The Christian Mans Calling, Treatise · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV. How a Chriſtian may exerciſe himſelf to Godlineſs, in his Recreations and Pleaſures.
THy duty is to exerciſe thy ſelf to Godlineſs in thy Recreations; the Chriſtian in his walking, Thirdly,as well as in his working, muſt be furthering his eternal weal. Our Gardens or places of delights, as well as our Houſes, muſt be conſecrated ground; Davids Cimbal, Viol and Timbrel were all uſeful in, and ſerviceable to the Tabernacle; with them he praiſed God, Pſa. 150. Saints outward pleaſures muſt be ſome way or other ſubſervient to their inward purity. Bern de bonis diſſerendis.It was a witty obſervation of Bernard on the ſignification of Iſaac (which is laughter or joy) Sacrifice your Iſaac, and your Iſaac ſhall live. It is the Ram, the rankneſs and ſtoutneſs of your heart which ſhall dye. Reader, ſacrifice thy recreations, thy joys, thy delights to God, and they ſhall all live; it is rankneſs of them which God deſireth ſhould be put to death. That theſe pleaſures are not ſimply unlawful, is plain; Eat thy bread (ſaith God) with joy, drink thy Wine with a merry heart; live joyfully with the Wife of thy youth, Eccleſ. 9.7, 8, 9. Epicuriſm is not at all commanded, but moderate delight in creatures is allowed and commended; He gives all things richly to enjoy. To enjoy, not to behold, nor to hoard up; He condemneth thoſe rich cormorants that ſtarve at a full Table, and like Aſſes laden with good victuals, feed on thiſtles, Eccl. 6.2, 3. & 2.24. & 3.12. The merciful God is pleaſed out of his bounty, not onelyonly to allow his creatures what is for neceſſity, but alſo what is for delight. Chriſtian, it is more then God requireth of thee to be always pondering and poring on ſuch ſubjects as make thy heart ſad, whereby thou thy ſelf art diſadvantaged, baniſhing that chearfulneſs from thee, which is an ornament to Chriſtianity; and others diſcouraged, ſuppoſing that all who walk in heavens way, muſt needs be (as thou art) mopiſh and melancholy. Piety doth regulate, but not extirpate our pleaſures. It is a pruning-knife to cut off the luxuriancy of them, not a Weeding-hook, to pluck them up by the roots; If thy body be as one of the Fathers calls it, jumentum animae, The ſouls Beaſt, then it muſt be allowed ſome reſt and refreſhment, or elſe it will carry thee but heavily along in thy journey.
It is reported of a Primitive Chriſtian, St. Iohn Caſſ. Col. 24. cap. 21that as he was on a time playing with a bird, two or three youths going by, ſaw him, and one of them ſpake to the other, See how this old man plays like a child with a Bird, which the good old man overhearing, called him to him, and asked him, what he did with the Bow in his hand, and how he uſed it? whereupon the young man bent his bow, ſhewed him what he did with it, and unbent it again. Why do you unbend it? ſaith the Old man; becauſe ſaith the youth, if my Bow ſhould always ſtand ready bent; it would prove a ſlug and be unſerviceable. Such is the condition of man, ſaith the Old Chriſtian; If his mind were always bent and intent about the beſt things, the wings of devotion would ſoon flag, and the arrows of contemplation flye but ſlowly towards Heaven.
The moſt I know need a curb in this particular of recreation rather then a whip; yet ſome there are that whilſt they ſtrive to keep under their bodies, ride over them, and make them much more unſerviceable then they would be. Whilſt they go about to puniſh their bodies for their former wantonneſs, and exceſs, in the end they puniſh God and their ſouls too. Temperies animi ſequitur temperamen…um corporis.The temper of the ſoul (Philoſophers tell us) followeth the temperament of the body; A dull Knife cannot cut well. A pen worn out will not make good Letters; he that would do his work well, muſt ſee that his tools be right for his turn, otherwiſe he will but bungle at the beſt.
I am confident that it is thy duty to keep thy body in the beſt plight and health, vigour and livelineſs that thou canſt for thy ſouls ſake. I muſt confeſs I intend in this head thoſe recreations which exerciſe the body or mind, ſo as to fit them to follow the better our general or particular callings.
A Holy man could indeed wiſh that his body needed no ſuch diverſion, but when he findeth that after long ſitting, or much labour, his body clogd and tired, he is forced to give way to reaſon. For vain and ſinful recreations, Reader, I muſt in the Name of God forbid them; I am not about to teach thee how to honour God by doing Satans work. They that ſtudy the Devils books, will hardly learn Chriſts Leſſon. There be ſome that take pleaſure in unrighteouſneſs, Rom. 1.32. Holy things are too good to be ſported with, and vicious things are too bad; things of an indifferent nature are fit to be the ſubjects of our recreations. Thoſe ſports which are of evil report amongſt Saints, or which thou haſt experienced to be bellows to blow up the fire of thy paſſion, or fuel to thy covetouſneſs, muſt be avoided. Avoid all occaſions and appearances of evil; ſports ſinful in the act, like the play between Abners and Joabs Souldiers, will be bitterneſs in the end.
When Theſpis a Poet at Athens, Plutarch in vit S…l.made a play which delighted all the Citizens, Grave Solon himſelf went to ſee it; but when the play was ended, wherein Theſpis acted a part, Solon called him to him, and asked him, if he were not aſhamed to lye ſo openly in the face of the whole City? Theſpis anſwered him, that it was no matter, ſo long as it was but in ſport. But Solon beating his Staff on the ground, replyed, If we allow lying in ſport, we ſhall ſhortly find it in earneſt, in our bargains and dealings. Certainly heathens will another day condemn our mungril Chriſtians. The ſober ſort of them, ſeemed to hate and abhor that harlot vice, though preſenting her ſelf upon a ſtage with her painted face, and moſt gaudy dreſs, when many among us love, and like, and even doat upon her; But ſuch muſt know that ſins in jeſt, will bring at laſt, ſufferings in earneſt. Men laugh, and jeſt, and mock at ſin; its aſport to a fool to do miſchief, Pro. 10.23. but ſurely they will find hell a ſerious thing; for God will not be mocked: They pretend now that they have time to ſpare, and if they ſhould not ſpend it at a play-houſe (I had almoſt ſaid a whorehouſe) they ſhould ſpend it worſe. Alas do they not know that God gave them time to provide in for their eternal felicity, and not to ſquander it away in ſuch fooliſh vanities. If time be a drug that hangs on their hands to their trouble, God may take it off, before they are willing or aware, and ſend them to their everlaſting home. Thoſe were worthily condemned that took the Timbrel, and Harp, and rejoyced at the ſound of the organ, and therefore ſaid unto God, depart from us, Job. 21.14.
But Reader, thou mayſt be merry and not mad, enjoy thy pleaſures without ſuch poyſon; thou mayſt have thy recreation, and never be beholden either to ſin or Satan for them; God alloweth thee choice enough of trees in his garden, though thou doſt wholly forbear the forbidden fruit: nay thou mayſt, like a skilfull mariner, make uſe of this ſide-wind of recreation to help thee towards the haven of reſt.
The author of the Belgick Commonwealth tels us, Belgick Common wealth.that printing was firſt invented by one Laurence Jans when he walked abroad for his recreation. It is ſaid, of Socrates that he profited his companions by his recreations, no leſs then if he had been reading lectures. I have read of one that by hearing muſick, Mr. Eſty.tuned his heart to think of, and admire the melody and muſick in heaven. Truly I ſee no reaſon but a Chriſtian may cauſe his recreation to do that which naturaliſts deny to Odours, Odores non nutriunt.even both to refreſh and nouriſh him. OnelyOnly be ſure thy recreation be innocent, neither diſhonerable to God, nor diſadvantagious to thy neighbour. Think of that rule, All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient. Some recreations are lawful, which are not expedient, either in regard of thy age, calling, or the compapany thou art with. He that will do all he may, will quickly be brought to do what he ought not. It is much eaſier and ſafer for the fowl to paſs by the ſhare when ſhe is out, then to get out when ſhe is once in.
We ſay Its not evil to marry, but its good to be wary; ſo ſay I, Its not bad to uſe recreations but its good to be watchfull that we do not abuſe them; which that thou mayſt not do, I deſire thee to incloſe this Common, which many wander in to their wo, with theſe three Cautions
Firſt, Mind moderation at them; remember thy recreation is not to be thy occupation; God made Leviathan to ſport in the waters, but God made not man to play upon the land. Our time here is our pilgrimage, and therefore not to be ſpent in pleaſures; The candle of our lives is ſet up, not to play, but to work by. Spinſter is a tittle given to our greateſt women in our law language. A man that builds an houſe, will not make it very full of windows, for then it would be weak; neither will he make it without any, for then it would be dark. Recreations to our natural, are like windows to our artificial houſes; Some are convenient, many weaken the building, and ſtrengthen the Thief, who hath the more advantage thereby to Steal.
Fiſh that leap into the Air for their recreation, return quickly to their own element again; Beaſts that play up and down in the Fields, in a ſhort time return to their food. Recreation is like ſome pleaſant houſe which we may call at, as we paſs on towards our heavenly country, but muſt not ſtay, much leſs dwell there. Sir Francis Bacon ſaid of Parliaments, in reference to the Engliſh body politique, That they are good purging Phyſick (to be made uſe of now and then) but bad diet-drink (to be taken conſtantly) the ſame may be ſaid of recreations, If uſed in meaſure, they are helpful; if immoderately, they are hurtful. They are good ſauce, but bad meat. Diogen. Laert.Plato reproved a young man for playing at Dice; The young man anſwered him, For how ſmall a matter do you reprove me? I but ſaith Plato, the cuſtom is no ſmall matter.
Thoſe that put their hands to their mouthes, when they drank water, were elected by God to fight his bartels. Thoſe that bowed down to the ground upon their knees, were rejected, Judg. 7.5, 6, 7. Thoſe that ſoop their handful of pleaſant waters, are fitter for Gods work, then they that ſwill their belliful; God taxeth them ſharply, who make carnal delights the end of their lives, ye have lived in pleaſure on earth, and been wanton. God alloweth us pleaſures in our lives, but God doth not allow us to live in pleaſures, Jam. 5.5. When our lives are nothing elſe but a diverſion from one pleaſure to another, we may fear our deaths will be the beginning of our pains. Nimrod, Iſhmael, Eſau, all vicious perſons, are noted to be given up to ſuch paſtimes.
The people of Tombutum in Africk, are ſaid to ſpend their whole time in ſinging and dancing. Some perſons, eſpecially Gentlemen, ſpend their whole time in Hawking or Hunting, or gaming, of whom I may ſpeak as Pliny to his Son (when he ſaw him ſpend his time in talking, Lib. 3. cap. 5.and walking and neglect his ſtudies) They might put thoſe hours to better uſe. Or as the Holy Ghoſt ſaith of the voluptuous Widow, they are dead while they live, 1 Tim. 5.6.
Great men think with Galba, Nemorationem otii reddere cogetor Suet. in Gal.that no man ſhall be called to account for his idleneſs, but they will one day hear of wicked and ſlothful ſervants, and find a truth in the German Proverb, that Gentlemen are Veniſon in heaven; they ſeldom come thither.
Reader take heed of the hook that is hid under this bait of pleaſures; thou mayſt nibble at it ſafely, but if once thou goeſt with open mouth to ſwallow it down, thou art caught, and in danger to be undone. The flye that cometh to a glaſs of ſweet Syrrup, and onelyonly taſteth it, may get away ſecurely; but if once he bathe his body and wallow in it, he is limed and loſeth his life. Some drugs are given to procure ſleep, which if taken moderately may give the Patient reſt, and do him good; but if in any great quantity, may cauſe him to ſleep his long ſleep, and ſend him to the place where the weary are at reſt. Weigh thy pleaſures warily in the ballance of the Sanctuary, leſt thou ſhouldſt eat of that luſcious diet, Invite,more then …hon canſt poſſibly digeſt. In a word, follow the advice of reverend Bede; For pleaſures (ſaith he) we muſt deal with it as we do with hony; onelyonly touch it with the tip of the ſinger, not with the whole hand, for fear of ſurfeit; though a little honey be ſweet and comfortable, yet much cauſeth gripings, and breedeth choler: Fragrant Flowers if uſed moderately, refreſh the brain, but if too much, cauſe the headach; Light is ſweet, and it is a pleaſant thing to behold the Sun; yet a man by ſtaring too long, too much, may dazzle, nay blind his eyes. Do as Jonathan did; He put forth the end of the Rod which was in his hand, and dipt it in an hony-comb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were enlightned, 1 Sam. 14.27. His eyes were enlightned; A little will ſatisfie, much will ſurfeit. Though Swine lye night and day in ſuch mud, do thou as the Sheep which ſometimes fall into the mire, but haſten out of it to the pleaſant Medows. Though the neceſſity of thy body calleth thee to thy recreations for a ſeaſon, yet let the neceſſities of thy ſoul and family call thee off from them in due time. Let thy recreations be like a Porter whom thou mayſt uſe for half an hour, or an hour, as thy occaſions are, and diſmiſs; and not like an Houſhold ſervant to dwell with thee conſtantly. The Lacedemonians were ſo ſparing that they are ſaid to be even covetous of their time.
Secondly, Look that thine end in them be right. The end here will ſpeak much to the ſpecification of the act; thy recreation muſt be as ſauce to thy meat; we eat ſauce to ſharpen our appetites to our food, and to make us reliſh it the better; ſo we muſt uſe recreations to whet our ſtomach to our callings, and to make them the more ſavoury to us. As muſick to the Jews did ſtir up their minds and prepare their hearts for holy performances; ſo lawful recreations may be uſed by us Gentiles, to fit us for the ſervice of God in our general and particular vocations. The Saint by the comforts of his life may delight more in God the life of all his comforts; He may follow theſe ſtreams ſo long till he comes to the fountain of living waters; He may conclude with himſelf, If recreations by the creature be ſo ſweet, how ſweet is communion with the Creatour.
The Muſitian doth not leave his ſtrings conſtantly wound up, but ſometimes lets them down, and his end is, that when he goeth again to uſe his Viol, it may make the better Muſick. The wiſe Huſbandman will not always croſſ-crop his ground but lets it ſometimes lye fallow, and his end is, that ſowing upon a Tilt, he may have the greater crop: So the Chriſtian may allow his mind moderate releaſe, he may afford the ground of his outward man ſome reſt; but his end muſt be, that when it comes again to be ſowed, to be employed, it may be the more ſerviceable to God and his ſoul; and truly ſo by going back a little, he may have this advantage to leap the farther.
O how ſordid a thing is it for men to uſe ſports meerly to paſs away their time! hence they fooliſhly call them paſtimes. Reader, art thou in haſte to have ſome part of the thread of thy life cut off, as if it were too long? Wilt thou never conſider that time is a ſilver ſtream, running along into the Ocean of eternity, and that eternity dependeth on the ſpending of this moment of time! Doſt thou not beleive that thy jovial companions now in Hell, would give a whole world if they had it for one hour; and that when thou thy ſelf comeſt to dye, and to look into the other World, thou wilt ſay with the Roman General Sertorius (in anſwer to his Souldiers, who told him twas diſhonourable to the Romans, to pay tribute to the barbarous people inhabiting the Pyrenean Mountain.) Plut.Time is a precious commodity to be taken up at any rate. Good God, how much wilt thou think a Week, a Day, nay an hour worth!
For thy ſouls ſake weigh thy time, as it ſtands in relation to thine everlaſting condition, and then I am confident thou wilt aim at another end in thy recreations. Though children go to ſchool and work in hope of play, yet men play to fit themſelves for work. Though wicked men have ſuch ſordid ſinful ends in their delights, do thou mind more noble and worthy deſigns; Poſtotia virtus.therefore oyl the wheels that thou mayſt move the more chearfully, and run the more ſwiftly, in the way of Gods commandments.
Thirdly, have an eye to the ſeaſon of them. Scholers have their play-hours; yet if they be found playing when they ſhould be at their books, they muſt expect to be beaten; The Maſter that doth not grudge his ſervant time to viſit his friends, and rejoyce with his familiars, yet if he ſhould do it when his work lieth upon the ſpoil, he could not but take it very ill. God alloweth us liberty for moderate delights, but it is only when our general and particular callings will give us leave. Cardinal Angelot is chronicled for a ſordid perſon, for ſtealing away the oats which his man had given his mare; how ſordid are thoſe parents who ſteal their childrens food, to purſue their own pleaſures! He that neglecteth his particular calling to follow his ſports, is like him that ſtarveth his ſon, to feed his ſwine; And he that omits his prayers and religious duties to mind his pleaſures, is like him that is condemned to be hanged, and hath only three days allowed him to procure his pardon in, yet he ſpends all that time in hawking or hunting.
Recreations are like ſome fruits not always in ſeaſon, though at ſometimes they are very wholſome, yet at other times they are very hurtful. The wiſe man tells us there is a time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance, Eccleſ. 3.2, and 5. There is a time to weep; Sorrow, is not always ſeaſonable. Dalilah diſparaged her diſcretion by weeping on the day of her wedding. There is a time to laugh; Delights are ſometime out of faſhion. He forfeits his credit that ſports at a funeral? Muſick never ſuited with mourning
In general, recreations are then unſeaſonable when God and mens families are neglected; that they may be minded when to give them water, we are forced to make the Mill of our general and particular callings to ſtand ſtill. O what a fool is that voluptuous youngſter, who having no more horſes then what is ſufficient for his ploughing, will yet take one to hunt upon, and thereby cauſe the reſt to be idle, and his buſineſs to be undone! But how mad is that perſon who, Eſau like, is hunting, and thereby miſſeth the bleſſing!
In particular, our recreations are unſeaſonable on a Lords day, and in times of publick calamities.
1. Recreation are unſeaſonable on a Lords day; Carnal pleaſures muſt then vaniſh, and ſpiritual pleaſures muſt take place: Our joy muſt be pure and heavenly on that day. It is an holy day, and therefore cals for holy delights; God inviteth the Saint on that day to his own table, provideth for him coſtly, curious food, and expecteth that he ſhould come, and not bring along with him the worlds courſe fare. Obſerve the precept in the Evangelical prophet, If thou turn away thy foot from the ſabbath, from doing thy pleaſure on my holy day, and call the ſabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable, & ſhal honor him, not finding thine own pleaſures, then ſhalt thou delight thy ſelf in the Lord. Iſ. 58.13, 14. Take notice, from doing thy pleaſure on my holy day; our pleaſures are ſuch as flow from creatures; now the Wine which makes glad the heart of a Saint on a Sabbath, muſt be drawn from another Pipe. That which runs from the World, is too flat, low, and full of dregs, to be ſerved in to the great King.
When Ariſtotle was asked what he thought of Muſick; he anſwered, Jovem nec canere, nec citharam pulſare; that Jupiter cared not either for ſinging or fidling; he was for higher and more refined exerciſes. The infinite God doth always overlook our puddle-water, more eſpecially on his own day, when he alloweth us to drink of his own richeſt Wines. They ſhall be abundantly ſatisfied with the fatneſs of thy houſe, and thou ſhalt make them drink of the River of thy pleaſures, Pſa. 36.8. Mark, 1. The excellency of the proviſion, fatneſs of thy houſe, the River of thy pleaſures. The fatteſt is eſteemed the faireſt, and the moſt excellent food; therefore the Saint was enjoyned to offer the fat in Sacrifice under the law. As God expects the beſt from us, ſo he gives the beſt to us; this made David when he had feaſted ſo curiouſly, to ſing ſo chearfully. Fatneſs here is the top, the cream of all ſpiritual delicacies. My ſoul is filled as with marrow and fatneſs; and my mouth ſhall praiſe thee with joyful lips, Pſa. 63.5. But though God keep ſo noble an houſe to ſatisfie his peoples hunger, what ſpecial care doth he take to quench their thirſt? Thou ſhalt make them drink of the Rivers of thy pleaſures. O he drinks to them, and they pledge him in his own cup. Hath the Child then any cauſe, when his father keeps ſo rare and coſtly a Table, to leave ſuch dainties, and go a begging up and down the Country for ſcraps and fragments? O how much do theſe diſgrace their Parents proviſion, and their own diſcretion? But mark Reader 2. the plenty as well as the excellency of this proviſion. Here is fatneſs in the abſtract; a river of pleaſures, and ſo much as that they who enjoy it ſhall be ſatisfied, and abundantly ſatisfied. A River is overflowing and everflowing, it communicates its water, and yet is never empty; It is fed with Springs and Fountains, and therefore its no wonder if it always be full; They that are at ſuch a Well, need not complain of want; but here is not onelyonly Rivers and fatneſs, for ſome have much, and yet cannot feed; but of Gods people its ſaid, they ſhall be abundantly ſatisfied; in the Original it is inebriated, they ſhall have not onelyonly a ſufficiency, but a redundancy of ſpiritual delights; the Veſſels of their ſouls ſhall be filled to the brim, out of that River, whoſe ſtreams make glad the City of God. Surely then, they that may have bread in ſuch abundance, enough and to ſpare in their Fathers Houſe, made of the Kidneys of the Wheat, of the fineſt Flower, need not hanker after the Worlds homely fare. Our Heavenly Father doth not keep ſo ſtarveling an houſe, that the Worlds ſcraps ſhould go down with us.
Beſides, how abominable is it to diſturb Gods reſt with our ſports! Some work hard on the week day, and play on the Lords day. No melody ſo delightful to them as Temple Muſick, no draughts ſo ſweet as in Temple Veſsels, Amos 6.5. Dan. 5.2. No time ſo fit for their fooliſh Triumphs as Gods time. The Heathen Philiſtines, when they offered a great Sacrifice to their god Dagon, call for Sampſon to make them ſport. Theſe uncircumciſed perſons, mingle their Sacrifices to the true and living God with ſports, and carnal, nay ſinful pleaſures. Week days, like ordinary Virgins, are excuſed; and the Lords Day, the Queen of days, muſt be deflowred.
Reader, If thou art guilty of this fin, know, that to ſteal time from thy Family or Maſter on a week day is theft; but to ſteal time from thy Maker and Redeemer on this day, is Sacriledge. Haſt thou no Mettal to disfigure and embezle, but that which hath the Kings ſtamp on it! Haſt thou no time to ſleep in thy Cabin, or play on the Deck, but juſt when the wind blows fair for the Veſſel of thy Soul to lanch forward towards Heaven! I muſt tell thee, that God calls thee on this day to be wholly taken up in working out thy ſalvation, and not at all in minding thy recreations. It were better, as Auſtin ſaith (though that were very bad) to plough all day, Melius toto die ararent, quam toto d…e…altarem Aug. in tit. Pſal. 92. Iuſtin, lib. 1.then to play all day. But as Cyrus dealt with the Lydians, when he had conquered them in Battel, he allowed them liberty for all ſports and paſtimes, and thereby ſubdued them in ſuch a manner, that they became his ſervants for ever: So Satan dealeth with the children of men; when they are his already in part, by Sabbath bath day paſtimes, he makes them his ſure and ſettled ſervants altogether, and ſo they become his for ever.
Secondly, Recreations are unſeaſonable in times of publique calamities: The Son is very undutiful, who laughs under the rod; and that Daughter very unnatural, who is ſporting when her Mother is dying: A Sword, a Sword is ſharpned, and alſo furbiſhed; it is ſharpned to make a ſore ſlaughter; it is ſurbiſhed that it may glitter: Should we then make mirth? Ezek. 21.9, 10. Should we then make mirth? as if he had ſaid, Such Seaſons call for ſighing, not for ſinging; for mourning, not for mirth.
The Jews tells us, the very beaſts abſtained from copulation in time of the Deluge. Plin. lib. 11. cap. 17.Naturaliſts tell us of the Bees, that when one is ſick, the reſt in the Hive are all ſad. Experience tells us, that the very birds, who in Summer ſing diviſion prettily, with divers tunes and variation of their pleaſant voyces, in Winter forbear their notes, and ſeem to ſympathize with the ſeaſon: And ſhall not we humble our hearts when Gods hand is lifted up? How much is he diſpleaſed, when his chaſtenings are deſpiſed! Amos 6.5, 6, 7. In that day did the Lord God call to weeping and mourning, and to baldneſs, and to girding with ſackcloth: And behold joy and gladneſs, ſlaying oxen, and killing ſheep: And it was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of Hoſts; Surely this iniquity ſhall not be purged away till ye dye, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, Iſa. 22.12, 13. In that day: When the Perſians invaded Gods people, then they minded their pleaſures: The unſeaſonableneſs of their laughter, provoked God to anger: Solace in the day of Jacobs troubles, is like Winter fruits, harſh and ſowre, Jer. 9.1. The Church may ſpeak to ſuch, as they did to the Philoſopher, Aul. Cell.who in a great tempeſt at Sea was asking many trifling queſtions, Are we periſhing, and doſt thou trifle?
Our duty is, to ſympathize with our fellow members in their ſufferings: Weep with them that weep, Rom. 12.15. Now if we give our ſelves then to take our eaſe, we ſhall hardly feel our Brethrens hard cords through our ſoft beds.
Alexander, Q. Curt.though in exteme thirſt (when his Army was ready to famiſh for want of water) refuſed the cup of water preſented to him, with this excuſe, I cannot drink alone, and here is not enough for every one of my Souldiers to wet their lips. Surely Chriſtianity layeth a ſtronger obligation upon us, when the Church is like her Husband, carrying her Croſs, to cut our ſelves ſhort, in regard of worldly comforts.
Reader, Is thy Mother ſick, and art not thou ſorrowful? Is thy God, thy Father pierced and diſhonored by ſin, and canſt thou take thy pleaſures? Are thy Brethren and Siſters in great affliction, and haſt thou no fellow-feeling affections? When David asked Ʋriah why he went not to his houſe after his journey: He anſwered him, The Ark, and Iſrael, and Judah abide in Tents, and my Lord Joab, and the Servants of my Lord are in the open fields: Shall I then go into mine houſe, and eat, and drink, and lie with my wife? as thou liveſt, and as thy ſoul liveth, I will not do this thing, 2 Sam. 11.10, 11. Truely if thy fleſh ſhould tempt thee to carnal mirth in aday of Zions tribulations, do thou repell it as he did; The beautiful Spouſe of Jeſus Chriſt, the bleſſed members of his body are in great affliction, they water their couches with tearts, and they mingle their drink with weeping; and ſhall I mind my play, and ſports, and earthly delights! through the Lords help I will not do it. No, by the Rivers of Babylon, let me ſit down and weep when I remember Sion. Alas how fooliſh is that man who can laugh and jeſt, and be merry in his private Cabin, as if he were ſafe and ſecure, when the ſhip of the Church in which he ſayleth, is in a boyſtrous and dangerous ſtorm.
Thus I have diſpatched the third particular, wherein a Chriſtian muſt exerciſe himſelf to Godlineſs, namely Recreations.
A good Wiſh about Recreations.
REcreation being the intermiſſion of my labour, The Introduction.and ſpending of ſome time in delightful exerciſe, for the refreſhing of my body and mind, which (by working much) are apt to tire and grow weary, I wiſh in general that I may never abuſe this favour which my Maſter affordeth me (as ſome drunken ſervants) to make me unfit for his work, but may be ſo conſciencious in obſerving thoſe cautions about it, which his law preſcribeth, that my vigour and ſtrength being thereby repaired, I may after it, follow his buſineſs with the more alacrity and ability. In particular, I wiſh that my teeth may never water after forbidden fruit, For the kind it, muſt be lawful.that I may not be ſo prodigal as to lay my precious ineſtimable ſoul at ſtake by any ſinful pleaſure. My God hath told me how I may be merry and not have the Devil for my Play-fellow. O let me never defile my Spirit, whilſt I am delighting the fleſh, but let my ſport for the kind of it, be like Ceſars wife, without the leaſt ſuſpicion of fault. I deſire that my carriage at it may be wholly free from paſſion and covetouſneſs; and to this end, that I may never venture what I eſteem at any value; my mind hereby would be diſt urbed, not refreſhed, and ſo the end of recreation altogether fruſtrated. Moderation about them.I wiſh that ſuch delights may be uſed as my medicine, onelyonly now and then when nature requireth them, not as my meat conſtantly every day; let my God of all conſolation lye (as a Wife) in the bed of my heart, in my boſom, be the delight of my eyes, whom I would by no means have out of my ſight; but let theſe low pleaſures as my ſervants, always remain in an outward room, and go or come as occaſion ſhall require, and Religion direct. I wiſh that I may never mind recreations for thoſe fooliſh ſinful ends, The end to be good.of paſſing away the time, or pleaſing the fleſh; but as Elijah called for a Minſtrel, that his mind being thereby calmed and cheared, he might be the more fitted to propheſie: ſo I may refreſh my body for this very end, that it may be the more ſerviceable to my ſoul, and both of them thereby to my deareſt Saviour. I wiſh that my earthly delights may not be unſavoury, Seaſonablebecauſe (as fiſh at ſome times of the year) they are unſeaſonable; that when my general or particular occupatition, require my preſence, In general they are unſeaſonable when particular or general callings are neglected for them.I may not be abſent at recreations. Why ſhould I like the rich fool be talking of taking my bodily eaſe, when my ſoul is in danger of endleſs pain, or like prophane Eſau, be following my carnal pleaſures, to the loſs of my ſpiritual priviledge! Finally, I deſire that I may not (as Nero when Rome was o… fire) be ſinging, when the people of God are ſighing, but moderate or deny my mirth, In ſpecial. In a time of the Churches troubles.when the members of Chriſt are mourning; O let me prefer Jeruſalem before my chief joy. In a word, I wiſh that I may not diſparage my God, by medling with droſſie comforts, when he calleth me to golden Cordials; that I may not diſobey his law, by minding my pleaſure on his holy day, but may delight my ſelf, On a Lords day.on that day of the Lord, in the Lord of that day; O let me gather 1. from recreations, with the Holy Father; If ordinary glaſs be at ſuch a price, how precious is a true Diamond! If the Worlds traſh drain ſuch joy, what joy will flow from the true treaſure!
Lord let my cheifeſt and conſtant recreations be to walk with my beloved in the Garden of thy word, to refreſh my ſpiritual ſente and ſight with the fair and fragrant flowers of thy promiſes and precepts, to do the work which thou haſt given me to do, and to enjoy fellowſhip with thy ſelf in Ordinances, till I come to that place, where bodies are above ſuch dreggie delights, and ſouls above all mediate communion, and thou thy ſelf art all in all, Amen.