A Christian Directory Volume I Part 101

So that the case is clear, that our gamesters, and licentious, sportful gallants, are a sort of people that have blinded their minds, and seared their consciences, and despise the laws and presence of G.o.d, and forget death and judgment, and live as if there were no life to come, neglecting their miserable souls, and having no delight in the word or holy worship of G.o.d, nor the forethoughts of eternal joys, and therefore seek for their pleasure in such foolish sports, and spend those precious hours in these vanities, which, G.o.d knows, they had need to spend most diligently, in repenting of their sins, and cleansing their souls, and preparing for another world.

If yet any impenitent gamester or idle time-waster shall reply, I will not believe that my cards, or dice, or plays are unlawful. I use them but to fit me for my duty. What! would you have all men live like hermits or anchorites, without all pleasure? I answer you but by this reasonable request: will you set yourselves as dying men in the presence of G.o.d, and the sight of eternity, and provide a true answer to these few questions; even such an answer as your consciences dare stand to at the bar of G.o.d?

_Quest._ I. Dost thou not think in thy conscience that thy Maker, and Redeemer, and his work and service, and thy family and calling, and the forethoughts of heaven, are not fitter matters to delight a sober mind, than cards or stage-plays? And what can it be but a vain and sinful mind that should make these toys so pleasant to thee, and the thoughts of G.o.d and heaven so unpleasant?

_Quest._ II. Doth not thy conscience tell thee, that it is not to fit thee for thy calling or G.o.d's service that thou usest these sports, but only to delight a carnal fantasy? Doth not conscience tell thee, that it is more the pleasure than the benefit of it to thy soul or body that draws thee to it? Dost thou work so hard or study so hard all the day besides, as to need so much recreation to refresh thee?

_Quest._ III. Doth not thy conscience tell thee, that if thy sensual fantasy were but cured, it would be a more profitable recreation to thy body or mind, to use some sober exercise for thy body, which is confined to its proper limits of time; or to turn to variety of labour, or studies, than to sit about these idle games?

_Quest._ IV. Dost thou think that either Christ or his apostles used stage-plays, cards, or dice; or ever countenanced such a temper of mind as is addicted to them? Or was not David as wise as you, that took up his pleasure in the word of G.o.d, and his melodious praise?

_Quest._ V. Doth not your conscience tell you, that your delight is more in your plays and games than it is on G.o.d? And that these sports do no way increase your delight in G.o.d at all, but more unfit and undispose you? And yet every "blessed man's delight is in the law of the Lord, and in it he meditateth day and night," Psal. i. 2. And do you do so?

_Quest._ VI. Do you bestow as much time in praying and reading the word of G.o.d, and meditating on it, as you do in your sports and recreations? Nay, do you not shuffle this over, and put G.o.d off with a few hypocritical, heartless words, that you may be at your sports, or something which you love better?

_Quest._ VII. Doth not conscience tell thee, that this precious time might be much better spent, in the works that G.o.d hath appointed thee to do? And that thy sinful soul hath need enough to spend it in far greater matters? Doth it become one that hath sinned so long, and is so una.s.sured of pardon and salvation, and near another world, and so unready for it, to sit at cards or be hearing a stage-play, when he should be making ready, and getting a.s.surance of his peace with G.o.d?

_Quest._ VIII. Wouldst thou be found at cards or plays when death cometh? If it were this day, hadst thou not rather be found about some holy, or some profitable labour?

_Quest._ IX. Will it be more comfort to thee when thou art dying, to think of the time which thou spentest in cards, and plays, and vanity, or that which thou spentest in serving G.o.d, and preparing for eternity?

_Quest._ X. Darest thou pray to G.o.d to bless thy cards, and dice, and plays, to the good of thy soul or body? Would not thy conscience tell thee, that this were but a mocking of G.o.d, as praying for that which thou dost not intend, and which thy pleasures are unfit for? And yet no recreation is lawful, which you may not thus lawfully pray for a blessing on.

_Quest._ XI. If you were sure yourselves that you sin not in your games or sports, are you sure that your companions do not? that they have no l.u.s.t or vanity of mind at stage-plays, no covetousness, or sinful pleasure, or pa.s.sion at cards or dice? If you say, We are not bound to keep all other men from sin, I answer, You are bound to do your best towards it; and you are bound not to contribute willingly to their sin; and are bound to forbear a thing indifferent, though not a duty, to avoid the scandalizing or tempting of another. If Paul would never eat flesh while he lived rather than make a weak person offend, should not your sports be subject to as great charity? He saith, "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy weak brother stumbleth, or is offended, or made weak."[607] _Object_. Then we must give over our meat, and drink, and clothes, and all. _Answ._ It followeth not that we must forsake our duty to prevent another man's sin, because we must forsake our pleasure in things indifferent. If you knew what sin is, and what it is to save or lose one's soul, you would not make a sport of other men's sin, nor so easily contribute to their d.a.m.nation, and think your sensual pleasure to be a good excuse. Rom. xv.

1-3, in such cases, "we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, (that is, to compa.s.sionate them as we do children in their weakness,) and not to please ourselves (to their hurt). Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification (that is, prefer the edifying of another's soul, before the pleasure of your bodies). For even Christ pleased not himself--" If Christ lost his life to save men from sin, will not you lose your sport for it?

_Quest._ XII. What kind of men are they that are most addicted to thy games and plays, and what kind of men are they that avoid them, and are against them? Are there not more fornicators, drunkards, swearers, cursers, coveters of other men's money, and profane neglecters of G.o.d and their souls, among gamesters and players, than among them that are against them? Judge by the fruits.

[Sidenote: To sportful youths.]

And what I say to idle gamesters, is proportionably to be said to voluptuous youths, that run after wakes, and May-games, and dancings, and revellings, and are carried by the love of sports and pleasure from the love of G.o.d, and the care of their salvation, and the love of holiness, and the love of their callings; and into idleness, riotousness, and disobedience to their superiors. For the cure of this voluptuousness (besides what is said chap. iv. part ix.) consider:

1. Dost thou not know that thou hast higher delights to mind? And are these toys beseeming a n.o.ble soul, that hath holy and heavenly matters to delight in?

2. Dost thou not feel what a plague the very pleasure is to thy affections? how it bewitcheth thee, and befooleth thee, and maketh thee out of love with holiness, and unfit for any thing that is good?

3. Dost thou know the worth of those precious hours which thou playest away? hast thou no more to do with them? Look inwards to thy soul, and forward to eternity, and bethink thee better.

4. Is it sport that thou most needest? Dost thou not more need Christ, and grace, and pardon, and preparation for death and judgment, and a.s.surance of salvation? Why then are not these thy business?

5. Hast thou not a G.o.d to obey and serve? and doth he not always see thee? and will he not judge thee? alas! thou knowest not how soon.

Though thou be now merry in thy youth, and thy "heart cheer thee, and thou walk in the ways of thy heart, and the sight of thy eyes, yet know thou that for all these things G.o.d will bring thee into judgment," Eccles. xi. 9.

6. Observe in Scripture what G.o.d judgeth of thy ways. t.i.t. iii. 3, "We ourselves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers l.u.s.ts and pleasures--" 2 Tim. ii. 22, "Fly youthful l.u.s.ts: but follow after righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart." Read 1 Pet. iv. 1-4; 2 Pet. iii. 3; 1 Tim. iii. 4, "Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of G.o.d."[608]

7. You are but preparing for your future sorrow, either by repentance or destruction; and the greater is your pleasure now, the greater will be your sorrow and shame in the review.

Having spoken this much for the cure of sinful sports, I proceed to direct the more sober in their recreations.

_Direct._ II. When you understand the true nature and use of recreations, labour to be acquainted just how much and what sort of recreation is needful to yourselves in particular. In which you must have respect, 1. To your bodily strength. 2. To your minds. 3. To your labours. And when you have resolved on it, what and how much is needful and fit, to help you in your duty, allow it its proper time and place, as you do your meals, and see that you suffer it not to encroach upon your duty.

_Direct._ III. Ordinarily join profit and pleasure together, that you lose no time. I know not one person of a hundred, or of many hundreds, that needeth any game at all: there are such variety of better exercises at hand to recreate them. And it is a sin to idle away any time, which we can better improve! I confess my own nature was as much addicted to playfulness as most: and my judgment alloweth me so much recreation as is needful to my health and labour (and no more). But for all that I find no need of any game to recreate me. When my mind needeth recreation, I have variety of recreating books, and friends, and business to do that. And when my body needeth it, the hardest labour that I can bear is my best recreation: walking is instead of games and sports; as profitable to my body, and more to my mind: if I am alone, I may improve that time in meditation; if with others, I may improve it in profitable, cheerful conference. I condemn not all sports or games in others, but I find none of them all to be best for myself: and when I observe how far the temper and life of Christ and his best servants was from such recreations, I avoid them with the more suspicion. And I see but few but distaste it in ministers (even shooting, bowling, and such more healthful games, to say nothing of chess and such other, as fit not the end of a recreation). Therefore there is somewhat in it that nature itself hath some suspicion of.

That student that needeth chess or cards to please his mind, I doubt hath a carnal, empty mind. If G.o.d and all his books, and all his friends, &c. cannot suffice for this, there is some disease in it that should rather be cured than pleased. And for the body, it is another kind of exercise that profits it.

_Direct._ IV. Watch against inordinate, sensual delight, even in the lawfullest sport. Excess of pleasure in any such vanity, doth very much corrupt and befool the mind. It puts it out of relish with spiritual things; and turneth it from G.o.d, and heaven, and duty.

_Direct._ V. To this end keep a watch upon your thoughts and fantasies, that they run not after sports and pleasures. Else you will be like children that are thinking of their sport, and longing to be at it, when they should be at their books or business.

_Direct._ VI. Avoid the company of revellers, gamesters, and such time-wasters. Come not among them, lest you be insnared. Accompany yourselves with those that delight themselves in G.o.d, 2 Tim. ii. 22.

_Direct._ VII. Remember death and judgment, and the necessities of your souls. Usually these sports seem but foolishness to serious men; and they say of this mirth, as Solomon, "it is madness," Eccl. ii. 2.

And it is great and serious subjects which make serious men. Death and the world to come, when they are soberly thought on, do put the mind quite out of relish with foolish pleasures.

_Direct._ VIII. Be painful in your honest callings. Laziness breedeth a love of sports; when you must please your slothful flesh with ease, then it must be further pleased with vanities.

_Direct._ IX. Delight in your relations and family duties and mercies.

If you love the company and converse of your parents, or children, or wives, or kindred as you ought, you will find more pleasure in discoursing with them about holy things or honest business, than in foolish sports. But adulterers that love not their wives, and unnatural parents and children that love not one another, and unG.o.dly masters of families that love not their duty, are put to seek their sport abroad.

_Direct._ X. See to the sanctifying of all your recreations, when you have chosen such as are truly suited to your need; and go not to them before you need, nor use them beyond your need. See also that you lift up your hearts secretly to G.o.d, for his blessing on them; and mix them all along as far as you can with holy things; as with holy thoughts or holy speeches. As for music, which is a lawful pleasure, I have known some think it profaneness to use it privately or publicly with a psalm, that scrupled not using it in common mirth; whenas all our mirth should be as much sanctified as is possible. All should be done to the glory of G.o.d; and we have much more in Scripture for the holy use of music, (public and private,) than for any other use of it whatever. And it is the excellency of melody and music, that they are recreations which may be more aptly and profitably sanctified by application to holy uses, than any other. And I should think them little worth at all, if I might not use them for the holy exhilarating or elevating of my soul, or affecting it towards G.o.d, or exciting it to duty.

_Direct._ XI. The sickly and the melancholy (who are usually least inclined to sport) have much more need of recreation than others, and therefore may allow it a much larger time than those that are in health and strength. Because they take it but as physic to recover them to health, being to abate again when they are recovered.

_Direct._ XII. Be much more severe in regulating yourselves in your recreations, than in censuring others for using some sports which you mislike. For you know not perhaps their case, and reasons, and temptations; but an idle, time-wasting, sensual sporter, every one should look on with pity as a miserable wretch.

PART III.

_Directions about Apparel, and against the Sin therein committed._

_Direct._ I. Fitness is the first thing to be respected in your apparel, to make it a means to the end to which it is appointed. The ends of apparel are, 1. To keep the body warm. 2. To keep it from being hurt. 3. To adorn it soberly so far as beseemeth the common dignity of human nature, and the special dignity of your places. 4. To hide those parts, which nature hath made your shame, and modesty commandeth you to cover.

The fitness of apparel consisteth in these things: 1. That it be fitted to your bodies (as your shoe to your foot, your hat to your head, &c.) 2. That it be suited to your s.e.x; that men wear not apparel proper to women, nor women that which is proper to men. 3. That it be suited to your age; the young and the old being usually hereby somewhat distinguished. 4. That it be suited to your estate, or not above it. 5. That it be suited to your place or office. 6. That it be suited to your use and service. As, 1. To cover your nakedness so far as health, or modesty, or decency require. 2. To keep you from cold.

3. And from hurt in your labour (as the shoe doth the foot, the glove the hand, &c.) 4. For sober ornament, as aforesaid.

_Direct._ II. Among the ends and uses of apparel the greatest is to be preferred: the ornament being the least, is not to be pretended against any of the rest. Therefore they that for ornament, 1. Will go naked, in any part which should be covered; or, 2. Will go coldly to the hurt or hazard of their health (as our semi-Evites, or half-naked gallants do); 3. Or will either hurt our bodies, (as our strait-laced fashionists,) or disable themselves from their labour, or travel, or fit exercise, lest they should be hurt by their clothes, which are fitted more to sight than use; all these cross the ends of clothing.

_Direct._ III. Affect not singularity in your apparel; that is, to be odd and observably distinct from all those of your own rank and quality; unless their fashions be evil and intolerable, (in pride, immodesty, levity, &c.) and then your singularity is your duty. An unnecessary affectation of singularity showeth, 1. A weakness of judgment. 2. A pride of that which you affect. 3. And a placing of duty in things indifferent. And on the contrary, an imitating of proud or immodest fashions, 1. Encourageth others in the sin. 2. Showeth a carnal, proud, or temporizing mind, that will displease G.o.d himself to humour men, and avoid their contempt and disesteem.

_Direct._ IV. Run not into sordid vileness, or nastiness, or ridiculous, humorous, squalid fashions, under pretence of avoiding pride. For, 1. This will betray a great weakness of judgment. 2. It will make your judgment, to men that discern it, the more contemptible and useless to them in other things. 3. It will harden them in their excess, while they think nothing but humour, folly, or superst.i.tion doth reprove them. 4. You sin by dishonouring human nature. G.o.d hath put a special honour upon man, and would have us do so ourselves; and therefore hath appointed clothing since the fall: as nakedness, so over sordid or ridiculous clothing, wrongeth G.o.d in his creature.

_Direct._ V. Be much more suspicious of pride and excess in apparel, as the more common and dangerous extreme. For nature is incomparably more p.r.o.ne to this, than the other; and many hundreds, if not thousands, sin in excess, for one that sinneth in the defect; and this way of sinning is more perilous. Here I shall show you, 1. How pride in apparel appeareth. 2. What is the sinfulness of it.

1. Pride appeareth in apparel, when the matter of it is too costly. 2.

When in the fashion you are desirous to be imitating those that are above your estate or rank; and when you so fit your apparel, as to make you seem some higher or richer person than you are. 3. When you are over-curious in the matter, shape, or dress, and make a greater matter of it than you ought: as if your comeliness were a more desirable thing than it is, or as if some meanness or disliked fashion were intolerable. 4. When your curiosity taketh up more time in dressing you, than is due to so small a matter, while far greater matters are neglected. 5. When you make too great a difference between your private and your public habit; going plain when no strangers see you, and being excessively careful when you go abroad, or when strangers visit you. These show that pride which consisteth in a desire to appear either richer or comelier than you are.

Besides these, there is a pride which maketh men desirous to seem more learned than they are; which showeth itself in affecting as the t.i.tles, so the habits of the learned: which hath some aggravations above the former.

And there is a pride which consisteth in a desire to seem more grave and reverend than you are: thus Christ blameth the Pharisees'