who live in affluence, and know no other ufe of riches but to feed their appetites, and make all the reft of mankind fubfervient to the gratification of their violent and ungovernable defires. But though none in this world have any title to hinder them from difpofing of their wealth as they please, they must be called to confider, that they have a mafter in heaven. To him they must render an account at the last day, and, in this account, the ufe that they make of their riches is not to be excepted. The great have, no doubt, the distinguished honour, if they please to embrace it, of contributing to the happinefs of multitudes under them, and difpenfing, under God, a great variety of the comforts of this life. But it would abate the envy and impatience of the lower part of the world, and moderate their appetite after riches, if they would confider, that the more that is committed to them, the more they have to account for. The greatest and richest man on earth hath not any licence in the word of God, for an unnecessary waste of his fubftance, or confuming it in unprofitable and hurtful pleasures; and, under the one or both of these characters, that must fall, that is laid out upon the stage. Let not any reader, who cannot find a fatisfying anfwer to these objections against the ftage as an unchriftian amufement, from the word of God, take take the practice of the world as a refuge or fanc. tuary, and fay, This is carrying matters to an extreme; if these maxims are rigidly adhered to, you will exclude from the number of Chriftians, not only the far greatest part of mankind, but many otherwife of excellent and amiable cha racters. Though this is the weakest of all arguments, it is, perhaps, that which hath of all others the strongest effect, and most powerfully contributes to fet peoples minds at eafe in a doubtful or dangerous practice. How hard is it to make men fenfible of the evil of fuch fins as custom authorifes, and fashion juftifies? There is no making them afhamed of them, because they are common and reputable, and there is no making them afraid of what they fee done without fufpicion by numbers on every hand. But is there any reason to believe, that the example of others will prove a juft and valid excufe for any practice at the judgment-feat of Chrift? Will the greatness or the number of offenders fcreen them from his power? Or can that man expect a gracious acceptance with him, who has fuffered his commands to be qualified by prevailing opinion, and would not follow him farther than the bulk of mankind would bear him company. I fhall close the reflections upon this part of the fubject by observing, that there are two general characters of the difciples of Chrift, which will appear, if we confult the Scriptures, to be effential to them, and which feem altogether inconfiftent with theatrical amufements. The first is felf-denial and mortification. Tho' we fhould not infift upon the particular objections against the ftage, there is something of pomp and gaiety in it, on the beft poffible fuppofition, that is inconfiftent with the character of a Chriftian. The gofpel is the religion of finners, who are faved from wrath by the rich mercy and free grace of God. The life of fuch then, must be a life of penitence, humility, and mortification. The followers of a crucified Saviour must bear the cross, and tread in the fame path of fuffering and selfdenial, in which he hath gone before them. In their baptifmal covenant they renounce the world, by which is not meant fuch grofs crimes as are a violation of natural light, as well as a tranfgreffion of the law of God, but that exceffive attachment to prefent indulgence, which is more properly expreffed by the pomp and vanity of the world*. It is true there are many precepts in Scripture *It is not improper here to confider the ancient form of baptifm, and what was fuppofed by the fathers to be implied in it, Apoft. Conftitut, lib 7. cap. 41. ATTOTATTOμAL TW Jarava, &C. "I renounce fatan and his works, and his pomps, and his fer"vice, and his angels, and his inventions, and all things that "belong to him, or are fubject to him." Ambrof. de Initiatis. Ingreffus es regenerationis facrarium, &c. "Thou haft entered "into the holy place of regeneration; repeat what you were "there afked, and recollect what you anfwered? You renounced the devil, and his works, and his world, and his Scripture which require us to maintain an habitual gratitude and thankful frame of spirit, nay, to rejoice in the Lord alway. But there is a great difference between this joy, and that of worldly men; as they do not rife from the fame fource, fo they cannot poffibly exprefs themfelves in the fame way. Another branch of the Chriftian temper, between which and theatrical amufements, there appears a very great oppofition, is fpirituality and heavenlinefs of mind. All real Chriftians are, and account themselves pilgrims and ftrangers on the earth, fet their affections on things above, and have their converfation in heaven. Whatever tends to weaken thefe difpofitions they will carefully avoid, as contrary to their duty and their luxury and plea fures." Hieron. Com, in Matt. xv. 26. Renuntio tibi diabole, &c. "I renounce thee fatan, and thy "pomp, and thy vices, and thy world, which lieth in wicked"nefs." And that we may know what they had particularly in view by the pomps of the world which they renounced, they are fometimes exprefsly faid to be the public thews. Thus Salvian de Provident. lib 6. page 197. Quæ eft enim in baptif"For what is the first profeffion of a Chriftian in mo, &c. baptifm? What, but that they profefs to renounce the devil, and his pomps, his fhows, and his works. Therefore "fhows and pomps, by our own confeffion, are the works of the devil. How, O Chriftian, wilt thou follow the public fhows after baptifm, which thou confeffeft to be the works "of the devil There are fome who pretend, that Chriftians were only kept from the fhows, because they were mixed with idolatrous rites: but it is to be noted, that in the time of Salvian idolatry was abolished, and the shows were no longer exhibited in honour of idol Gods. Cyril of Jerufalem alfo, after idolatry was destroyed, continues the charge against the fhows. intereft. intereft. Is not this the cafe with theatrical amufements? Are they not very delicious to a fenfual and carnal mind. Do they not excite, gratify, and ftrengthen thefe affections, which it is most the business of a Christian to restrain? Are not the indulgence of worldly pleasure, and heavenliness of mind, mutually destructive of each other? This is fo plain, that antienly thofe who gave themfelves up to a life of eminent holinefs and piety, ufed to retire wholly from the commerce of the world and the fociety of men. Though this was wrong in itfelf, and foon found to be very liable to fuperftitious abase, it plainly fhows how much they err upon the oppofite fide, who being called to wean their affections from the world, do yet voluntarily and unneceffarily indulge themselves in the most delicious and intoxicating pleasures. What is offered above, I hope, will fuffice to fhow that the ftage, confidered fimply as an entertainment, cannot be lawfully used by a Chriftian. But we must now proceed in the fecond place, To confider the modern pretence, that it is ufeful and inftructive, or to fpeak in the language of one of its defenders, "A warm in"centive to virtue, and powerful preservative against vice*." The fame author gives us *Remarks on Anderfon's Pofitions concerning the unlaw fulness of ftage-plays.. |