any Lofs, it falls wholly upon us. We reject, you lay, the things which please you: we have a Right fo to do, fince our Pleafures are not yours.

Tertullian in his Treatife of Publick Shews,

СНАР. 1.

E who are ready to enter into

Ythe Service of the Divine Majesty,

and ye who are already enter'd by Confeffion and the Declaration you have made of it in Baptifm, know and acknowledge that the Nature of the Faith, the Order of Truth, and the Law of the Chriftian Discipline abfolutely condemns the Diverfion of the Publick Shews, with the other Irregularities of the World; that none of you may fin out of Ignorance or Diffimulation. For Pleasure has fo great a Power over Men that it makes them embrace Occafions of Sin out of Ignorance, to betray their Conscience by Diffimlation.

T

CHAP. 3.

HERE are fome Chriftians who out of Simplicity, or for want of Docility, can hardly believe that they are oblig'd to deprive themfelves of the Diverfion of the Publick Shews; because fay they it does not appear in the Holy Scriptures that this is forbidden to the Servants of GOD. Tis true we do not find this Prohibition in exprefs terms in Holy Scripture, you fhall not go to the Circus, you fhall not be prefent at Plays, you fhall not be Spectator of the Combats of the Wreftlers, or of the Gladiators as it is faid in. formal Terms, you shall not kill, you shall not worship Idols, you fhall not commit Adultery, you shall not "Steal, you shall not injure your Neighbour. But the Condemnation of Shews is notwithstanding clearly enough exprefs'd by these first words of the Pfalms of David, Bleffed is the Man who has not walked in the Council of the ungodly, nor ftood in the way of Sinners, and has not fat in the Chair of Pestilence.

CHAP,

C

AN it be faid that Shews are not forbidden by the Holy Scripture, fince it condemns, all forts of Concupifcence? For as Concupifcence comprehends Avarice, Ambition, Gluttony and Luxury, it likewife comprehends Voluptuoufnefs: Now Shews are one kind of Voluptuousness.

A

CHAP. 10.

S. to Plays, if we confider the Original of the Theatre, which is the place where they are represented, we fhall find that it is the Temple of Venus; 'Twas under this Title that it was establish'd in the World; for before, as foon as Theatres were fet up, the Cenfors often made them be thrown down, to preserve that Purity of Manners, of which they forefaw the Corruption and inevitable Ruine, if the Liber

ty of Shews were permitted. So that the Sentiments of Heathens, which are likewise ours in this point, are a Testi mony to them of the Impiety of Plays, as the Regulations even of Human Dif

cipline

cipline ferves to prejudice us against them. Pompey the Great who furmounted himself by the Magnificence of his Theatre, having built that Refuge of all forts of Impurity, fearing he might be one day branded for it by the Cenfors, and by that means a blemish be caft on his Memory, built a Temple over it to the honour of Venus; and in the Edict which he publifh'd to convene the People to the Confecration of that Edifice, he did not give it the Name of Theatre, but of the Temple of Venus, under which, fays he, we have put Seats for those who will be present at the Diverfions: Thus under the Title of a Temple he rais'd that deteftable Building, making use of Superftition to baffle Difcipline.

A

CHAP. 15.

ND if the Modefty and Probity of fome are fecured at Plays by their Dignity, their Age, or even by their natural Temper; yet their Minds are not fo infenfible as not to be mov'd by fome Secret Paffion; None receive Pleafure without Senfible Impreffions, and fuch Impreffions are

always

always accompany'd with the Circumftances which excite them. But if any one is prefent at Plays without Pleasure, and without receiving any Impreffion, He is then guilty of the Sin of fpending his Time very vainly, in going to a place that is of no ufe to him; and Employing our felves to no purpofe is certainly a Sin, which a Chriftian ought to avoid. But befides, does not one who is prefent at Plays condemn himfelf, fince in that he would not be like thofe Actors, he confeffes that he detefts them? Now it is not fufficient for us to do nothing like, but we are befides oblig'd not to favour by our Confent and our Approbation thofe who commit these Crimes. If thou Jeeft à Thief, fays the Pfalmift, thou Confenteft unto him, P. 50. v. 18. would to GoD it were poffible for us not to live in the World amidst thefe People, but at leaft we ought to keep our felves from the Deeds of the World, because the World, is the Workmanfhip of GOD,. but the Deeds of the World are the Works of the Devil.

CHAP.