A Divine Tragedy Lately Acted, Epilogue
THE EPILOGVE.
THus have I preſented you with a large Scene of late ſeverall examples of Gods judgements upon Sabbath-breakers, and ſuch aSo the Statute of 1. Caroli c. 1. ſtiles them.diſorderly people, who have been ſo preſumptuous as to prophane the Lords own ſacred day, againſt the monitions of Gods faithfull Ministers, with unneceſſarie labour, vain ſports and idle paſtimes. To which I might annex many ancient Precedents of like nature which I pretermit, onelyonly one excepted, which is remarkable. In the yeer of our Lord 1583. in the famous Metropolis of this our Land, the City of London, two Citizens, the one leaving his wife, the other her husband, and committing adulterie together on the Lords day, it pleaſed God to ſtrike them dead with fire from heaven, whileſt they were in the very act of uncleanneſſe, their bodies being left dead in the place half burnt up, ſending out a moſt loathſome ſavour, for a ſpectacle of Gods avenging Juſtice unto others, to teach them both to ſhun the ſin of adultery and of Sabbath-breaking too, and to take heed how they commit any fin or wickedneſſe at any time, and eſpecially on Gods ſacred day, or how they follow dauncing, may-games, Moriſdaunces, Ales, and ſuch laſcivious paſtimes, bVincentius Volnacenſis Spec. moral. li. 3. Ps. 9. Diſt. 6. Mr. Northbrook, Stubs, Brant, Lovel, and others in their Treatiſes againſt dauncing.which commonly end in whoredome, adultery, as being ſtrong allurements thereunto, this judgement was ſo famous and remarkable, that Laurentius Bayenlinke, a forrain Hiſtorian, in his Opus Chronologicum orbis univerſi Antwerp. 1611. p. 110. hath thought good to regiſter it to poſterity, if any deem thoſe judgements ſtrange, or that God ſhould iuſtice ſuch puniſhments on this ſin, which ſome now juſtifie, as a part of Chriſtian liberty, both in the Pulpit and in cThe late Treatiſe, Hiſtory and Diſcourſe of the Sabbath, Sunday No Sabbath, Doctor Pri. and a ſoveraigne Antidote againſt Sabbatarian Novelties.printed works. I ſhall onelyonly intreat ſuch to remember, that the whole Convocation houſe, all the Arcbbiſhops, Biſhops, Archdeacons, and greateſt Clerks of England in their book intituled, The Inſtitution of a Chriſtian Man, ſubſcribed with all their names, and dedicated to King Hen. 8. an…. 1537. and King Hen. 8. himſelf in his own book inſcribed A neceſſarie doctrine and erudition for any Chriſtian man ſet forth by the Kings Majeſtie of England, with the adviſe and approbation of the Lords ſpirituall and temporall, and Nether houſe of Parliament, ann. 1543. and by the King himſelf, dedicated under his name and title to all his faithfull and loving Subjects, and publiſhed by vertue of the Statute, of 30. H. 8. c. 26. in the expoſition of the fourth Commandment, have in the very dawning of Reformation injoyned all Biſhops and Preachers diligently to inſtruct and teach the people, committed to their ſpirituall charge (and I wiſh that ſome Biſhops would now do it) that againſt this commandment generally do offend all they, which having no lawfull impediment, do not give themſelves upon the holy day to hear the Word of God, to remember the benefits of God, to give thanks for the ſame, to pray, to exerciſe ſuch holy works both publikely in the Church, and privately in their houſes, as be appointed for ſuch holy dayes: but (as commonly is uſed) paſſe the time either in idleneſſe, in gluttony, in riot, or other vain and idle paſtime, Do *Ergo it is in force, and the prophaning of the Lords day a ſin againſt it.break this Commandment. For ſurely ſuch keeping of holy day, is not according to the intent and meaning of this Commandment, (as ſome new *As the Treatiſe, Hiſtory, Diſcourſe of the Sabbath.Doctors now dogmatize) but after the uſage and cuſtome of the Jews, (though ſome late Rabbies would make the world beleeve that the ſtrict ſanctification of the Lords day, and the reſtraining of vain ſports and paſtimes on it, is Jewiſh, whenaEpiſt. 6. ad magnefianos. Ignatius, bTract 3. in Iob. de 10. chordis. c. 3. In Pſ. 32. 91. De conſenſu Evang. li. 2. c. 77Auguſtine, cIn Iob. Evang li. 8. c. 5.Cirillus Alexandrinus, dHomily de feſtis diebus.Ephraim Syrus, eEccl. Hiſt. l. 7. c. 13.Socrates, Scholaſticus, fCodicis Theodoſit l. 15. tit. 5. lex. 5.Theodoſius the Emperour,gEnare in Pſ 91. Beda, Vincentius Belvacenſis, and generally al Authors ſince, have branded dauncing, ſports, and recreations on the Lords day both as Jewiſh and heatheniſh; andiEdit. 5. Lon. 1624. Sect. 38. n. 1. p. 110. Se. 43. digr. 46. n. 6. p. 165. 186. Dr. John White in his way to the true Church defended and publiſhed by his elder brother, Dr. Fr. White now Biſhop of Ely,kIn 4. preceptum. Mr. Zanchie, lIn Iohn Eu. c. 7. fol. 273.Wolfg. Muſculus, mPropoſition for the Chriſtian Sabbath, p. 4.Mr. John Sprint, as Popiſh and licentious; tending to the overthrow of piety, and deſolation of publike Government) and doth not pleaſe God, but doth much more offend him, and provoke his indignation and wrath towards us. For asnIn Iohan. tract. 3. in Pſ 32. & 91. de 10. chordl… c 3. St. Auguſtine ſaith of the Jews, they ſhould be better occupied, labouring in the hSpeculum morale li. 3. part. 9. c. 6.fields, and to be at plough, then to be idle at home. And women ſhould better beſtow their time in ſpinning of wooll, then on the Sabbath day to looſe their time in leaping or dauncing, and other idle wantonneſſe. Now if the whole Clergy, King, State, and Parliament were ſo quickſighted as in thoſe times of darkneſſe to ſee a Lords day Sabbath in the fourth Commandment, to be Wholly, onelyonly and intirely dedicated to God and his true worſhip, as they there teach; and ſo pious as to beleeve, that the exerciſe of vain idle ſports, paſtimes, and dauncing on it, did much more offend God, then ploughing or ſpinning, and provoke his wrath and indignation towards us; no wonder if we in the clear ſunſhine of the Goſpel behold ſo many ſad ſpectacles of his wrath, and indignation againſt the offenders of this commandment in this kinde, to teach theſe blinde Seers and ſeducing guides (asoIn his Sermons. Biſhop Latimer long ſince named them) that God is now as jealous for the ſanctification of his day, and as much offended with the prophaneneſſe of it, and infringers of the fourth Commandment, by unneceſſarie labours, travell, or idle paſtimes, as he had been in any age, if not rather much more, in regard of the great light of the Goſpel, that hath for theſe many yeers ſo clearly ſhined amongſt us, which if they will not yet beleeve, I ſhall at once cloſe up their mouthes with the reſolution of our Homilies ratified by p13. Eliz. c. 12. which ratifies the 39. Articles.Act of Parliament, and the 35. Article of our Church, to which theſe Novellers have ſubſcribed, and whoſe Patronage they pretend againſt allqThe treatiſe and hiſtory of the Sabbath. novell Sabatarians: But alas (ſaith rPart. 1. of the time and place of praier. p. 126.the Homily) all theſe notwithſtanding (and I pray God I may not ſtill ſay notwithſtanding all theſe freſh examples) it is lamentable to ſee the wicked boldneſſe of thoſe, that will be counted Gods people who paſſe nothing at all of keeping and hallowing the Sunday. And theſe people are of two ſorts; the one ſort, if they have buſineſſe to do, though there be no extreme need, they muſt not ſpare for the Sunday, they muſt ride journeys on the Sunday, they muſt drive and carry on the Sunday, they muſt come and ferry on the Sunday, they muſt buy and ſell on the Sunday, they muſt keep Markets and Fairs on the Sunday; finally they uſe all dayes alike, work dayes and holy dayes are all one. The other ſort is Worſe (ſo the Homily againſt theſe *Treatiſe of the Sabbath day, p. 231.new maſters, who make labour in mens callings on the Lords day Worſe and more unlawfull then dauncing and Paſtimes, contrary to the judgement ofſTract. 3. in Ioh. In Pſ. 32. & 91. de 10. chordis c. 3. Saint Auguſtine, Gregory the great,tApud Alex. Alenſis ſumm. Theologiae part. 4. q. 11. m. 2. Art. 11. Alenſis, and alluMedia villa Peraldus Nider Volaterranus, F. Martyr, Muſculus, Stuckius, Aretius, Hyperius, Szegedine, Angel. de Clavaſio. Dr Bound, Dr. Criffith, Williams Practiſe of Piety, Oſmund Lake, and infinite others. Writers ſince, who una voce reſolve, that it is better and more lawfull to plough and ſpin on the Sabbath day, then to daunce:) for although they will not travell and labour on the Sunday, as they do on the work day, yet they will not reſt in holineſſe as God commandeth; but they reſt in ungodlineſſe and filthineſſe, prauncing in their pride, pranking and pricking, pointing and painting themſelves to be gorgeous and gay, they reſt in exceſſe and ſuperfluitie in gluttony and drunkenneſſe (as they do at Wakes, Ales, and May-poles) like rats and ſwine, they reſt in brawling and rayling, in quarrelling and fighting, they reſt in wantonneſſe (and what elſe is dauncing, Moriſ dauncing, may gaming, &c.) in toyiſh talking, in filthy fleſhlineſſe, ſo that it doth too evidently appear, that God is more diſhonoured, and the devill better ſerved on Sunday, then upon all the dayes of the week beſides. And I aſſure you, that the beaſts that are commanded to reſt on the Sunday, honour God better then this kinde of people, for they offend not God, they break not their holy dayes. Wherefore, O ye people of God, lay your hands upon your hearts, repent and amend this grievous and dangerous wickedneſſe, ſtand in awe of the commandment of God, gladly follow the example of God himſelf, be not diſobedient to the godly order of Chriſts Church uſed and kept from the Apoſtles times untill this day, fear the diſpleaſure and juſt plagues of Almighty God if ye be negligent, and forbear not labouring and travelling on theaSee the Homily …. times ſtiles the Lords day, and the 3. Homily of rebellion twice. Sabbath day, and do not reſort together to celebrate and magnifie Gods bleſſed name in quiet holineſſe and godly reverence. I ſhall conclude all with the words of the Councell of Paris under Lewis and Lotharius. Ann. 829. li. …. c. 50. & li. 3. c. 5. & 19. Multa alia terribilia judicia. &c. Many other terrible judgements have been, and hitherto are, whereby is declared how much God is offended with the diſhonour of this day. Wherefore the Imperiall highneſſe is ſpecially to be implored of thebNote. Prieſts, that this power ordained of God for the honour and reverence of ſo great a day, may put a fear into all men, leſt none of what condition ſoever preſume on this holy and venerable day to uſe theſe and the like ſports, dauncings and leapings hereafter, becauſe while they do theſe things, they both darken the glory of Chriſtianity, and give occaſion to the blaſphemers of Chriſts name the more to diſhonour him.
We require alſo, and earneſtly intreat, that in the obſervation of the Lords day, as we have a long time beſeeched you, you uſe due care that unleſſe great neceſſity conſtrain you, free your ſelves on that day, as much as may be from worldly cares and ſollicitouſneſſe. And that which becometh the honour of ſo great a day, that both you your ſelves do it, and by your example do teach and compell yours to do it.
We wholſomely admoniſh all faithfull people, that they give due honour and reverence to the Lords day, becauſe the diſhonour of this day doth both much ſwarve and abhor from Chriſtian religion, and doth without doubt procure the perill of ſouls to the violaters thereof; And with that of the Councell of Burges, an. 1582. Apud Bach…llum Decretae Eccleſiae Gall. l. 4. Tit. 7. c. 21. Although Lords dayes and holy dayes are inſtituted onelyonly for this purpoſe, that faithfull Chriſtians abſtaining from externall and gainfull works, might more freely and with greater piety give themſelves to divine worſhip, and to the meditation of the infinite benefits of Gods goodnes towards mankinde, and ſo being wholly taken up with the wholſome duties of religion, ſhould diligently beware as Ignatius admoniſheth the Philippians, that they ſhould not abuſe holy dayes with any diſgrace or injuries, yet notwithſtanding in our times, it prepoſterouſly and uſually comes to paſſe, that both ſolemne and religious dayes are not onelyonly ſpent in tranſacting, unlawfull and ſecular buſineſſe, but likewiſe in luxury, laſciviouſneſſe, prohibited ſports, and paſtimes, Revels, and the exerciſing of other wickedneſſes, whereupon it is not to be doubted, that for the greateſt part, ſo many calamities wherewith we were ſo long ſince confirm… juſtly inflicted on us by God, who is incenſed againſt us by ſo great wickedneſſe. To appeaſe whoſe preſent anger, and likewiſe to avert his greater indignation hanging over our heads: we command all Pariſh Prieſts of our Province, that they frequently and ſeriouſly admoniſh the people, that on Lords dayes they not onelyonly keep themſelves from all prohibited works, but likewiſe that they be ex animo cordially and religiouſly, preſent at all ſacred myſteries of the Church, and at the preaching of Gods Word, and that they preterm it not the works of piety in relieving the poore, comforting the afflicted, and in doing other pious things, wherein Chriſtian profeſſion and charitie do moſt of all ſhine forth. And we exhort all Magiſtrates according to their and our duty, as far as poſſibly we may, that they would take care, that thoſe holy and ſolemne dayes ſhould be holily and piouſly celebrated, this being principally in their power, and belonging to their charge. Neither verily can any manner of Governing the Common-wealth, be better or more praiſe-worthie then that which gives the firſt place and care to divine worſhip and religion.
FINIS.
LONDON: Printed for John Wright junior, and for Tho. Bates, and are to be ſold at their ſhops in the Old Baylie. 1642.
End of the text · Henry Burton, A Divine Tragedy Lately Acted (1641)