religion, and pleased with th it character in the representation which they hate in the original? This would be to expect impoffibilities. And therefore, while the great majority of those who attend the stage are unholy, it is certain, that the plays which they behold with pleasure cannot, upon the whole, but have a criminal tendency.

If any alledge, that the poet's art may be a means to make religion amiable to them, I an-, fwer, that he cannot make it amiable, but by adulteration, by mixing it with fomething agreeable to their own taste, and then it is not religion that they admire, but the erroneous, debafed, and falfe refemblance of it. Or even fuppofing, that, in a fingle inftance or two, nothing in fubftance fhould be fet before them but true religion, and this dreffed to the very highest advantage by the poet's genius and actor's skill, there would be little gained; because thefe human arts only would be the object of their admiration, and they would always prefer, and fpeedily procure, a difplay of the fame arts, upon a fubject more agreeable to their corrupt minds. This indeed, we are not left to gather by way of inference and deduction from other truths, but are exprefsly taught it in the word of God. For the "natural man receiveth not the things of the "Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto

him, neither can we know them, because

"they

they are fpiritually difcerned *." Experience is a ftrong proof of this; for if any man will take the pains of making up a system of the morality of the ftage, I do not mean the horrid profanity and fcandalous obfcenity that is to be found in the worst, but of that which is called virtue in the best of the pieces wrote for the theatre, he will find it exceeding different from Chriftian morals; and, that an adherence to it would be, in moft inftances; a wilful departure from the rules of a holy life.

However plainly this is founded upon the word of God and found reason, there are fome very unwilling to think, that ever their duty as Chrif tians fhould conftrain them to be at odds with the delicacies of life, or the polite and fashionable pleasures of the age. And, as the mind of man is very ingenious in the defence of that pollution which it loves, they fometimes bring in critifcifm to their aid. They alledge that by the "world" is understood, generally through the new testament, those who were heathens by profeffion; and that the fame oppofition to true religion, in judgment and heart, is not to be afcribed to those who are members of the visible church. It is anfwered, the word did indeed fignify as they fay, for this plain reason, that in the early days of Chriftianity, when it was un

2

der perfecution, few or none would make profeffion of it unlefs they did really believe it. But is not the meaning ftill the fame? Can we fuppose that the hatred of the then world was at the name of religion only, and not at the fubftance? Was the devil" the prince of this world," then? And has he not now equal dominion over, and is he not equally ferved by thofe who are profane in their lives, though they were once baptifed? Was he the fpirit that "then worked," and is he not the fpirit that "now works" in the children of difobedience? The truth therefore remains still the fame, those who are in a natural and unregenerate ftate, who hate true religion in their hearts, must have something very different before they can be pleafed with feeing it on the stage*"

That

There is an excellent paffage to this purpofé in an effay against plays, to be found in one of the volumes published about a hundred years ago, by the gentlemen of the Port-royal in France, a fociety of Janfenifts, of great parts and eminent piety. This effay in particular, is by fome faid to have been written by the prince of Conti. Section 15th of that effay, he fays, "It is fo true that plays are almost always a reprefenta❝tion of vicious paffions, that the most part of Christian vir"tues are incapable of appearing upon the ftage. Silence, pa

tience, moderation, wifdom, poverty, repentance, are no "virtues, the reprefentation of which can divert the spectators; " and above all, we never hear humility spoken of, and the "bearing of injuries. It would be ftrange to fee a modeft "and filent religious perfon reprefented. There must be fome"thing great and renowned according to men, or at leaft fome"thing lively and animated, which is not met withal in Chrif "tian gravity and wisdom; and therefore, thofe who have "been

That this argument may have its proper force, we ought to confider, how great a proportion of perfons under the dominion of vice and wickedness there muft always be among those who attend the theatre. The far greatest number of the world in general are ungodly. This is a fact which could hardly be denied, even though the following paffage had not stood in the oracles of truth. "Enter ye in at the ftrait gate; for wide ❝is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to deftruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Becaufe ftrait is the gate, and 66 narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and « few there be that find it *." And as none can attend the ftage, but thofe in higher life, and more affluent circumftances than the bulk of mankind, there is ftill a greater proportion of them who are enemies to pure and undefiled religion. Thus, fays our Saviour to his difciples, "Verily I fay unto you, that a rich man fhall "hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And "again I say unto you, it is easier for a camel "to go through the eye of a needle, than for a

rich man to enter into the kingdom of God +."

been defirous to introduce holy men and women upon the ftage, have been forced to make them appear proud, and "to make them utter difcourfes more proper for the antient "Roman heroes than for faints and martyrs. Their devotion upon the stage ought alfo to be always a little extraordinary.". * Matt, vii. 13, 14. + Matt. xix. 23, 24.

To the fame purpose the apostle Paul fays, "Ye "fee your calling, brethren, how that not ma66 ny wife men after the flesh, not many mighty, "not many noble are called *."

This does not

at all fuppofe, that those in high life are originally more corrupt in their nature than others, but it arifes from their being exposed to much greater and stronger temptations. Now if, from the small number of real Chriftians in the upper ranks of life, we again subtract such as count the ftage unlawful or dangerous, or have no inclination to it, there will very few remain of those who are "the falt of the earth," to feason the unhallowed affembly. What fort of productions then must they be, which shall have the approbation of fuch judges? How much more proper to pollute than to reform, to poison than to cure? If fuch in fact the great bulk of plays have always hitherto been, from what has been said it ought not to be wondered at, because it cannot be otherwife.

It is very poffible, that fome may be all this while holding the argument very cheap, and faying with lord Shaftsbury, "The true genius is

of a nobler nature than fervilely to fubmit to "the corrupt or vitiated taste of any age or "place; he works not for gain, but defpifes "it; he knows, and will not fwerve from the * 1 Cor. i, 26,

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