A Treatise of Self-Denial, Treatise · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII. Vain Sports and Paſtimes to be denied.
6. ANother part of fleſhly intereſt to be denied, is, vain ſports and paſtimes, and all unneceſſary Recreations. For this alſo is one of the harlots that the fleſh is defiled with.
Recreations are lawful and uſeful if thus qualified. 1. If the matter of them be not forbidden: For there's no ſporting with ſin. 2. If we have an holy Chriſtian end in them, that is, to fit our bodies and minds for the ſervice of God: and do not do it principally to pleaſe the fleſh. If without diſſembling our hearts can ſay, I would not meddle with this recreation, If I thought I could have my body and mind as …ell ſtrengthned and fitted for Gods ſervice without it. 3. If we uſe not recreations without need, as to the ſaid End; nor continue them longer than they are uſeful to that End; and ſo do not caſt away any of our precious time on them in vain. 4. If they be not uncivil, exceſſively coſtly, cruel, or accompanied with the like unlawful accidents. 5. If they contain not more probable incentives to vice than to vertue: as to Covetouſneſs, Luſt, Paſſion, Prophaneneſs, &c. 6. If they are not like to be more hurtful to the ſouls of others that joyn with us, than profitable to us. 7. If they be not like to do more hurt by offending any that are weak or diſlike them, than good to us that uſe them. 8. If they be uſed ſeaſonably, in a time that they hinder not greater duties. 9. If we do it not in company unfit for us to joyn with. 10. Eſpecially if we make a right choice of Recreations, and when divers are before us, we take the beſt; that which is leaſt offenſive, leaſt expenſive of time and coſt, and which beſt furthereth the health of our bodies, with the ſmalleſt inconvenience.
Theſe Rules being obſerved, Recreations are as lawful as ſleep, or food, or Phyſick.
But, alas, they are made another thing by the ſenſual, ungodly world. Sometime they muſt ſport themſelves with ſin it ſelf, in the abuſe of Gods Name, and Servants, and Creatures: Tipling and prophane Courſes are ſome mens chiefeſt recreations: And though the Law of the Land forbid moſt of their ſports, and the Law of God commandeth them to obey all the Laws of men that are not againſt the Law of God, yet this is a matter of nothing to their conſciences. And let the matter be never ſo lawful, they make all impious by a carnal end. It's none of their intention to ſtrengthen and fit themſelves for the ſervice of God, and an holy, righteous life, by their recreations: but it's meerly becauſe their fancy and fleſh is pleaſed in them: Even as the Drunkard, Glutton, or Whoremonger, that have no higher end than Pleaſure, and can give you no better account why they feed their luſt, but becauſe they Love it, and it's their delight: juſt ſo is it with ſportful youths and gallants. How few of many thouſands can you come to that are at Cards, Dice, or Dancing, that can truly ſay, they would not do any of this but for God, and to fit themſelves for his ſervice? Did you ever know ſuch a one? I believe in ſome better kind of Recreations you may know ſome ſuch; but ſcarce in theſe. Alas this ſin is not of ſo ſmall a ſtature as too many impenitent ſouls imagine. It's one of the crying ſins of the Land, and I believe one that brought down the vengeance of the late war upon us: and yet it is not half cured after all. The Gentry of England that ſhould have been educated in Learning and the fear of God, and been the examples of the people in temperance and holineſs, have been lamentably brutified and drowned in this (with other parts of groſs) ſenſuality. Inſtead of ſerious Prayer, and holy Conference, and inſtructing of their Families, Cards and Dice took up the time, and curſing and ſwearing were the common attendants of them: and their Childrenn and Servants learned of them, and took the ſame courſe. They beſtowed more time in theſe, and in hunting, hawking, bowling, cocking, Stage-playes, and ſuch like, than they did in the ſerious worſhipping of God; yea than they did in the works of any lawful calling: For indeed they lived as without a calling, doing very little elſe but riſe, & dreſs them & complement thoſe about them, and drink, and eat, and ſo to their ſports at home or abroad, and then to eating and drinking again, and ſo to their vain diſcourſes, and ſo to their beds again: and this was the ordinary courſe of their lives: They ſate down to eat and drink, and roſe up to play, Exod. 32. 6. 1 Cor. 10. 7. In the ſins of Sodom did they live, Pride, fulneſs of bread, and idleneſs, Ezek. 16. 49. They trod the ſteps of him that Chriſt had told them, did cry in vain for a drop of water to cool his tongue, Luke 16. 19. gallantly clothed, and fared deliciouſly every day (or ſumptuouſly.) Their whole life almoſt was but a ſacrifice to their fleſh, to their belly, their fancies and their luſts: Till God broke in upon them in his wrath, and found them another employment, and ſhortned their ſtore, and diminiſhed their full eſtates and brought them into contempt and trouble; and yet how common is the ſin to this day? Iſa. 5. 11, 12, 13. [Wo unto them that riſe up early in the morning that they may follow ſtrong drink that continue till night, till wine inflame them; and the Harp and the Viol, the Tabret and Pipe, and Wine are in their feaſts; but they regard not the work of the Lord, nor conſider the operation of his hands: therefore my people are gone into captivity, becauſe they have no knowledge, and their honourable men are famiſhed, and their multitude dried up with thirſt: therefore Hell hath enlarged her ſelf, and opened her mouth without meaſure, and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoyceth ſhall deſcend into it,] Amos 6. 1, 4, 5, 6. Woe to them that are at eaſe in Zion,—that ſtretch themſelves on their Couches, and eat the Lambs out of the flock, and the Calves out of the ſtall, that chant to the ſound of the Viol, and invent to themſelves inſtruments of muſick—that drink Wine in Bowls, and anoint themſelves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joſeph.]
The precious time that this ſort of men lay out in their needleſs ſports and recreations, is more worth than all their eſtates; and if their ſin had no other aggravation but this, I confeſs I ſhould take it for a far greater ſin than any that thieves are uſually hang'd for at the Gallows! what! for men that have received more from God than others, and are obliged more to him, and are capable of doing him more eminent ſervice, for ſuch as theſe to live like Epicures! and when they are haſtening to an endleſs life, to waſte the moſt yea almoſt all this precious time in Fleſh-pleaſing ſenſuality! I think it is one of the greateſt ſins in the world! And no wonder that Chriſt made ſuch choice of ſuch an one as theſe, to acquaint them who they are that ſhall be damned, Luke 16. And if Converſion make not a wonderful change on them, they muſt look undoubtedly to ſpeed as he; and to have the ſame account of the cauſe of their miſery [Son, remember that thou in thy life-time receivedſt thy good things, and likewiſe Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented] Luke 16. 25.
Abundance of them beſtowed more upon Hawks and Dogs, than would have maintained many poor families: And play for large ſumms at Cards, and Dice, and Cockings, and Horſe-races. Covetouſneſs, & Luxury, and Paſſion, and Swearing, and Curſing, were the virtues that their ſports did exerciſe: and others muſt be their companions in the ſame impieties, that they periſh not alone. Unmerciful and oppreſſing they are in their very ſports, treading down the hedges and corn of poor men, in following their game, and never making them reparation for their loſs, but raging at them if they do but complain. No fitter company for them, than the moſt impious Swearers, and ribbald filthy Speakers, and the like: who was offended at it, they cared not; but made it an additional part of their ſport, to caſt a ſcorn at thoſe that durſt not and would not be as bad as they. And all this is, when they have variety of civil, cheap, inoffenſive recreations at hand, which might better have fitted a Chriſtians end.
And the youthful part of the vulgar, are, in their degree, of the ſame ſpirit with thoſe Epicures, and of the like practice, as far as their eſtates and leiſure will allow them: Witneſs the eagerneſs of the rabble in following after Wakes, & May-games, Cock-fightings, Dancing, Dice, and Cards, and ſuch like exerciſes. And more pleaſure they have in theſe than in Prayer, or Gods Praiſes, or holy Inſtructions, or Conferences. As much as the moſt ſordid Whoremonger or Drunkard is enſlaved in his proper fleſh-pleaſing ſin, ſo much are our voluptuous youth and others addicted to gaming, ſports, and paſtimes, and enſlaved to this fleſh-pleaſing ſin of theirs. Ah poor people! Doth time run on ſo faſt, and are you haſting to the dreadful bar of God: and do you want paſtime? Is your work ſo great, and your time ſo ſhort and utterly uncertain; and yet muſt you hunt about for paſtime? Muſt it go with you in heaven or hell for ever as you ſpend this haſty inch of time, and yet have you days or hours to ſpare for needleſs recreation? O what a curſed thing is ſin, that can ſo bereave men of the uſe of reaſon, in that one thing for which their reaſon was given them! Yea we can ſcarce convince theſe poor deluded ſouls that they do amiſs; but they ſay, [What harm is there in cards or dice, or hunting, or bowling, or ſuch like rerceations? How ſhall we live without recreation? Anſw. But is there no harm in needleſs fleſh-pleaſing, and in the loſs of precious time, to men that are ready to ſtep into eternity? O that ever men ſhould make ſuch a queſtion! Sppoſe your recreations were the lawfulleſt in the world, in their own nature? Can there be a greater villany, than to ſet your hearts on them, and make a God of them, and caſt away pretious hours on them, in uſing them needleſly? Recreations are your phyſick, or your ſauce; & therefore muſt not become your food, nor made a meal of They are only as whetting to the mower, which muſt never be uſed but when there's need: To ſpend half the day in needleſs whetting, deſerves no wages. O did you know but what your work, and time, and what's before you, you would be better husbands; and then you might ſo contrive your buſineſs, as to loſe no time in recreation. For either your calling puts you on the labour of the mind, as Students, or of the body, as labouring men. If ſtudy be your calling, you need no exerciſe of recreation but for your bodies, for variety of ſtudies is the beſt or ſufficient for the mind: And two hours walking is bodily recreation enough in a day, for almoſt any ſtudent that is in a capacity to labour: And if you be labouring men, or your calling lie in bodily motion, then you need no recreation for your bodies beſides your Callings, but only for your mind: And if you love God and his Word, what better Recreation for your minds can you deviſe, than thinking of the Love of God in Chriſt, and meditating on the Law of God, Pſal. 1. 2. and calling upon him, and rejoycing in his praiſes, and the Communion of his Saints? Is not a day in his Courts, better than a thouſand any where elſe? The Spirit of God by David ſaid ſo, Pſal. 84. 10. But alas it is this unmortified fleſh, and tyrannizing ſenſuality that blindeth you, that you cannot ſee the truth: or elſe all this would be as plain to you as the high way.