The Lords Day, Book 1 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
Sports are not at all to be held on the Lords Day, by the judgment of divers Fathers, and Emperours. Four kinds of ſhows condemned by the Fathers, and not to be acted on the Lords Day: and that not only while the ſacred meetings are kept.
THey that are cloyed with luxurious banquets, drunken feaſts, and lewd drunkenneſs, cannot devoutly conſecrate the Lords day to God: ſo they that delighting in luxury, do give up themſelves to pleaſures, are unfit for the ſanctifying thereof, becauſe with their pleaſures they defile the Hierom in Iſ. 58.Lords holy day: pleaſure is the individual companion of drunkenneſs, and intemperance in many, becomes a cauſe of laſciviouſneſs, as we ſay in the Proverb, When the belly is well filled, then follow dances; we read that theſe have been condemned with great fervour of mind, and moſt holy zeal, with the old friends of ſincere piety: which Chryſoſtom, Hom. de Eleemoſyna, would not have any attend on: and no wonder, for all ſuch worldly ſpectacles with Chryſoſtom are called Sathans Feſtivals, from which he exhortsHom. 32. in Joh. his hearers to abſtain: and ſharply reproveth Parents, that bring their aHom. 3. in Johan.children to ſpectacles, and exhort them not to Doctrine.
Cyril was ſorry, as we have ſeen in the former Chapter, bl. 8. in Jo. c. 5.that Chriſtians ſhould on feaſt dayes run to playes, pageants, and dancings, becauſe in his judgment, theſe things cannot be done without mocking of Gods name, and violation of the day: for the holineſs of feſtivals is miſerably diſtained by petulant dancings: therefore Leo and Authemius, thoſe good Emperours, ordain, that feſtivals … Cod. l. 3. tit. 12. de feriis. l. 11.being dedicated to the moſt High Majesty, are by no pleaſures (which afterwards in deteſtation of them they call obſcene) to be defiled. They ſay alſo, We decree the Lords day alwayes to be ſo honourable and reverent, that it be excuſed from all executions, &c. And after, Nor▪ yet do we, relaxing the reſt of this holy day, ſuffer any one to be witholden by obſcene pleaſures. Let the ſcene of the Theatre, or the fights in the Cirque, or the doleful ſights of wild beaſts, challenge nothing to themſelves on that day: and if any ſolemnity fall out to be celebrated on our Birth-day, let it be deferred. If any one ſhall ever be preſent at …ghts on this Feaſt-day, he ſhall ſustain the loſs of his command in the Militia, and the ſale of his patrimony; and likewiſe the Serjeant of every Judge, that under pretence of either publick or private buſineſs, doth believe that theſe things which are ordained in this law are to be violated.
The Fathers in the Council aC…. 67.of Carthage were of the ſame mind, who provided, that no ſights ſhould be ſhewed on the Lords day, or any other of the festivals. Yea, even in the thickeſt darkneſs of Popery, ſo ſolemn was the ſplendour of this day, that the Cimmerian darkneſs of Antichriſtianiſm could never overcome it. Therefore it was provided, Can. 10. part. 9. of the Provincial CouncilCirca An. 1556. of Colen, that there ſhould be an abſtinence from theſe. Wherefore (ſay they) it is our mind, that on theſe dayes (they ſpeak of Feſtivals) Fairs be prohibited, Taverns be ſhut, Riot, Drunkenneſs, Expences, Strifes, wicked Sports, Dances full of madneſs, evil Communication, Bawdy Songs, be avoided: briefly, all Luxury: for by theſe, and the blaſphemies and perjuries which uſually attend theſe, the name of God is profaned, and the Sabbath (which admoniſheth us to ceaſe from doing perverſly, and learn to do well) is defiled.
In the third Council alſo of Millain, theyAn. 15 3. decree, Let the Biſhop carefully prohibit, and ſee to it that it be done, that not only no leapings and dancings, but no riot, playes in honour of the Saints, and other profane actions, unmeet for the worſhip of thoſe feſtival dayes, and pious institutions, be any wayes publickly acted on theſe dayes, or brought in under pretence or occaſion of them.
If men brought up in the Cimmerian darkneſs of Antichriſtianiſm, declining the pure light of the Goſpel, like Owls, yet could not, through the ſplendour of truth, but bear an illuſtrious teſtimony to the Lords feſtival: and thereupon condemned what was oppoſite to its ſanctification, as dances, which they call full of madneſs, and wicked ſports, by which the Sabbath, on which Chriſtians are to ceaſe from doing evil, is violated: if by no means, under any pretence, they permit leapings and danings to be acted: to how tremendous a judgment do the ill-employed Libertines of this age expoſe themſelves? who now having the face of the Church happily diſcovered, by the ſacred Light of the Goſpel, are not afraid to tread under foot the holineſs of this day, by giving the reins to pleaſures, and dances, running out into folly, ſo often condemned by the Fathers? As if they made haſte to paſs over into the heretical tents of the Heicetae, aDamaſc de Haeic.who in other things following the Churches authority, in their Monaſteries, by a company of Monks praiſed God, uſing tripudiations, and dances thereunto. A wickedneſs indeed more becoming Hereticks than Chriſtians. What once the learned Morton in his Catholic. Apolog, lib. 2. cap. 14. related of Tollet, we will appoſirely apply to the Patrons of dancing on the Lords day. Tollet affirms, that a man is bound, under a mortal ſin, to ſanctifie a Festival, but he is not bound to SANCTIFIE IT WELL. On the other ſide, Morton cryes out, and that juſtly, What (the foul ill!) what a ſanctifying is this, that wants Well, without which, no action can be acceptable to God? So theſe mens ſanctifying of this day, (while they grant the Lords day muſt be ſanctified, but labour not to ſanctifie it Well) is rather to be reckoned a profanation, than ſanctification thereof. Alas! Are theſe fruits beſeeming ſo long a preaching of the holy Goſpel? while men do on the Lords day ſo profuſely ſerve the pleaſures of the fleſh. The primitive Chriſtians, whoſe ſouls are now in reſt, celebrated not ſo the Lords day, who made conſcience of intermitting its ſolemnity upon any occaſion.
If on holy dayes we muſt abſtain from lawful, and neceſſary labours, muſt we therefore attend upon unlawful, vain, and unhoneſt works? God forbid. The women of the Jews had better on the Sabbath day ſpin, than dance on their New Moons, as Auguſtin judgeth. And on Pſal. 39. It is better to dig, than dance on the Sabbath.
But theſe things are not ſo to be expounded, as if St. Austin had commended the undertaking of gainful labour on that day: but that grave Father doth praiſe the ſcope of thoſe men rather, who do apply their juſt and lawful labour, than their unlawful vanities: as otherwhere he relates of Socrates, Aug. devera rel. c. 2.that ſwore by fleſh, a ſtone, or any thing that was at hand to ſwear by: not that he approved Socrates's fact, but by this means he would inſtruct his hearers, that although neither be agreeable to reaſon, yet it is better to transferr Gods honour to Gods workmanſhip, than to the works of mens hands. So, although we muſt not attend on the Lords day, on labour undertaken for gainſake, but only on Divine worſhip; yet the good Father judged it better on that day, to employ our pains about labours lawful on other dayes, than about vanities, alwayes unlawful, and ſeverely condemned of God; although neither will very well agree with the ſolemnity of that day.
If any one till his ground on the Lords day, he violates the holy reſt, but if the refore, he, leaving his husbandry, be drunk, or commit whoredome, ſhall he not be thought to profane the holineſs of the Lords Day? If all profaneneſs, and carnal delight ought to be baniſhed from the Church, then eſpecially it ſhould, when man doth peculiarly apply himſelf to the worſhip of God. If Tertullian thought it an uncomely thing, and altogether alien from the Religion of publick joy, to celebrate thoſe dayes which were dedicated to the Nativities of the Emperours, with that vanity, which the Heathens abuſed in ſuch kind of Feſtivals, whereas Tert. adv. Gen. c. 35.what was acted on the ſolemn birth-dayes of Princes, would not be thought comely on other dayes: with what ſpirit are they acted, to whom unchaſte dancings, obſcene ſports, and mad tripudiations ſhall ſeem lawful, on the Day dedicated to our Lords honour? Shall the licentiouſneſs of evil manners be piety? an occaſion of Luxury be reckoned Religion? We muſt rather ſay with Tertullian, That it is for men of the true Religion, to celebrate both the Emperours ſolemnities, and the Lords day, out of conſcience rather than licentiouſneſs. And if any like dancing, I earneſtly ask it of him, that he would apply his mind to thoſe ſpiritual dances, which Chryſoſtom mentions: in which there is much Hom. 1. de Laz t. 5. p. 220.comelineſs and modeſty, with which Chriſtians muſt dance, not to the meaſures of harp and pipe, for they themſelves ought to be both harp and pipe to the Holy Ghoſt: and when others lead the dance to the Devil, theſe being in the Church, offer themſelves the organs and veſſels to the Spirit, and afford their ſouls, as muſical instruments which the Holy Ghoſt ſhould play upon, and move; and they give their hearts as Organs, into which he may inſpire his grace. Theſe are thoſe dances of the Angels, *Baſil. Ep. 1. ad S. Gregor.(and what can be more bleſſed, than upon the earth to imitate the dance of Angels?) approved by the Holy Ghoſt, and worthy the Chriſtian name: in which, he that on the Lords day ſhall diligently be buſied, will not bend his mind to thoſe immodeſt leapings or dancings, (which Chryſoſtom calls Diabolical, Hom. 55. in Gen. becauſe where this wanton dancing is, there the Devil is, Chryſoſt. Hom. 49. in Math.) ſo often condemned; but will refreſh his ſoul, wearied with the ſad burden of his fins, by the ſpiritual joy of theſe dances: and prepare himſelf the better to celebrate that eternal Sabbath in the Heavens, which muſt be obſerved for ever with all the Saints. And that this is the ſolemnity which beſeemeth the Feaſts of Chriſtians, Gregory Nazianzen ſheweth at large, andOrat. 48. in Jul. 2. … exhorts us, to take hymns for timbrels, ſinging Pſalms, for filthy and ribald ſongs, a clapping of hands when we give thanks, for clapping the hands in the Theatre; gravity for laughter, prudent ſpeech for drunkenneſs, comlineſs and honeſty for delicious pleaſures. And if it be convenient for thee, when thou celebrateſt a Festival merrily, to dance, then dance, yet not the dance of Herodias, but of David, when he danced for the reſting of the Ark: by which I think myſtically is meant, the nimbleneſs and volubility of our holy journeying, and that which is pleaſing to God. Thus he.
Ephrem Syrus gives the ſame counſel,Serm. de cruce Dom. whoſe teſtimony deſerves to be added here. Let us honour, ſaith he, the Lords Feſtivals divinely, not in a worldly manner, but ſpiritually, not after the cuſtome of the Heathens, but Chriſtians: let us not lead dances, nor effeminate our ears with pipes and harps.—You, both ſmall and great, men and women, let us in a Chriſtian manner celebrate the Lords Feſtivals, in Pſalms, and Hymns, in ſpiritual Songs, and Angelical melody. That bleſſed Soul uttered this, about the Lords Feſtivity,Hom. 26. in 1 Cor. the reaſon of all which, is extant in Chryſoſtom. There is, ſaith he, a time for Prayers, not for drunkenneſs, and that alwayes, and eſpecially at ſolemnities. For a ſolemnity is therefore instituted, not to live filthily, nor to abound in ſin, but to extoll preſent things.
Theſe and many other teſtimonies of the Ancients, do ſhew, that all carnal following of worldly delights, (whereby the ſparks of the Holy Ghoſt being ſtirred up in the Lords day holy exerciſes of piety are choaked) by which either Divine worſhip may be hindred, or the fruit thereof prevented, ought far to be baniſhed from the Chriſtian Church. For it is as ſure as can be, as ſometimes *in Pſ. 45.Ruffinus, that when we are idle and negligent, when we lift not up our mind in heavenly deſires, when we grow cold in the love of our Lord, when we ſpend the day in fables, and wicked cogitations, then we more attend upon the Devil than God. And after; The enemy derides our Sabbaths, when they ſee us to be at leiſure for the idleneſs and vanities of the evil ſpirit.
If aSympoſ. l. 4. q. 5.Plutarch thought that the Jews did worſhip Bacchus on their Sabbath, becauſe they then ſtrove at their cups and riotings, and gave themſelves wholly to drunkenneſs, (and for that cauſe called the Sabbath foreign, which ſignifies Bacchus, or the ſon of Bacchus) how much more truly might he at this day ſay it of many in the Church, if he obſerved how they are given to Bacchus, Venus, ſports, and mad dances? and yet theſe ſins do rage all abroad, without danger of puniſhment, to the great ignominy of the Chriſtian name: for there is no wickedneſs ſo heinous, which is not moſt of all committed on the Lords holy day: aPolid. Vir. de invent. rerum, l. 6. c. 8.While the greateſt part of men do daily more and more ſpend the reſt of Feſtival dayes not in praying, not in hearing the Scriptures, for which cauſe the reſt was given, but for all manner of encreaſing the corruption of good manners: ſaying, that they do it for their mind ſake, as if they were altogether of Plato's mind, who ſaid, that for that very purpoſe did God institute ſuch holy Feſtivals. And he repeats the ſame complaint, in his Expoſition of the Lords Prayer, when he explains the fourth Petition, and thus laments; At this day, no time is uſually more ſpent in all manner of ſports, in dances, wanton love, company-keeping, dicing, bargains, and fairs.
Theſe do abundantly ſhew, that dancings, ſports, and ſights, were both forbidden of the Emperours and Fathers, that they ſhould not at all be kept on the Lords day: which, he that views the ſacred Decrees of the one, and the grave Records of the other, will not deny. Yet when all is done, leſt ſome think (bTert. de ſpecta. 29. whom the Doctrine of the …e delights, and thoſe who releaſe their minds to pleaſure, more than is fitting) that not all, but ſome kinds of thoſe ſports, were forbidden, and that only while the Church-aſſemblies were held, as though the Chriſtian people were at their liberty, to uſe certain kinds of dances and ſights, even upon the Lords day, when the publick Church-aſſemblies were finiſhed; to whom it ſeems, aTertul. de ſpectac. c. 1.ſuch extrinſecal ſolaces of the eyes and ears, do nothing interrupt the Religion in their mind and conſcience: as though God could not be offended with the delight of man; which, without any prejudice to Gods fear and honour, to enjoy in fit time and place is no ſin: leſt any one here ſhould think ſo, I will over and above add ſomething, that may make more for illuſtrating the genuine ſenſe of the aforeſaid prohibitions.
And in the firſt place, this is worth ourFour kinds of ſights anciently. knowing, that ſights, playes, and conflicts, were amongſt the ancients under the ſame kind: and in Tertullian there are reckonedAp. adv. Gent. c. 38. four kinds of ſights; namely, 1. Circi inſania, [i. the folly of the Cirque.] 2. Theatri impudiciti…, [i. the wantonneſs of the Theatre.] 3. Arenae atrocitas, [the cruelty of the Sand.] 4. Xyſti vanitas, [i. the vanity of the Xyſt, or wraſtling-gallery.] In the Cirque, four horſes run ſtriving one with another; In the Theatres were acted Stageplayes, and immodeſt Interludes were recited; In the Sand, were ſetting together wild Beaſts, and Fencers; Laſtly, in the Wraſtling galleries, there were the praeludia of theſe Games, while the Wraſtlers were exerciſed in their Schools, and the ſwiftneſs of the runners was tryed. Whence, the ſame Tertullian calls the founders and orderers of theſe ſights, *Tert. de ſpect. c. 22.Quadrigiarios, Scenicos, Xyſticos, & Arenarios. Whatever we meet with to be obſerved about them, by the ſearchers of antiquity, it is to be referred to theſe kinds of ſights. And all theſe are diſallowed by the ancients, eſpecially by Tertullian and Cyprian, in their books which they have ſet out purpoſely de ſpectaculis. In which their Idolatrous original (becauſe at firſt amongſt other ſuperſtitious rites, they were inſtituted under the name of Religion) and divers obſcene provocations of luſt flowing from them, are recited and condemned.
But when the Emperours had embraced the Chriſtian Faith, it ſeems all other acts but the ſights in the Cirque, and Theatre were ceaſed: and hence it was, that theIt is not for Chriſtians to be preſent at ſights. grave Fathers, being haters of Games, when they write againſt ſights, do not ſo much make mention of others, as of theſe two: and againſt them, from which they judge, that all Chriſtians ſhould withdraw, they direct a ſharp ſtile enough; neither by their good will, would they have any members of the Church at any time, much leſs on the Lords day, to be preſent at them. This the books above cited, de ſpectaculis, do without me ſaying any thing, abundantly teſtifie.
The holy, and general Synod in Trulle,Can. 51. forbids thoſe Jeſters, as they are called, and the ſights of them: and then the ſeeing of huntings, and thoſe dances that are acted in the Scene. Neither is the time named by them, on which they are prohibited, but they ſay, that the Synod, foreign, forbiddeth altogether: and what is forbidden altogether, is to be done at no time. For (as Zonaras expounds the Canon) the Faithful are to lead their life by the preſcript of Evangelical diſcipline, and not remiſsly, foreign, i. as becometh Saints. All thoſe things therefore, by which the mind cannot be releaſed, by a neceſſary remiſſion, and whereupon immoderate laughters are provoked, are by the decree of this Canon forbidden.
Now, if in their judgment, we muſt not at any time ſee the actions of Jeſters, or Scenical dancings, much leſs muſt we on the Lords day, which is expreſly ordained by the Africanes in the Council of Carthage. Can. 67. ap. Zona.St. Chryſoſtom, Cyril, Ephrem Syrus, Greg. Naz. and divers other Fathers, have taught the ſame. The ſacred Emperours, Leo, Anthemius, and others, have decreed the ſame, whoſe teſtimonies are formerly recited in this Chapter.
But although the truth of this be largely demonſtrated, *Cypr. de ſpectac.yet ſo far is the vigour of Eccleſiaſtical diſcipline enervated, and by the languiſhing whereof, we are thrown down into ſo bad a condition, that now not only an excuſe, but authority is given to vice. Whereupon,No worldly pleaſures to be uſed on the Lords day. the ſame falls out in our age, which did ſometime in Cyprians, there are not wanting fawning aſſertors, and indulgent patrons of vices, who give authority to vice. Theſe do, as we ſaid, batter with a double Ram, the aforeſaid truth, confirmed by ſo many illuſtrious teſtimonies of the ancients. And they contend, that worldly ſhows were forbidden of the Fathers, only for two cauſes, either becauſe they were obſcene in themſelves, and of their own nature, and therefore never lawful; or elſe becauſe they were held at ſuch a time, as the publick meetings of the Church were celebrated: according to them, honeſt and ſober dances, as they ſpeak, notwithſtanding the aforeſaid Canons and Statutes, eſpecially after the Church-meetings are ended, may ſafely be uſed. How wiſe doth diſputing arrogance think it ſelf, eſpecially when it fears loſing any thing of worldy joyes! ſaith Tertullian. This ſubtil wit, if anyDe ſpec. c. 2. where, appears in this weak refuge. Shall they who decree (as Leo, and Anthemius) that dayes dedicated to the moſt High Majeſty, be occupied in no pleaſures, be believedUbi prius. that they would aſſign any place to them? and although theſe pleaſures afterwards, in the ſame law, be called obſcene; yet by virtue of what conſequence can it be inferred, that therefore ſome pleaſures there are not obſcene, which are not prohibited by that decree? This new, and unheard of diſtinction, of forbidden pleaſures, is to be left to the authors of it, which was unknown to Leo and Anthemius, when they decreed, that the holineſs of the day was to be violated by no pleaſures: and which Octavius, in Minuc. Felice, confeſſes, the Church was ignorant of, while he anſwers Caecilius, blaming the Chriſtians, for abſtaining from ſights and pomps, which Caecilius, then a heathen, called honeſt pleaſures: Octavius confeſſes, that Chriſtians abſtained from them: Octavius, a Chriſtian, takes thoſe for evil pleaſures, which Caecilius a Heathen called honeſt. This is to all men an argument, that the Chriſtians (whoſe cauſe Octavius pleads againſt Caecilius) did repute the pleaſures of ſights and pomps, as evil: and that for good cauſe, ſince (as the Greeks have a Proverb, An ape is an ape, although clad in purple) by the pleaſures of ſights, with what painting ſoever they be whited, the Lords day is not to be violated. Any may ſee, that the pleaſures of pomps or ſhowes, in the fore-mentioned decree of the Emperours, are called obſcene from the effect. For they that follow them, do uſually fall into obſcene manners: And the word Obſcenity is added by the Emperours, not for the diſtinction, but deteſtation of pleaſures: as when the Apoſtle, 1 Pet. 4. 3. calls Idolatry abominable, or if any one elſe ſhould call Drunkenneſs deteſtable; will any wiſe man thence conclude, that there is a certain lawful uſe of Images, or that ſome Drunkenneſs is not to be deteſted? Nothing leſs St. Chryſoſtom Hom. 38. in Matth.wiſhed, that games and dances might altogether be left off: of which he never ſpeaks, without highly deteſting them in his mind, and boldly condemns the very art of dancing: which he that exerciſeth, if he be asked, why, omitting other arts, he is employed in this? *Chryſoſt Hom. 41. in Ioh.he could not deny it to be diſhoneſt and unjuſt. If therefore Conſcience dictate, as Chryſoſtom thinks, that the very art of this pleaſure be diſhoneſt and unjuſt, let them who commend them to the Church, ſee, where thoſe ſober and modeſt dances, which they ſpeak of, can find any place: and to thoſe that expound choreas ducere, only of laſcivious dances, we will in a form of ſpeech commodious enough, interpret theſe dances to be meant of all dancings whatſoever: otherwiſe St. Cyprian had not affirmed, that David *De ſpec. Ser. 2.danced before God, unleſs any ſhould think, that the Bl. Martyr (which never came into his mind) would brand the Royal Prophet with a mark of laſcivious, and obſcene dancing. And if there be any that think, that dancing be ſober and modeſt, they are at their liberty for me to abound in their own ſenſe: at leaſt, with Octavius, that good defender of the Chriſtian Religion, and other lights of Reformed Chriſtianity, it ſeems meet for me to repute them as obſcene, and evil pleaſures. Laſtly, let the patrons of thoſe dances, which they call ſober, bring forth any teſtimony out of approved Authors, whereby any dances on the Lords Dayes can be defended, and then we will believe them, that ſuch dances were not prohibited by the Fathers: which, till it be done, we will with the ancients ſay, we ought not to lead dances, or effeminate our ears with pipes and harps. The ancients curſed thoſe kinds of pleaſures, which then were in uſe. If the things which at this day are highly eſteemed by the world, and are reckoned as ſober, had in their age put up the head, doubtleſs they would have condemned them, with the ſame zeal, and holy fervour of ſpirit, as being contrary to the Lords ſolemnity, and which hindred the ſanctification thereof. In the mean while, ſince we ſee that ſports and dances by St. Cyril; all pleaſures by Leo and Anthemius; ſports and dances, by the Fathers of Colen; dancings, by the Council of Millain, to be condemned; the pleaſures of ſhowes to be reckoned evil, of Octavius and Chryſostome; to reprehend dances, as leading to the Devil; we affirm, that theſe worldly ſhowes (which are the very fomes of pleaſures, and whoſe art, witneſs Chryſoſtom, is diſhoneſt, and unbeſeeming the Chriſtian name) are not to be kept on the Lords day.
Moreover, neither are the fore-mentionedNo dancing after Churchmeetings. prohibitions ſo to be expounded, as if dances and ſhowes were only forbidden, while the ſacred exerciſes of piety were held on the Lords day in the publick aſſemblies; which being finiſhed, who will may lawfully be employed in them: for that indeed would be nothing elſe but *Tertul. de ſpec. 11. ſect: 25.to go straight out of Gods Church into the Devils. But God grant that ſuch a deſire of deſtructive pleaſure be prevented from his people. We have in the fifth Chapter declared, that Chriſtians muſt keep all the whole day holy, and afterwards, God willing, will teach what duties of piety are to be done by Chriſtians, when Church-meetings are ended.
And thus from the premiſes we find, that the Lords Day is to be violated by no pleaſures: *Chryſ. Hom. 2. T. 6.For we muſt honour this day with a ſpiritual honour, not in feasting, and drinking, not in drunkenneſs and dances, &c.
The End of the Firſt Book.
THE Lords-Day.
THE SECOND BOOK.
In Which It's ſhewed at large, out of the Records of the ancients, what things are required to the ſanctification of the Lords Day.