Works, Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV. Rules for the right ordering of our ſelves in our ſports.
THeſe concern, 1 The matter and kinde of our ſports and playes: 2 The manner of uſing them aright. 3 The right ends.
Firſt, Rules for ſports. 1 Matter of them, not 1 Holy things. 2 Nor unholy.The matter of our ſports muſt bee in things which our conſciences tell us are lawful or indifferent. Therefore, 1 Holy things, as phraſes of Scripture, muſt not bee played with, Thou ſhalt fear the holy Name of God, not delight thy ſelf in ſwearing. 2 Sinful things are not to bee matter of our ſport; As 1 To make a man drunk, or ſwear, or to laugh at ſuch perſons; for this is a matter of ſorrow to ſee Gods Image ſo defaced: And Davids eyes guſhed out with Rivers of tears to ſee ſuch ſpectacles. 2 Unlawful ſports, as Playes and Interludes, which are the repreſentations of vices not to bee named among Chriſtians; beſides mens wearing of womens apparel, the incentives of luſt, and fewellers of fleſhly flames. Heathen Law-givers have baniſhed ſuch out of their Countries. 3 Mixed dancing of men and women together, never read of in Scripture with approbation, and here in our Text noted to bee the fruit of Idolatry, Riot, Drinking, and all other diſſolute behaviour. Would God, the root, and tree, and all branches laden with ſuch fruit, were quite ſtubbed up. The Heathens themſelves condemned it: Nemo niſi aut ebrius aut infanus tripudlat.It was an ordinary ſpeech among the Romans, None but either a Drunkard, or a mad man danceth. It were too long to infer the ſentences of the Heathen. The general conſent of Fathers, and the determinations of Councils made againſt this wicked and laſcivious practice.
Baſil in a Sermon of his concerning Drunkenneſs, ſaith, God made our knees not to caper like Goats, but to bow to the worſhip of God, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
And Viret. on the ſeventh Commandement, Chorca in circulo, centrum diabolus, circumferentia ejus Angels. Therefore let the Sons of Light deteſt ſuch an unfruitful work of darkneſs; For what is there here but luſt of the fleſh, and luſt of the eyes? What is here elſe, but carrying fire in the boſome, and walking upon coals, and how can a man avoii burning? This practice agrees neither with the gravity of the man, nor the ſhamefaſtneſs of the woman; nay, the very ſight of it in a woman, is known more to overwhelm a man than ſtrong drink, as wee may ſee in Herod, Mar. 6.22.
4 Unlawful games are ſuch as the Laws of the Land make unlawful, which binde the conſcience in things indifferent: Now among unlawful Games, the Laws reckon Dicing, and ſo doth the Law of God, becauſe it hath no good report in it, no praiſe, no vertue, Phil. 4.8. and then it cannot bee indifferent.
And the like may bee ſaid of all thoſe Playes, the ground of which is lot, ſeeing a lot is an Oracle and declaration of Gods will, a part of his Name, more ſolemn than any Oath, and muſt not bee vainly uſed, or for recreation.
Object. It is no lot, wee uſe it for no ſuch end.
Anſw. That is no matter; the Jews caſt lots for our Saviours garments, the nature of lots remained, though the good end was neglected.
Object. Gods providence over-rules all other games.
Anſw. In other lawful Games that depend upon wit, ſtrength, or skill, our own infirmity, or want of skill, may bee blamed in all imperfection: But here becauſe the ground is a lot, wherein wee have no cunning (unleſs by cogging and cheating which very Royſters condemn) nothing can bee accuſed but Gods immediate direction: Let men conſider whom they diſhonour, when they ſay, What luck, what chance is this?
Lyranus in his praeceptorium, by nine Reaſons proveth the unlawfulneſs of playing with Dice.
The Heathens themſelves condemned it even in their Princes; as Suetonius in the life of Auguſtus reports, that it was his greateſt blemiſh, that hee was at leaſure to play at Dice.
Chilo being ſent from the Lacedemonians to Corinth, upon an Ambaſſage, and finding the Senators of that City at Cards and Dice, would perform no part of his Meſſage, ſaying, Hee would not ſo much diſhonour the Lacedemonians, as that they ſhould either make or meddle with ſuch perſons. Were ſuch Games infamous among Heathens? How unworthy then are they among Chriſtians?
Secondly, As ſports and playes muſt bee indifferent in their nature, ſo alſo in their uſe; and that is when wee confine our ſelves to the lawful manner of uſing them.
1 The perſons muſt have two qualities; 1 They muſt bee pure, 2 The manner.For to the pure all things are pure and to none elſe. Secondly, They muſt bee weary, and need refreſhing; for God alloweth not the moſt lawful ſports, till the body and minde ſtand in need; till then, wee muſt bee buſie in better things.
2 All ſports muſt bee ſanctified by the word and prayer, 1 Tim. 4. Prayer before, and Thankſgiving after, becauſe wee are in more danger to forget our ſelves herein, than in any thing elſe; in that wee unbend our ſelves from our ordinary buſineſs, and think wee may take more liberty than uſual. A ſtrange leſſon to Gameſters.
3 All ſports muſt bee joyned with the fear of God, Rejoyce with trembling, which ſuffers not a man to powre out himſelf to pleaſure.
4 All muſt bee joyned with moderation agreeing to the time, perſon, and place. A man muſt not bee a lover of pleaſure, ſet upon ſport, as ſome, who are given over to ſport, never weary, all the week long is too little. The Apoſtle commands, to rejoyce, as not rejoycing; that is, to bee ſo moderate and retired, as not to over-value ſports, nor to ſet our affections on them, as thoſe who have other things to do. So obſerve due circumſtances: Some at Cards and Dice turn night into day, and ſit up all night and day, longer than they could for ten times more money bee bound to any good buſineſs. Some wickedly incroach on time allotted to Gods ſervice, ſome part of the Sabbath day, and other times; Some keep from Church, and ſome run from Church with their Games in their mouthes: Others beſtow upon them too much time which ſhould bee imployed in the calling, either general or particular, and ſo much indamage themſelves thereby. The Mowers rifle is good to bee ſet to his Sythe when it is blunt; But if hee doth nothing but what ſtill, hee ſpoyls the Sythe, and hinders his work. Therefore let us moderate our ſelves in our ſports, according to the moſt ſober of our age, degree, condition, and ſort of life, and uſe them with ſuch as are both godly and wiſe, who may rather watch over us that wee offend not, rather than draw and provoke us ſo to do.
5 Wee muſt not exchange any vertue or good thing with our delight and ſport (as before wee noted) becauſe every thing that is good, even the leaſt, is better than any indifferent thing: And theref…re:
1 Wee muſt not by ſports hinder our Callings, but fit our ſelves to them.
2 Wee may not clog our ſelves with them, becauſe they ought to ſpeed out way in our ſpiritual courſe and race. Take heed they become not the Devils bird-lime, in which while wee wallow, wee are diſabled to mount aloft in heav…nly meditations.
3 Wee may not loſe our patience, our meekneſs, our love, as they that ſcorn, quarrel, ſt rm, and rage like Heathens, againſt luck, chance, or fortune: yea, ſwear and curſe, if never ſo little croſſed, as they that never heard of Religion.
4 Wee may not loſe our goods, or waſte our ſubſtances, or play away more than without any doubt or ſcruple of conſcience wee may beſtow upon honeſt delight, the neceſſary maintenance of other things and neceſſary contribution to the Miniſtery, and the poor firſt liberally provided for.
5 Wee may not loſe our good name, which is a precious thing, as to bee counted Gameſters, Dicers, common Bowlers, or idle perſons, or a companion of them, or by obſcene, ſcurrilous, or uncomely words or actions, carry the brand of a rude and diſordered Mate.
6 Wee may not loſe our maſtery over our ſports, to let them have us at command; For hee that thus loves paſtime, ſhall bee a poor man, Prov. 21.17.
Now wee come to the right ends, 3 The right ends of ſports.which in our ſports wee muſt ſet before us, if wee would not ſin.
1 The end of ſports muſt not bee to paſs the time, which wee ought to redeem, 1 Negative.and not let paſs without gaining ſomething by it better than it ſelf. Nor to maintain idleneſs, as men that cannot elſe tell what to do with themſelves, for this is as ill as idleneſs; for idleneſs is not onelyonly not working, but a doing of trifles, and that which wee dare not bring into our account to God. A pitiful thing, that Chriſtians having ſo much to do, and ſo much means, and ſo many calls to their buſineſs, ſhould finde nothing ſo fit as Cards, and Die….
2 The end of our ſports muſt not bee to purchaſe our neighbours money, or to help our ſelves by his hindrance. And I would know, by what right of Gods word I can hold my Neighbours money which comes into my hand without labour love gift, or juſt contract. If it bee not mine by juſtice diſtributive or commutative, it cannot bee mine by God: But no law of God or man, hath ranked Wagers in either; Nay, the Civil Law compels none to pay that which is loſt; or if hee have paid, hee may recover it within fifty hours.
2 Affi ma iveBut the right ends of ſports are theſe:
1 Gods glory: Nothing can bee lawful wherein ſome glory is not won to God, in whatſoever wee do. 1 Cor. 10.31. And therefore ſuch ſports as do not inable us to cheerfulneſs in the duties of Religion, and Chriſtianity, fail in this end.
2 All our earthly joyes muſt help forward our ſpiritual joy in God, and the eternal joyes of his Kingdome; If they come in compariſon with them, or will ſtep up to hinder us therein, they are to bee contemned. Our chief joy muſt ever be placed in the Lord, and our chief affections muſt bee reſerved for that fulneſs of joy which is at Gods right hand. Firſt ſeek the Kingdome of God, even in theſe, and above theſe: How doth hee ſo, who ſpends more time in theſe than in that? Yea more by a thouſand degrees, if wee would meaſure the time of his ſports, by the time of godly deſires, and Religious duties?
3 The preſervation of our own health, and not to impair the health of our ſouls or bodies, as many by their watching to play, deſtroy their health, and call numbers of diſeaſes upon themſelves, and oftentimes untimely death. In this uſe alone can all recreations become good and comfortable unto us, although our corrupt nature is loath to bee ſo confined.
Object. If onelyonly theſe Recreations, in this manner, and theſe ends bee lawful, you leave us none.
Anſw. OnelyOnly theſe, in this manner, and ends are lawful; and yet wee diſallow nothing which Gods word alloweth, which ought to govern all his people. Gods word alloweth for the exerciſe of the body, the uſe of the Bow, 2 Sam. 1.18. of Muſick, Neh. 7.67. of Hunting, Hawking, Birding, and ſuch ſports, without ſwearing, diſorder, and needleſs tormenting of the ſilly creatures. And for the exerciſe of wit, hee alloweth honeſt Riddles, Judg. 14. and ſuch Games as the ground of which is wit, or skill, as Cheſs, Draught…, &c. Beſides, an heart that is ſanctified, would inure it ſelf to heavenly joyes, and prefer them above carnal, and little affect thoſe which looſe perſons ſo much dote upon.
And to thoſe who will be ready to object the uſe and cuſtome of the world, and the practice of ſo many fore-running ages, I anſwer and conclude with the Apoſtles words, Rom. 12.2. Faſhion not your ſelves according to this world, but prove what is the will of God. Or if you will not walk by Gods Rules, your ſin ſhall deſtroy your own ſouls; Look you to your duties, I have endeavoured to do mine in diſcovering the ſame unto you.