A Divine Tragedy Lately Acted, Title page – To the reader
A DIVINE TRAGEDIE LATELY ACTED, OR, A Collection of ſundrie memorable examples of Gods judgements upon Sabbath-breakers, and other like Libertines, in their unlawfull Sports, hapning within the Realme of England, in the compaſſe onelyonly of few yeers laſt paſt, ſince the Book was publiſhed, worthy to be known and conſidered of all men, eſpecially ſuch, who are guilty of the ſin or Archpatrons thereof.
By that worthy Divine Mr. Henry Burton.
Printed in the yeer 1641.
many thouſand yeers paſt, yet they remain ſtill freſh upon record, as done but yeſterday, even for this very end, that they might be examples unto us, not to luſt after evill things as they luſted, nor to trace the footſteps of their ſinfull wayes, leſt we ſhould incur the ſelf ſame exemplarie puniſhments as they ſuſtained. 1. Cor. 10. 5. to 12. And as God himſelf, ſo holy men of God in all ages, following his example, have carefully ob…ed, and regiſtred to poſterity the ſpeciall moſt remarkable judgements of God upon obſtinate ſins and ſinners of all ſorts, (with which not onelyonly Eccleſiaſtical, but even prophane ſtories are fully fraught) happened in the ages, and the places wherein they lived: many whereof Mr. Jo. Fox in his Acts and Monuments, near the end. Mr. Raynolds in his Treatiſe concerning the miraculous diſcovery and puniſhments of murthers and Murtherers. Dr. Thomas Beard in his Theatre of Gods, judgements, with ſundry others, have collected and digeſted into intire Tractates, the very reading and ſerious peruſall whereof, would no doubt daunt the moſt profeſſed Atheiſt, and reclaim the moſt incorrigible ſinner I therefore deſiring to tread in their pious footſteps, having received from good intelligence many memorable preſidents of Gods avenging juſtice upon Sabbath-breakers; and the prophaners of Sacred times devoted to his ſervice, hapning within the compaſſe of our little Iſland within two yeers ſpace, (ſince the publication of the Declaration for Sports and Paſtimes after Evening Prayer on the Lords day, in Pariſh Churches by divers aNullam habet ſpem ſalutis aeger quam ad intemperantiam Meditus hortatur. Senec.Miniſters hath ſet open the flood-gates to this preſumptuous ſin of Sabbath-breaking; thought it a part of my bounden duty to preſerve and propagate their memorie both for the honour of Gods truth and juſtice; the vindication of the intire ſanctification of his ſacred day, (which he hath viſibly pleaded for from heaven, ſince men have been audaciouſly prophane,bSee the Doctrine of the Sabbath; The Hiſtory of the Sabbath: the Treatiſe of the Sabbath-day, and Diſcourſe of the Sabbath lately printed: which though they condemne the very name of Sabbath, as Iewiſh, yet they are all characteriſed with that name and title. as to plead, and I would I could not ſay to write and preach againſt it upon earth) the clearing of thoſe Miniſters innocencie, who now unjuſtly ſuffer through the malice of ungodly perſecuters, and raging Prelates, for refuſing to joyne with others in ſpurring on the people to the greedy purſuit of this crying dangerous ſin, to the ruin of their ſouls, their bodies, and ſhame of our Religion, and the monition of this preſent, and all future ages, to beware of this ſo dangerous a tranſgreſſion. How God hath puniſhed this very ſin in former ages, in ſuch who have either by dancing, Sports, Paſtimes, or unneceſſarie Labours and travels prophaned his Sacred day, I mean not to record: he that liſteth may read ſtore of ſuch examples regiſt…ed to his hands in the Councell of Paris, under Lewis and Lotharius, anno 829. lib. 1. ca. 50. (which relates in generall; That many preſent in this Councell were eye-witneſſes, and others of them had it by relation, that ſome men upon the Lords day being about their husbandry, have been ſlain with Thunder, ſome puniſhed with the contraction of their joynts and ſins, ſome even with viſible fire have had their bodies and bones burnt up in a moment, and ſuddenly reſolved into aſhes, and that many other terrible examples of like nature hath happened and did fall out daily. By which it was declared, that God is much offended with the diſhonour of ſo great a Day;) Petrus Pleſſenſis in Latinia major Sermo 20. In Mathew Paris, Hiſtoria Major Anno 1200. p. 194. in Roger Hovenden, anno 1200. p. 122. In Mathew Weſtminſter. Flores Hiſtoriarum: Ann. 1200. In Vincentius Belvacenſis, Speculum Morale li. 3. pr 9. Diſtinctio 9. of dances, In the flower of the Commandments, printed in the beginning of King Hen. 8. fol. 159. to 163. In Henricus Gran. Diſtinct. 9. Exemp. 51. in the Magdeburge Centuries Centurie. 12. ca 6. In Dr. Bownde his doctrine of the Sabbath, Edition 2. p. 252. to 263. the firſt book: in Mr. John Field his declaration of Gods judgements at Paris garden: in Mr. Philip Stubs his Anatomie of abuſes, p. 185. in the Practice of Pietie: 429. to 434. and Dr. Beard his Theatre of Gods Judgements. All which have regiſtred ſundrie notable judgements of God upon ſundrie Sabbath-breakers (which have preſumed to dance, work, or travell, on the Lords holy day) of purpoſe to ſhew the danger of prophaning holy times, and to deter men from this common ſin, for which ſo many have ſmarted from heaven in an exemplarie manner. I ſhall therefore confine my ſelf onelyonly to ſuch domeſtick examples, as have fallen out in ſundrie corners of this our Realm within theſe two yeers, of purpoſe to refute the*2 Pet. 2. 16. madneſſe of thoſe Prophets, who in the Preſſe and Pulpit; and the prophaneneſſe of thoſe people, who in their dancing-greens, and may-pole arbors, have been ſo audacious, as to affirm, the Prophanation of the Lords day by Maygames, Dances, Maypoles, Wakes, and common Labour out of time of Divine Service, (eſpecially after Evening Prayer) to be no ſin at all againſt the fourth Commandement, or any other Law of God or man; but cSee the Hiſtory, Treatiſe, Diſcourſe, and Doctrine of the Sabbath accordingly, and Sunday no Sabbath.neceſſary and commendable point of true Chriſtian Libertie (they ſhould have ſaid of carnall and heatheniſh licentiouſneſſe rather) from which the people muſt not be debarred; But let theſe blinde guides, and Libertines learn from theſe examples, to correct this their erronious judgement, and practiſe; for fear the Lord make them the next examples in this kinde, to teach others to keep his Sabbaths better, and more intirely for the future. And if theſe tragicall ſpectacles of Divine juſtice will not perſwade them, that ſuch prophaning of the Lords moſt ſacred day is a ſin, yea and a crying ſin too, as all our writers (yea and our Prelates generally, till now of late have unanimouſly defined, and the whole State in Parliament in d1. Car. c 1. 3 Car. c. 1.two late famous Statutes ande1. 27. H. 6. 5. 5. & 6. E. 6. c. 3. two more ancient Acts, to omit ourfOf the Time and Place of Prayer. part. 1. Of Diſobedience and unlawfull Rebellion. part. 3. p. 292. 293. Homilies, gThe Praier after the 4. & 10 Commandment.Common Prayer Book, hCanon. 13. 163.Canons, iArticle 35. of Ireland 56.Articles, and kQueen Eliz. In un…r. 20.Injunctions, which conclude the ſame) I ſay have adjudged ſuch a preſumptuous tranſgreſſion, as will draw down Gods vengeance on mens heads; Our late Soveraign King James of happy memory, and our preſent gracious Soveraign Lord K. Charles with all the Prelates, Clergy, and people of the Realm in the first yeers of both their Reigns, in the ſeverall Books of Common Prayer, and order for the publike faſts ſet out by their royal authorities, and the Biſhops advice, with the conſent and hearty deſire of the whole Realm for the abating averſion, and ceaſing of thoſe dreadfull Plagues which then ſwallowed up many thouſands of people every week will inform them; That among other ſins, The prophaning of the Sabbath (ſo King James his Book ſtyles the Sunday) and not keeping holy the Lords day, was one chief cauſe why thoſe two great terrible Plagues (and why not alſo this great Plague which is now begun and ſpread much abroad) brake in upon us; to the deſtruction not of ſome few particular perſons, but of many thouſands, and the puniſhment of the whole Realme, and Nation in generall. And becauſe ſome of theſe men plead moſt falſly, that the chiefeſt writers of the reformed Churches are of their opinion, lHomil. 162. in Matth. fol. 308. Hom. 28. in Mar. f. 35. Hom. 56. in Lu. f. 141. Hom. 36. in Joan. f. 77. Hom. 88. in Act.Mr. Kodolphus Gualter, and mComment. in Matth. 12. & 14. p. 376. 423. in Joa; 7. f. 293.Wolfgangus Muſculus (men of principall note and learning among them) will both aſſure them, that the Lords day is not onelyonly wholly, onelyonly, and intirely to be ſpent in religious publike and private duties of Gods worſhip, and that dancing, ſports, and paſtimes, on it, are ſinfull, and execrable; (the conſtant judgement of all forraigne Proteſtant Divines whatſoever, as I am able to prove; what evernHiſtory of the Sabbath. …. 1. 2. …. 6. … 9 10. Dr. Helyn oroD. Pooklinton, Sunday, no Sabbath, p. 8. others have raſhly averred to the contrary; But likewiſe further inform them; That God may juſtly revenge the great contempt of his Deity in prophaning his Sacred day with dances and ſuch like Revels and diſorders: With horrible puniſhments, neither is it to be doubted (ſaith Mr. Gualther) that the prophanation of the Lords day, is not the leaſt cauſe of the evils and calamities of our age. Yea their own moſt illuſtrious Cardinall Robert Bellarmine (whom they almoſt deifie when they do but name him:) is ſo far a Puritan in this particular, that he not onelyonly ſpendsPConcio 6. 9 19, 20. 2…. foure or five whole Sermons againſt dancing, mummeries, masks, and ſuch like Bacchanals, (which he ſimply condemnes at all times, but eſpecially on ſacred feſtivals and Lords dayes as most deteſtable prophanations of them;) but likewiſe profeſſeth; that the practiſe of them upon ſacred times, was the occaſion of all the publike calamities and judgements which they ſuffered. But by theſe Dances, Mummeries, Bacchanels, and diſorders (ſaith he) we pollute the holy dayes of the Lord: and yet nevertheleſſe we do inquire the reaſons why God doth puniſh us? why we are ſlain in our very houſes? do not the Scriptures cry aloud, Sin maketh a people miſerable: And there is no evill in the Citie, which the Lord hath not done. Therefore theſe our ſins of prophaning the holy dayes of the Lord with dances, revels and bacchanals, have procured us famine, and pover, y and peſtilence, and ſedition, and all plagues and ſcourges. And verily (ſaith he) in another Sermon, I vehemently fear, that if we proceed to celebrate the Bacchanals with mummeries, and masks, and dances, as we do at other times, and to provoke God to wrath, with ſo many wicked paſtimes, our ſin will be grown to the full at laſt, and the anger of the Lord be ſo far incenſed, that he will utterly deſtroy us, as we ſee he hath deſtroyed many nations, for what I pray hath deſtroyed Grecia, but even that very thing which we do? They were men exceedingly given to drunkenneſſe, feaſting and dancing, (and that upon ſacred times) as may be known, by the Orations of Baſil, and Chryſoſtome. But what hath God done? becauſe they were addicted to theſe things, and eſpecially to Dancing, he hath impoſed ſuch a ſevere tyrant (to wit the Turke) upon their necks, that they now groane under the yoke, and are preſſed with ſo heavy a burthen, that they have neither Time nor Will to Dance or Caper. Thus Bellarmine to his great admirers ſhame and refutation. If then this ſin of prophaning the Lords day, by dancing, Maygames, Ales, Paſtimes, or unneceſſary travell and labour, draw down Gods Plagues and vengeance upon whole Kingdomes and Churches, as theſe authors, (together with Mr. John Field, in his declaration of the judgement of God, at Paris Garden; and Humphrey Robarts in his complaint for the Reformation of divers vain, and wicked abuſed exerciſes, practiſed on the Sabbath day, which tend to the hindrance of the Goſpel, and increaſe of many abominable vices: printed by Richard Jones, London 1580. together with Mr. Philip Stubs, in his Anatomie of abuſes, and M. John Northrook in his Treatiſe where in Dicing, Dancing, vain playes and Enter ludes, with other idle Paſtimes and exerciſes commonly uſed on the Sabbath day, are by the Word of God, and ancient Writers reproved, printed for George Biſhop. London, 1579.) moſt punctually teſtifie: and the Practice of Piety dedicated to his Majeſtie, and 39. times printed by publike authority reſolves: no wonder if it hath lately cauſed God to unſheath his ſword of exemplarie juſtice upon theſe particular perſons, (that I ſpeak not of the whole kingdome in generall now ſcourged with a freſh plague and lately a draught) whoſe tragicall examples I here preſent unto your view, to deterre all others from this ſin. It is a true ſaying of Cyprian, Praebentur cunctis Exempla, cum fuerint quibuſdam irrogata Supplicia. The Divine puniſhments of a few, are warnings to all: God grant that theſe may be ſo to us. He faith the ſame Father) is over audacious, who ſtrives to paſſe over there, where he hath ſeen another to have fallen; he is patragiouſly head ſtrong, who is not ſtruck with fear, when he beholds another periſh in that courſe, which he is running; he onelyonly is a lover of his own ſafety, who takes warning by the Deaths of othes: and he alone is a prudent man, who is made wife by the Ruins of other men, God of his merciemercy vouchſafe that the exemplarie deaths of theſe few here ſpecified (and of thouſands more in this time of mortality, occaſioned by this ſinne of Sabbath-breaking were as the former peſts; Together with a Plague in Pope Pelagius the ſecond his time, An. Dom. 591. as Petrus Bleſſenſis in his 20. Sermon de Litania maſori, records:) may prove life to many; and the judgements on ſome, become remedies to cure all, who are ſick of the ſelf ſame ſi…ne. Amen.