſt juſtly be ſaid, of the man… dangerous and dreadful tendencies, attendants, conſequents, and fruits of them, and th… horrid abuſes of them, may ſufficiently plead againſt the uſe of ſuch Stage-playes, bein… neither neceſſary nor profitable, and for the utter abolition of them: God is jealous, an… will not be mocked.
Farewel. July 10. 1675.