1. Cyprian to the congregation who stand fast in the Gospel, sends greeting. As it greatly saddens me, and deeply afflicts my soul, when no opportunit

 2. Believers, and men who claim for themselves the authority of the Christian name, are not ashamed—are not, I repeat, ashamed to find a defence in th

 3. These are therefore an argument to stimulate virtue, not a permission or a liberty to look upon heathen error, that by this consideration the mind

 4. What has Scripture interdicted?  Certainly it has forbidden gazing upon what it forbids to be done. It condemned, I say, all those kinds of exhibit

 5. What is the need of prosecuting the subject further, or of describing the unnatural kinds of sacrifices in the public shows, among which sometimes

 6. But now to pass from this to the shameless corruption of the stage. I am ashamed to tell what things are said I am even ashamed to denounce the th

 7. It is not sufficient for lust to make use of its present means of mischief, unless by the exhibition it makes its own that in which a former age ha

 8. Now that other folly of others is an obvious source of advantage to idle men and the first victory is for the belly to be able to crave food beyon

 9. The Christian has nobler exhibitions, if he wishes for them. He has true and profitable pleasures, if he will recollect himself. And to say nothing

 10. Let the faithful Christian, I say, devote himself to the sacred Scriptures, and there he shall find worthy exhibitions for his faith. He will see

On Public Shows.1    [See Ben Jonson, Volpone, Ep. Dedicatory.]

LIBER DE SPECTACULIS.