What fhall I fay of the vain and useless Diversions of Comedy, and the Extravagancies of Tragedy. Tho thefe things were not Confecrated to Idols, Chriftians would however not be allow'd to be Actors or Spectators of them, for tho they were innocent in all other refpects, they would still be a vain Entertainment unbecoming a Chriftian.

A faithful Chriftian then ought to avoid these Shews; which are, as I have often faid, fo vain, fo pernicious, fo facrilegious we are carefully to guard our Eyes and, our Ears, the Crimes we hear often spoke of we eafily accustom our felves to; the Mind of Man having a bent to Evil, what will he do if he is befides invited to it by Examples of the Vices of the Flesh? When one is ready to fall of himself, what will he do when he is thruft? We must then withdraw our Inclinations from these Fooleries; a true Chriftian has Nobler Diverfions than thefe, if he would reflect on real and ufeful Pleasures. Let him apply himself to read the Holy Scriptures, he will there find Entertainments worthy of the Faith he profeffes; how Noble, my Brethren, how agree

able,

able, how profitable ra Pleasure is it, continually to contemplate the Object of our Hopes, the Joys of Heaven?

A

In bis Epiftle to Eucratius.

S we have an Affection and Defe

rence one for the other, it has pleas'd you, my Dear Brother, to ask my opinion concerning a Player whether he ought to be receiv'd into our Communion? This Perfon continuing still in that Occupation, inftructing Youth not to govern themselves well, but to undo themselves, it is my thoughts, that the Refpect we owe to the Majesty of GOD, and the Order of the Evengelical Difcipline, cannot fuffer the Purity and Honour of the Church to be fullied by fo dangerous a Cantagion,

Lactantius Firmianus, In the fixth Book of his Divine Inftitutions.

CHAP. 20

OU ought to reject the Publick Shews, because being Occafions of Vice, and ferving only to corrupt the

Manners,

Manners, they are not only useless to conduct us to Eternal Life, but even extreamly hurtful to it.

Nor do I think the Diverfions of the Stage lefs pernicious than the other Shews; for in Comedy they represent the Debauching of Virgins. and the Intrigues of Strumpets, and the more eloquent the Authors of these infamous Representations are, the more mischief they do, they engage the more those who hearken to them by the Politeness of their Sentiments, and the Harmony and Beauty of their Verse makes the Memory the more eafily retain them. In Tragedy Parricides, Incefts, and all forts of Crimes are Pompously fet in veiw, and for the Actors of Farce, what do they by their immodeft Motions but teach and inspire Impurity? those effaminate Wretches bely what they are, and study to appear Women in their Habit, their Gait, and their Lafcivious Geftures. What fhall I fay of these Buffoons who keep a School of Debauchery, and by feign'd Adulteries teach to commit real ones? What can young Men and Women do feeing fuch Wickedness committed without fhame? whilft all the World beholds them with Delight,

Delight, they learn by that what they themselves may do: Every one according to their Sex reprefent themselves in their Imagination at thefe Shews, thofe Objects kindling in their Hearts the Fire of Impurity (which is enflam'd by the Sight,) by laughing at thefe Reprefentations they approve rhem, and not only Children (who certainly fhould not be made to have a relifh of Evil, even before they are capable of knowing it) but likewife old Perfons (in whom it is fhameful to commit thofe Sins which by their Age they fhould be paft) carrying away with them the Vices of the Stage, return home more corrupted than they were. Let us then avoid thefe Pleasures not only that Vice may not make an impreffion on our Minds which disturbs the Peace and Tranquillity of our Hearts, but that we may not fuffer our felves, in complyance with the Cuftom of the World, to be tranfported by the Attractions of Plea fure, which takes us off from God, and from the Good Works which we ought to do.

CHAP. 21.

HOULD we not think a Man a Scandalous Libertine who fhould keep a fet of Players in his Houfe? now if one cannot be Spectator of a Play at home without Indecency, can the feeing it represented on the Stage before a Multitude of People make it more Decent?

Fine Verfes and agreeable Difcourfes gain the Mind and carry it whither they will: therefore he who feeks Truth and would not deceive himself, ought to reject these pernicious Pleasures to which the Soul abandons it felf, as thé Body to delicious food however Deftructive to it. We must prefer Real things to Appearances, the Ufeful to the Agreeable, and Eternal things to thofe which pafs away. Take no pleafure in looking on any other Actions but what are juft and pious, or in hearing any thing but what nourishes the Soul and may render you better; take care not to make an ill use of that Senfe which was given us to hearken to the Inftructions of GOD: If then you delight in Verfes and Songs, let your Pleafure be to fing or hear others fing the

Praises