Practical Exposition of the Ten Commandments, Postscript

Practical Exposition of the Ten Commandments · 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 judgment 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 their own by-past unsutable 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 only in passing made mention of them as a breach of the Seventh Command, they being then utterly in disswe … tude with us, and it having not so much as once entered into his thoughts, that after so bright and glorious a Sunshine 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 …et down at length) as namely by the fifth Canon of the first Councel at Arl …s in France, Ann. 314. in the time of Constanstine the Great; by the twentieth Canon of the second Councel held there, Ann. 126. 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, Ann. 30 …; by the eleventh and thirty fifth Canons of the third (to wit, from Constantine's time as Spondanus reckoneth) Councel of Carthage, An. 397. the very same with the thirteenth and thirty fifth Canons of the Councel of Hippo in Africk, held Ann. 393. as Longus a Corialono 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 twelth Canon of the African Councel held Ann. 408▪ whe … 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 a … Const …ntinople, Ann. 680. the Canons w …eof we …e …on …w …d in that Counc …l held at Constantinople, Ann. 692. which is called Qui …isex …um; these two Canons are very express and …eremptory in this thing. And can any Christians warrantably, and without sin, recreate themselves with beholding such playes, the Actors wher …in deserve to be excommunicated? what? is there no bet …er, no more innoc …n … and inoffensive way? or is this th … only or the …est way to recreate men; to refine, sharpen, and polish their wits; to pers …ade and prevail with them to ha … and flee vic …, and to love and follow vertue; to acquaint …em from History with, to impress on them the remembrance and to ex …ite them to the imi …tion of▪ the noble and truly …itable actions of illus …on … …e …oes, and other great men; to breed them to a sutable confidence; to make them eloquene and fine spokes-men; 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 only 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 Heatlien Emperors, 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 maintain …d Players, Jesters, and Juglers 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 and 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 Commandement, 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 de spect, 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. de spect. cap. 24.) did most of all discern men by this, that they abandoned and renounced all Stage-playes. 5. As being unsutable to, if not inconsistent with, the Gospel, which forbiddeth Christians to make provision for the flesh to fulfil 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 mispe …t 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 of 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 seminaries 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 and devoted and appropriated to the worship and service of the Heathen-Devil-Gods; Who (as Augustine affirmeth, lib. 4. de Civ. D …i, cap. 36. intituled De ludis 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, shew 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 …ulling 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 others, 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 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 Cer … monies) 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 reveren …e 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 caried to them, and having done his errand, was presently restored to his health (so much power may the Devil in the righteous Judgment 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 Peticus, and C. Lucinius Stolo, Ann. 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 proc …ring the mercy of the Gods there was a lectisterne, but when by no d …vice 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, esfeminate, 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 were before time (for most part at least) accustomed to behold games of activity and strength in the great list called Circus; and from this small beginning (sayes he) in a sound 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) i …ployed about a religious business, did neither rid mens minds of scruple and superstition, nor case 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 …0. Book concerning Fulvius Flaccus, fellow-Consul with his own German-brother L. Manlius Oecidinus, 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 celebrating 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. …bi 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 victory from him, to drive Hannibal out of Italy. To these may be added what Spondanus in his Eccles. Annal. pag. …63. 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 Plays 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. Al …x. orat. adhort. adv. Gentes, calls Stage-playes, Comedies, and amorous Poems, teachers of Adultery, and defilers of mens …ars with Fornications; and sayes, That not only the use, the sight, the hearing, but the very memory of Stage-playes should be abolished: And elsewhere (for I do here purposely fo …bear very particular citations▪ because ordinary Readers will not much, if at all, search af …er 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 tea …h 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 p …rcha …ce 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 …o 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 Vncleanness: 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 shops of all filthiness and impurity. Ambrose in Psal. 118. stiles▪ Stage-playes spectactles 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, whoris … 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 at …onements of filthy Devil-gods; which …o 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. Epiphani …s 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 judgment 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, f …bles, 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 coelestial 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 Atheisme. In …ine, to shew the perfect agreement betwixt the Primitive and Protestant Church anent such Playes, i … will neither be impertinent, nor I hope unedifying, to subjoyn here the judgment 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, Ann. 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 only 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 judgment in disposing of many of the particulars here discoursed, I profess my self much beholden;) and may be in a great part 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 my most justly be said, of the many dangerous and dreadful tendencies, attendants, consequents, and fruits o them, and the horrid abuses of them, may sufficiently plead against the use of such Stage-playes, being neither necessary nor profitable, and for the utter abolition of them; God is jealous, and will not be mocked.

July 20, 1675.

Farewel.