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

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 may be more inflamed to Gospel virtue for the sake of the divine rewards, since through the suffering of all these labours and pains it is granted to attain to eternal benefits. For that Elias is the charioteer of Israel is no defence for gazing upon the public games; for he ran his race in no circus. And that David in the presence of God led the dances, is no sanction for faithful Christians to occupy seats in the public theatre; for David did not twist his limbs about in obscene movements, to represent in his dancing the story of Grecian lust.  Psalteries, horns, pipes, drums, harps, were used in the service of the Lord, and not of idols. Let it not on this account be objected that unlawful things may be gazed upon; for by the artifice of the devil these are changed from things holy to things unlawful. Then let shame demur to these things, even if the Holy Scriptures cannot. For there are certain things wherein the Scripture is more careful in giving instruction. Acquiescing in the claim of modesty, it has forbidden more where it has been silent. The truth, if it descended low enough to deal with such things, would think very badly of its faithful votaries. For very often, in matters of precept, some things are advantageously said nothing about; they often remind when they are expressly forbidden. So also there is an implied silence even in the writings of the Scripture; and severity speaks in the place of precepts; and reason teaches where Scripture has held its peace. Let every man only take counsel with himself, and let him speak consistently with the character of his profession,6    “Cum persona professionis suæ loquatur.” and then he will never do any of these things.7    Baluzius reads with less probability “indecorum,” “anything unbecoming.” The reading adopted in the text is, according to Fell, “inde eorum.” For that conscience will have more weight which shall be indebted to none other than itself.

III. Argumentum est ergo excitandae virtutis, non permissio sive libertas spectandi gentilis erroris, ut per hoc animus plus accendatur ad evangelicam virtutem propter divina praemia cum per omnium laborum et dolorum calamitatem concedatur pervenire ad aeterna compendia. Nam quod Helias auriga est Israelis non patrocinatur spectandis circensibus: in nullo enim is circo cucurrit. Et quod David in conspectu Dei choros egit nihil adjuvat in theatro sedentes Christianos fideles: nulla enim obscoenis motibus membra distorquens desaltavit graecae libidinis fabulam. Nabulae, cynarae, tibiae, tympana, citharae Domino servierunt, non idolis. Non igitur praescribatur ut 0782C spectentur illicita; a diabolo artifice ex sanctis in illicita mutata sunt. Praescribat igitur istis pudor, etiamsi non possunt sanctae Litterae. Quaedam enim Scriptura magis providet in praecipiendo. Verecundiam passa, plus interdixit, quia tacuit. Veritas, si ad haec usque descenderet, pessime de fidelibus suis sensisset. Nam et plerumque in praeceptis quaedam utilius tacentur: admonent saepe dum interdicuntur. Ita etiam tacentur dum in Litteris scripta sunt, et praeceptorum loco severitas loquitur, et ratio docet quae Scriptura conticuit. Secum tantummodo unusquisque deliberet, et cum persona professionis suae loquatur, et nihil umquam indecorum geret. Plus enim ponderis habebit conscientia quae nulli se alteri debebit nisi sibi.