Part I, Chapter XXIII

That We Ought to Purify Ourselves from an Affection to Unprofitable Amusements

Play, dancing, feasting, dress, and theatrical shows, being things which, considered in their substance, are not evil, but indifferent, and such as may be used either well or ill; nevertheless, as all these things are dangerous, to bear an affection to them is still more dangerous. I say then, Philothea, that although it be lawful to play, to dance, to dress, to feast, or to be present at innocent comedies, yet to have an affection to such things is not only contrary to devotion, but also extremely hurtful and dangerous. The evil does not consist in doing such things, but in a fond attachment to them. Ah, what a pity to sow, in the soil of our heart, such vain and foolish affections, which take up the room of good impressions, and hinder the sap of our soul from being employed in good inclinations!

_’ It is not the meaning of the saint in this passage to justify the assisting at any such comedies, or other plays, as have a tendency to encourage vice, or irreligion; or which serve to inflame the passions, to enervate the soul, and to dispose her to impure love, which is too often the case with our modern plays. For such as these the holy prelate would by no means allow to be innocent, but rather would loudly condemn them, as the holy fathers and saints have always done.

Thus the ancient Nazareans abstained not only from whatever might inebriate, but also from the grape itself; not from an apprehension that the grape could intoxicate them, but lest by tasting the grape they might be tempted to drink of the wine also. Now, I do not say that we can never use these dangerous things, but I affirm that we can never set our affections upon them without prejudice to devotion. As the stags, when grown too fat, retire into their thickets, because, being encumbered with flesh, they know that they are not in a condition to run, should they be hunted, so the heart of man, burdening itself with these unprofitable, superfluous, and dangerous affections, cannot certainly run after its God, the true point of devotion, readily, lightly, and easily. Let children please and fatigue themselves with pursuing butterflies, yet no one finds fault with them, because they are children; but is it not ridiculous, or rather lamentable, to see persons advanced in years fix their heart and affections upon such toys and trifles as those which I have named, which are not only unprofitable, but which put us in imminent danger of falling into many irregularities and disorders in the pursuit of them? Wherefore, my dear Philothea, I say, we must purge ourselves from these affections; for though the acts are not always contrary to devotion, yet the affections are always prejudicial to it.

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