If casting down Imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God, and bringing into Captivity every thought to the Obedience of Christ, be the Warfare of those that wou’d go by his Name; If arming themselves against the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eye, and the pride of Life, be that Task he has set them to do; If a chast Conversation coupled with fear, and letting their Light so shine before Men, that they may see ’em do all to the glory of God, be the duty of Christians; we have places enough to shew them of what importance it is, to withdraw from those that walk so very disorderly, as wou’d not have been in the times of a livelier Faith, allow’d the outward Communion of Saints.

Nor is the Case so mightily altered from what it was then, unless it be for the worse; as that we shou’d from thinking them wholly unworthy to come into our Assemblies, run flocking to theirs:  For what vileness has ever offended the World, which is not exceeded if possible there?  Can the Burlesquing an absurd Religion, or Mocking it upon the Stage be so bad as defying one that is reasonable and wise, or paying Honour to Gods that were not, be like the blaspheming him that is True?  This cannot sure in reason be thought, whatever Excuses People may find to palliate that which they cannot find in their Hearts to condemn.

Nor is that primitive Spirit so wholly extinct, but that some in our days, and of that Religion which carries more marks of the World, then God be thanked are met with in ours, have dared to appear directly against that vain Practice, which notwithstanding sits easie on many of so much a stricter Communion than theirs.  And this Instance is so far from being the worse for coming from France, that it is a great deal the more fit to be urged in the present debate.  For if, in a Country disposed to a lighter Temper and Air, where the Church has greater Corruption, and the Theater fewer, there can yet be whole Bodies of Casuists found, disallowing the sight of their Modester Plays; Methinks it shou’d not be thought an Absurdity here, to go about to disswade so thoughtful a People as we reckon our selves, from going to ours which shew so little of that Reformation to which we pretend.

[Sidenote:  P. of Conde. Vid. traite de la Comedie.]

And least this should seem to be only the sense of some retired Divines, I beg leave to observe that the same censure is also pass’d by a Prince of the Blood, as highly Esteem’d for his Learning as Birth.  And I wish his Example were follow’d here, that the shameful Indignities put upon Persons of the Highest Descent by those of the Meanest, wou’d stir up some excellent Spirit of that Eminent Rank, to shew them how much beneath them it was, to stoop so low to be thus coarsly entertained:  And that it betray’d a want of Honour as well as Religion, tamely to see themselves as well as their Maker abused, and to seem pleased with that in a Croud, which said or done before them any where else, they wou’d be obliged to resent as the highest Affront.