Another African Council declares,Ann. 424. Can. 96[473]
'That the Testimony of People of ill Reputation, of Players, and others of such scandalous Employments, shall not be admitted against any Person.'
The Second Council of Chaalon sets forth,Concil. Cabilon. Ann. 813. Can. 9.[474]
'That Clergy men ought to abstain from all over-engaging Entertainments in Musick or Show. (oculorum auriumque illecebris.) And as for the smutty, and Licentious Insolence of Players, and Buffoons, let them not only decline the Hearing it themselves, but likewise conclude the Laity oblig'd to the same Conduct.
I could cite many more Authorities of this Kind, but being conscious of the Niceness of the Age, I shall forbear, and proceed to the Testimony of the Fathers.
To begin with Theophilus Bishop of Antioch, who lived in the Second Century.
''Tis not lawful (says he)Libr. 3. ad Autol.[475] for us to be present at the Prizes or your Gladiators, least by this means we should be Accessaries to the Murthers there committed. Neither dare we presume upon the Liberty of your other Shews,** Spectacula.[476] least our Senses should be tinctur'd, and disoblig'd, with Indecency, and Profaness. The Tragical Distractions of Tereus and Thyestes, are Nonsense to us. We are for seeing no Representations of Lewdness. The Stage-Adulteries of the Gods, and Hero's, are unwarrantable Entertainments: And so much the worse, because the Mercenary Players set them off with all the Charms and Advantages of Speaking. God forbid that Christians who are remarkable for Modesty, and Reserv'dness; who are obliged to Discipline, and train'd up in Virtue, God forbid I say, that we should dishonour our Thoughts, much less our Practise, with such Wickedness as This!'
Tertullian who liv'd at the latter end of this Century is copious upon this subject; I shall translate but some Part of it. In his Apologetick, He thus addresses the Heathens.Chap. 38.[477]
'We keep off from your publick Shews, because we can't understand the Warrant of their Original. There's Superstition and Idolatry in the Case: And we dislike the Entertainment because we dislike the reason of its Institution. Besides, We have nothing to do with the Frensies of the Race-Ground, the Lewdness of the Play-House, or the Barbarities of the Bear-Garden. The Epicureans had the Liberty to state the Notion, and determine the Object of Pleasure. Why can't we have the same Privilege? What Offence is it then if we differ from you in the Idea of Satisfaction? If we won't understand to brighten our Humour, and live pleasantly, where's the harm? If any body has the worst on't, 'tis only our selves.'
His Book de Spectaculis was wrote on purpose to diswade the Christians, from the publick Diversions of the Heathens, of which the Play-House was one. In his first Chapter He gives them to understand, 'That the Tenour of their Faith, the Reason of Principle, and the Order of Discipline, had bar'd them the Entertainments of the Town. And therefore He exhorts them to refresh their Memories, to run up to their Baptism, and recollect their first Engagements. For without care, Pleasure is a strange bewitching Thing. When it gets the Ascendant, 'twill keep on Ignorance for an Excuse of Liberty, make a man's Conscience wink, and suborn his Reason against himself.