for there is nothing else that is worth thy seriousness, in comparison
of this. To be earnest and laborious for perishing vanities, is the
disgrace of thy mind, and will prove thy disappointment, and leave
thee at last in shame and sorrow; when holy diligence will recompense
all thy pains.
10. Remember also that thou hast been slothful and negligent too long!
And how dost thou repent of thy former sloth, if thou wilt be as
slothful still? Art thou grieved to think how many duties slothfulness
hath put by, and how many it hath murdered, and frustrated, and made
nothing of, and how much grace, and mercy, and comfort, it hath
already deprived thee of? and how much better thy case were, if thou
hadst lived in as much holy diligence as the best thou knowest? And
yet wilt thou be slothful still?
11. Remember that thou hast thy life, and health, and wit, and parts,
for nothing else but by thy present duty to prepare for everlasting
joys: that all God's mercies bind thee to be diligent; and every
ordinance, and all his helps and means of grace, are given to further
thee in the work; and sun, and moon, and air, and earth, and all,
attend thee with their help. And yet wilt thou be cold and slothful,
and frustrate all these means and mercies?
12. Remember how diligent thy enemy is: Satan "goeth about even night
and day, like a roaring lion seeking to devour!" 1 Pet. v. 8. And wilt
thou be less diligent to resist him?
13. Think what an example of diligence Christ himself hath left thee!
And how laboriously blessed Paul and all the holy servants of Christ
did follow their Master's work! Did they pray, and watch, and work as
slothfully as thou dost?
14. Remember how hot and earnest thou wast formerly in thy sin! and
wilt thou now be cold and negligent in thy duty, when God hath set
thee in a better way?
15. Observe how eager and diligent worldlings are for the world, and
flesh-pleasers for their sports and pleasures, and proud persons for
their greatness and honour, and malignant persons to oppose the gospel
of Christ, and their own and other men's salvation; look on them; and
think what a shame it is to thee to be more cold and remiss for God.
16. Observe how an awakening pang of conscience, or the sight of death
when it seems to be at hand, can waken the very wicked to some kind of
serious diligence at the present; so that by their confessions, and
cries, and promises, and amendments, while the fit was on them, they
seemed more zealous than many that were sincere. And shall not saving
grace do more with you, than a fit of fear can do with the ungodly?
17. Remember of how sad importance it is, and what it signifieth, to
be cold and slothful! If it be predominant, so as to keep thee from a
holy life, it is damnable. The spirit of slumber is a most dreadful
judgment. But if it do not so prevail, yet, though thou be a child of
God, it signifieth a great debility of soul, and foretelleth some
sharp affliction to befall thee, if God mean to do thee good by a
recovery. The decay of natural heat is a sign of old age, and is
accompanied with the decay of all the powers. And sicknesses and pains
do follow such decays of life. And as you will make your horse feel
the rod or spur when he grows dull and heavy, expect when you grow
cold and dull, to feel the spur of some affliction, to make you stir
and mend your pace.
18. Remember that thy sloth is a sinning against thy knowledge, and
against thy experience, and against thy own covenants, promises, and
profession; and therefore an aggravated sin. These and such like serious
thoughts will do much to stir up a slothful soul to zeal and diligence.
_Direct._ IV. Drown not your hearts in worldly business or
delights;[601] for these breed a loathing, and averseness, and
weariness of holy things. They are so contrary one to the other, that
the mind will not be eagerly set on both at once: but as it relisheth
the one, it more and more disrelisheth the other. There is no heart
left for God, when other things have carried it away.
_Direct._ V. Do all you can to raise your hearts to the love of God,
and a delight in holy things, and then you will not be slothful, nor
weary, nor negligent. Love and delight are the most excellent remedy
against a slow, unwilling kind of duty. Know but how good it is to
walk with God, and do his work, and thou wilt do it cheerfully.
_Direct._ VI. A secret root of unbelief is the mortal enemy of zeal
and diligence; labour for a well-grounded belief of the word of God
and the world to come, and stir up that belief into exercise, when you
would have your slothful hearts stirred up. When there is a secret
questioning in the heart, What if there should be no life to come?
What if the grounds of religion be unsound? This blasteth the vigour
of all endeavours, and inclineth men to serve God only with
hypocritical halving and reserves; and maketh men resolve to be no
further religious, than stands with present, fleshly happiness.
_Direct._ VII. Take heed of debauching conscience by venturing upon
doubtful things, much more, by known and wilful sin.[602] For when once
conscience is taught to comply with sin, and is mastered in one thing,
it will do its duty well in nothing, and zeal will quickly be extinct;
diligence will die when conscience is corrupted or fallen asleep.
_Direct._ VIII. Live in a constant expectation of death. Do not
foolishly flatter yourself with groundless conceits that you shall
live long. There is a great power in death to rouse up a drowsy soul,
when it is taken to be near; and a great force in the conceit of
living long, to make even good men grow more negligent and secure.
_Direct._ IX. Live among warm and serious christians; especially as to
your intimate familiarity.[603] There is a very great power in the
zeal of one to kindle zeal in others; as there is in fire to kindle
fire. Serious, hearty, diligent christians, are excellent helps to
make us serious and diligent. He that travelleth with speedy
travellers, will be willing to keep pace with them; and tired
sluggards are drawn on by others; when he that travelleth with the
slothful will go slowly as they do.
_Direct._ X. Lastly, Be oft in the use of quickening means: live, if
you can attain it, under a quickening, zealous minister. There is life
in the word of God, which, when it is opened and applied livelily,
will put life into the hearers. Read the holy Scriptures, and such
lively writings as help you to understand and practise them. As going
to the fire is our way when we are cold, to cure our benumbedness, so
reading over some part of a warm and quickening book, will do much to
warm and quicken a benumbed soul: and it is not the smallest help to
rouse us up to prayer or meditation, and put life into us before we
address ourselves more nearly unto God. I have found it myself a great
help in my studies, and to my preaching: when studying my own heart
would not serve the turn, to awake me to serious fervency, but all
hath been cold and dull that I have done, because all was cold and
dull within, I have taken up a book that was much more warm and
serious than I, and the reading of it hath recovered my heat, and my
warmed heart hath been fitter for my work. Christians, take heed of a
cold, and dull, and heartless kind of religion; and think no pains too
much to cure it: death is cold, and life is warm; and labour itself
doth best excite it.
PART II.
_Directions about Sports and Recreations, and against
Excess and Sin therein._
_Direct._ I. If you would escape the sin and danger, which men
commonly run into by unlawful sporting, under pretence of lawful
recreations, you must understand what lawful recreation is, and what
is its proper end and use. No wonder else if you sin, when you know
not what you do!
[Sidenote: What lawful recreation is.]
No doubt but some sport and recreation is lawful, yea needful, and
therefore a duty to some men. Lawful sport or recreation is the use of
some natural thing or action, not forbidden us, for the exhilarating
of the natural spirits by the fantasy, and due exercise of the natural
parts, thereby to fit the body and mind for ordinary duty to God. It
is some delightful exercise.
1. We do not call unpleasing labour by the name of sport or
recreation; though it may be better and more necessary. 2. We call not
every delight by the name of sport or recreation; for eating and
drinking may be delightful; and holy things and duties may be
delightful; and yet not properly sports or recreations. But it is the
fantasy that is chiefly delighted by sports.
_Qual._ I. All these things following are necessary to the lawfulness of
a sport or recreation, and the want of any one of them will make and
prove it to be unlawful. 1. The end which you really intend in using it,
must be to fit you for your service to God; that is, either for your
callings, or for his worship, or some work of obedience in which you may
please and glorify him: I Cor. x. 31, "Whether ye eat or drink, or
whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." It is just to your duty,
as the mower's whetting to his scythe, to make it for to do his work.
_Qual._ II. 2. Therefore the person that useth it, must be one that is
heartily devoted to God, and his service, and really liveth to do his
work, and please and glorify him in the world: which none but the
godly truly do.' And therefore no carnal, ungodly person, that hath no
such holy end, can use any recreation lawfully; because he useth it
not to a due end. For the end is essential to the moral good of any
action; and an evil end must needs make it evil. Tit. i. 15, "Unto the
pure all things are pure, (that is, all things not forbidden,) but
unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even
their mind and conscience are defiled."
_Quest._ But must all wicked men therefore forbear recreation? _Answ._
1. Wicked men are such as will not obey God's law if they know it; and
therefore they inquire not what they should do, with any purpose
sincerely to obey. But if they would obey, that which God commandeth
them is immediately to forsake their wickedness, and to become the
servants of God, and then there will be no room for the question. 2.
But if they will continue in a sinful, ungodly state, it is in vain to
contrive how they may sport themselves without sin. But yet we may
tell them that if the sport be materially lawful, it is not the matter
that they are bound to forsake, but it is the sinful end and manner.
And till this be reformed they cannot but sin.
_Qual._ III. 3. A lawful recreation must be a means fitly chosen and
used to this end. If it have no aptitude to fit us for God's service
in our ordinary callings and duty, it can be to us no lawful
recreation. Though it be lawful to another that it is a real help to,
it is unlawful to us.
_Qual._ IV. 4. Therefore all recreations are unlawful, which are
themselves preferred before our callings, or which are used by a man
that liveth idly, or in no calling, and hath no ordinary work to make
him need them. For these are no fit means, which exclude our end,
instead of furthering it.
_Qual._ V. 5. Therefore all those are unlawful sports, which are used
only to delight a carnal fantasy, and have no higher end, than to
please the sickly mind that loveth them.
_Qual._ VI. 6. And therefore all those are unlawful sports, which really
unfit us for the duties of our callings, and the service of God; which,
laying the benefit and hurt together, do hinder us as much or more than
they help us! which is the case of all voluptuous wantons.
_Qual._ VII. 7. All sports are unlawful which take up any part of the
time which we should spend in greater works: such are all those that
are unseasonable; (as on the Lord's day without necessity, or when we
should be at prayer, or any other duty;) and all those that take up
more time than the end of a recreation doth necessarily require (which
is too common).
_Qual._ VIII. 8. If a recreation be profane, as making sport of holy
things, it is a mocking of God, and a villany unbeseeming any of his
creatures, and laying them open to his heaviest vengeance. The
children that made sport with calling the prophet "bald-head" were
slain by bears, 2 Kings ii. 23.
_Qual._ IX. 9. They are unlawful sports which are used to the wrong of
others: as players, that defame and reproach other men; and hunters
and hawkers, that tread down poor men's corn and hedges.
_Qual._ X. 10. It is sinful to make sport of other men's sinning, or
to act it ourselves so as to become partakers of it; which is too
common with comedians, and other profane wits.
_Qual._ XI. 11. Unclean, obscene recreations are unlawful; when
filthiness or wantonness is represented without a due expression of
its odiousness, or with obscene words or actions. Eph. v. 3, 4, "But
fornication, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not be once
named among you as becometh saints, neither filthiness, nor foolish
talking, nor jesting."
_Qual._ XII. 12. Those sports are unlawful, which occasion the
multiplying of idle words about them; and engage the players in
foolish, needless, unprofitable prating.
_Qual._ XIII. 13. And those sports are sinful, which plainly tend to
provoke ourselves or others to sin: as to lust, to swearing, and
cursing, and railing, and fighting, or the like.
_Qual._ XIV. 14. Those also are sinful, which are the exercise of
covetousness, to win other men's money of them; or that tend to stir
up covetousness in those you play with.
_Qual._ XV. 15. Cruel recreations also are unlawful: as taking
pleasure in the beholding of duellers, fighters, or any that abuse
each other; or any other creatures that needlessly torment each other.
_Qual._ XVI. 16. Too costly recreation also is unlawful: when you are
but God's stewards, and must be accountable to him for all you have,
it is sinful to expend it needlessly on sports.
_Qual._ XVII. 17. Unnecessary recreations forbidden by our lawful
governors are unlawful. If they were before lawful to thee, yet now
they are not; because your king, your pastor, your parents, your
masters, have power to rule and restrain you in such things; and you
most obey them.
_Qual._ XVIII. 18. Lastly, if you have the choice of divers recreations
before you, you must choose the fittest: and if you choose one that is
less fit and profitable, when a fitter might be chosen, it is your sin;
though that which you choose were lawful, if you had no other.
[Sidenote: What to think of common stage-plays, gaming, cards, dice,
&c.]
By all this it is easy to judge of our common stage-plays, gaming, cards
dice, and divers other such kind of sports. If they have but any one of
these evil qualifications they are sinful. And when they are used
without very many of them, 1. They are too commonly used by men that
never intended to fit themselves for their work and duty by them; yea,
by men that live not at all to the pleasing and glorifying God, and know
not what it is to be obediently addicted to his service; yea, by men
that live not in any constant, honest labour, but make a very trade of
their recreations, and use them as the chief business of the day.
2. They are sports unfit for the ends of lawful recreation, as will
easily appear to the impartial.[604] For it is either your bodies or
your minds that need most the recreations: either you are sedentary
persons, or have a calling of bodily labour: if you are sedentary
persons, (as students, scribes, and divers others,) then it is your
bodies that have most need of exercise and recreation, and labour is
fitter for you than sport; or at least a stirring, labouring sport.
And in this case to sit at cards, or dice, or a stage-play, is,
instead of exercising your bodies, to increase the need of exercising
them: it stirreth not your parts; it warmeth not your blood; it
helpeth not concoction, attraction, assimilation, &c. It doth you much
more harm than good, as to your very health. But if you are hard
labourers, and need rest for your bodies and recreation for your
minds; or are lame or sickly, that you cannot use bodily exercise;
then surely a hundred profitable exercises are at hand which are more
suitable to your case. You have books of necessity to read (as the
word of God); and books of profit to your souls; and books that tend
to increase your knowledge in common things, as history, geography,
and arts and sciences. And should not these be any of them pleasanter
than your dice, and cards, and plays?
3. At least it is plain that they are not the fittest recreations for
any man that intends a lawful end. If you are students, or idle
gentlemen, is not walking, or riding, or shooting, or some honest,
bodily labour rather, that joineth pleasure and profit together, a
fitter kind of exercise for you? Or if you are labouring persons, and
need only pleasure for your minds, should you not take pleasure in
God, in Scripture, in holy conference, meditation, or good books? Or
if indeed you need a relaxation from both these, have you not
profitable history or geography to read? Have you not herbs, and
flowers, and trees, and beasts, and birds, and other creatures to
behold? Have you not fields, or gardens, or meadows, or woods to walk
into? Have you not your near relations to delight in; your wives, or
children, or friends, or servants? May you not talk with good, and
wise, and cheerful men, about things that are both pleasing and
edifying to you? Hath God given you such a world of lawful pleasures,
and will none of them, nor all of them, serve your turns, without
unlawful ones, or at least unfit ones (which therefore are unlawful):
all these are undoubtedly lawful; but cards, and dice, and stage-plays
are, at best, very questionable: among wise and learned men, and good
men, and no small number of these, they are condemned as
unlawful.[605] And should one that feareth God and loveth his
salvation, choose so doubtful a sport, before such abundance of
undoubtedly lawful ones? If you be so proud or rash as to reply, Why
should I leave my sport for another man's conceits or judgment? I will
tell thee that which shall shame thy reply, and thee, if thou canst
blush. 1. It is not some humorous, odd fanatic that I allege against
thee, nor a singular divine; but it is the judgment of the ancient
church itself. The fathers and councils condemn christians and
ministers especially, that use _spectacula_, spectacles, or behold
stage-plays and dicing. 2. Even the oldest canons of our own church of
England forbid dicing to the clergy, which is because they reputed it
evil, or of ill report. 3. Many laws of religious princes do condemn
them. 4. Abundance of the most learned, holy divines condemn them. 5.
The soberest and learnedst of the papists condemn them. 6. And how
great a number of the most religious ministers and people are against
them, of the age and place in which you live, you are not ignorant.
And is the judgment of the ancient church, and of councils, and
fathers, and of the most learned protestants and papists, and the most
religious people, besides many ancient laws and canons, of no force
with you in such a case as this? Will you hold to a thing confessedly
unnecessary, against the judgment of so many that account them sinful?
Are you and your play-fellows more wise and learned than all these? Or
is it not extremity of pride, for such unstudied, empty men to prefer
their sensual conceits, before such a concurrent stream of wiser and
more ponderous judgments? Read but Dr. J. Reignolds's Treatise against
Stage-plays, against Albericus Gentilis, and you will see what a world
of witnesses are against you. And if the judgment of Voetius, Amesius,
and other learned men against all lusory lots be of no authority, at
least it should move you that even Mr. Gataker and others, that write
for the lawfulness of them in that respect (as lusory lots) do yet lay
down the rest of the requisites to make them lawful, which utterly
condemn our common use of cards and dice, much more our gamesters: so
that all the sober divines that ever I read or heard, condemn all
these: and are you wiser than all of them?
4. Besides this, your consciences know that you are so far from using
them to fit you for your callings, that you either live idly out of a
calling, or else you prefer them before your callings: you have no mind
of your work, because your mind is so much upon your play: you have no
mind of your home or family, but are weary of your business, because
your sports withdraw your hearts; and you are so far from using them to
fit you to any holy duty, that they utterly unfit you, and corrupt your
hearts with such a kind of sensual delight, as makes them more backward
to all that is good; insomuch that many of you even grow so desperate as
to hate and scorn it. This is the benefit it bringeth you.
5. And you cannot but know what a time-wasting sin it is. Suppose the
game were never so lawful; is it lawful to lay out so many hours upon
it? as if you had neither souls, nor bodies, nor families, nor
estates, nor God, nor death, nor heaven to mind?
6. And how much profaneness, or abuse of others, is in many of your
stage-plays! How much wantonness and amorous folly, and representing
sin in a manner to entice men to it, rather than to make it odious,
making a sport and mock of sin; with a great deal more such evil! And
your cards and dice are the exercise usually of covetousness, the
occasion of a great deal of idle talk and foolish babble about every
cast and every card: and ofttimes the occasion of cursing, and
swearing, and railing, and hatred of those that win your money; and
oft it hath occasioned fighting, and murder itself. And even your
huntings are commonly recreations so costly,[606] as that the charge
that keepeth a pack of hounds, would keep a poor man's family that is
now in want: besides the time that this also consumeth.
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
God, 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 God, 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, God 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 God, 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 God?
_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 God and heaven so unpleasant?
_Quest._ II. Doth not thy conscience tell thee, that it is not to fit
thee for thy calling or God'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 God, 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 God? And that these sports do no
way increase your delight in God 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 God, and meditating on it, as you do in your sports and
recreations? Nay, do you not shuffle this over, and put God 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 God 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 unassured 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 assurance of his peace with God?
_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 God, and preparing for eternity?
_Quest._ X. Darest thou pray to God 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 God, 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
lust or vanity of mind at stage-plays, no covetousness, or sinful
pleasure, or passion 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
damnation, 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 compassionate 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 God
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 God, 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 noble 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 assurance of salvation? Why then are not these thy business?
5. Hast thou not a God 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 God will bring thee into
judgment," Eccles. xi. 9.
6. Observe in Scripture what God judgeth of thy ways. Tit. iii. 3, "We
ourselves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving
divers lusts and pleasures--" 2 Tim. ii. 22, "Fly youthful lusts: 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 God."[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 God 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 God, 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 God, 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 ungodly 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 God, 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
God; 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 God, 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 sex; 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 God 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 superstition
doth reprove them. 4. You sin by dishonouring human nature. God 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 God 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 prone 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
titles, 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'
affectation of long garments, Mark xii. 38. When you shall wear a
habit of more gravity than you have, it is hypocrisy.
And there is a pride which consisteth in a desire to seem more
mortified than you are, and more holy.[609] And so to affect those
discriminating vestments which signify more of these than you have, is
proud hypocrisy: and thus vile clothing is often the effect of pride;
and if men fall into that sort of pride, as to desire to be noted as
most mortified persons, this is as suitable a badge for them, as
bravery is for those that are proud of their comeliness, and grave
clothing of those that are proud of their gravity.
[Sidenote: How pride of gravity and holiness appeareth about apparel.]
_Quest._ I. But may we as easily discern this sort of pride in clothing
as the other? _Answ._ No, because the mean, and plain, and cheap
clothing is commonly worn by persons really mortified and sober, and
necessarily by the poor, and grave clothing by persons that are really
grave. And therefore we are bound to judge them to be that, which they
seem by their apparel to be, unless by some other evidences than their
apparel, their pride and hypocrisy appear; but when we judge a person
vain that weareth vain clothing, and proud of their comeliness that are
inordinately careful in setting it out, we judge but according to the
first and proper signification of their clothing. Hypocrisy is a thing
unseen to man: it is the visible signs according to their proper
signification that we must judge by; and therefore when we see persons
wear vain and curious attire, we may judge thereby that they are vain
and curious; and if we be mistaken, it is long of them that signified
it; and when we see persons wear grave or humble clothing, we must judge
by it that they are grave and humble, till the contrary appear.
_Quest._ II. But how else will pride of gravity or mortifiedness
appear? _Answ._ When they boast of these themselves, and are insolent
in censuring and reproaching those that differ from them; when their
discourse is more against those fashions which they avoid, than
against any faults of their own; when they affect to be singular in
their apparel, even from the grave and humble persons of their rank;
but especially when they make a noise and stir in the world with their
fashions, to be taken notice of, and to become eminent, and persons
talked of and admired for their mortified garb. Thus many sects
amongst the popish friars go by agreement or vow, in clothes so
differing from all other persons in seeming humility and gravity,
which must be the badge of their order in the eye of the world, that
the boast and affectation is visible and professed. And thus the
quakers, that by the notoriety of their difference from other sober
persons, and by their impudent bawling in the streets and churches,
and railing against the holiest and humblest ministers and people that
are not of their sect, and this in the face of markets and
congregations, do make a plain profession or detection of their pride.
But where it is not openly revealed, we cannot judge it.
[Sidenote: May not a deformity be hid by apparel or painting.]
_Quest._ III. Is it not lawful for a person that is deformed, to hide
their deformity by their clothing? And for any persons to make
themselves (by clothing, or spots, or painting) to seem to others as
comely and beautiful as they can? _Answ._ The person, and the matter,
and the end and reasons, the principle and the probable consequents,
must all be considered for the right answering of this question. It is
lawful to some persons, by some means, for some good ends and reasons,
when a greater evil is not like to follow it, to hide their
deformities, and to adorn themselves so as to seem more comely than
they are: but for other persons, by evil means, for evil ends and
reasons, or when it tendeth to evil consequents, it is unlawful. 1. A
person that is naturally very deformed, may do more to hide it by
their ornaments, than one that hath no such deformity may do to seem
more comely; because one aspireth no higher than to seem somewhat like
other persons; but the other aspireth to seem excellent above others.
And a person that is under government may do more in obedience to
their governors, than another may do that is at their own choice. 2.
If the matter of their ornament be but modest, decent clothing, and
not immodest, insolent, luxurious, vain, or against nature, or the law
of God or man, it is in that respect allowable. But so is no cover of
deformity by unlawful means. 3. It may be lawful, if also it be to a
lawful end, as to obey a governor, or only to cover a deformity, so as
not unnecessarily to reveal it; but it is always sinful, when the end
is sinful. As, (1.) If it be to seem extraordinary beautiful or
comely, when you are not so; or if it be to be observed and admired by
beholders. (2.) If it be to tempt the beholders' minds to lustful or
undue affections. (3.) If it be to deceive the mind of some one that
you desire in marriage: for in that case, to seem by such dissembling
to be what you are not, is the most injurious kind of cheat, much
worse than to sell a horse that is blind or lame, for a sound one.
(4.) If it be to follow the fashions of proud gallants, that you may
not be scorned by them as not neat enough; all these are unlawful ends
and reasons. 4. So also the principle or mind that it cometh from, may
make it sinful: as, (1.) If it come from a lustful, wanton mind. (2.)
Or if it come from an over-great regard of the opinion of spectators;
which is the proper complexion of pride.[610] A person that doth it
not in pride, is not very solicitous about it: nor makes no great
matter of it whether men take him to be comely or uncomely; and
therefore he is at no great cost or care to seem comely to them. If
such persons be deformed, they know it is God's work, and not their
sin; and it is sin that is the true cause of shame: and all God's
works are good, and for our good if we are his children. They know
that God doth it to keep them humble, and prevent that pride, and
lust, and wantonness which is the undoing of many; and therefore they
will rather be careful to improve it, and get the benefit, than to
hide it, and seem comelier than they are. 5. Also the consequents
concur much to make the action good or bad: though that be not your
end, yet if you may foresee, that greater hurt than good will follow,
or is like to follow, it will be your sin. As, (1.) If it tend to the
insnaring of the minds of the beholders in procacious, lustful, wanton
passions, though you say, you intend it not, it is your sin, that you
do that which probably will procure it, yea, that you did not your
best to avoid it. And though it be their sin and vanity that is the
cause, it is nevertheless your sin to be the unnecessary occasion: for
you must consider that you live among diseased souls! And you must not
lay a stumblingblock in their way, nor blow up the fire of their lust,
nor make your ornaments their snares; but you must walk among sinful
persons, as you would do with a candle among straw or gunpowder; or
else you may see the flame which you would not foresee, when it is too
late to quench it. But a proud and procacious, lustful mind is so very
willing to be loved, and thought highly of, and admired and desired,
that no fear of God, or of the sin and misery of themselves or others,
will satisfy them, or take them off. (2.) Also it is sinful to adorn
yourselves in such fashions, as probably will encourage pride or
vanity in others, or seem to approve of it. When any fashion is the
common badge of the proud and vain sort of persons of that time and
place, it is sinful unnecessarily to conform yourselves to them;
because you will harden them in their sin, and you join yourselves to
them, as one of them by a kind of profession. As when spotted faces (a
name that former ages understood not) or naked breasts, or such other
fashions, are used ordinarily by the vain, and brain-sick, and
heart-sick, proud and wanton party, it is a sin unnecessarily to use
them. For, (1.) You will hinder their repentance. (2.) And you will
hinder the great benefit which the world may get by their vain attire:
for (though it be no thanks to them that intend it not) yet it is a
very great commodity that cometh to mankind by these people's sin:
that fools should go about in fools'-coats, and that empty brains, and
proud and wanton hearts, should be so openly detected in the streets
and churches; that sober people may avoid them; and that wise, and
chaste, and civil people may not be deceived by such in marriage to
their undoing. As the different clothing of the different sexes is
necessary to chastity and order; so it is a matter of great
convenience in a commonwealth, that sots, and swaggerers, and
phrenetics, and idiots, and proud, and wanton, lustful persons should
be openly distinguished from others; as in a plague-time the doors of
infected houses are marked with a "Lord, have mercy on us." And the
wisest magistrate knew not how to have accomplished this himself by a
law, as the wretches themselves do by their voluntary choice; for if
it were not voluntary, it would be no distinguishing badge of their
profession. Now for any honest, civil people to join with them, and
take up their livery, and the habit of their order, is to profess
themselves such as they, and so to encourage and approve them, or
else to confound the proud and humble, the vain and sober, the wanton
and the chaste, and destroy the benefit of distinction.
By this you may see, that it is not so much the bare fashion itself that
is to be regarded, as the signification and the consequents of it. The
same fashion when used by sober persons, to better signification and
consequents, may be lawful, which otherwise is unlawful. Therefore those
fashions that can hardly ever be supposed to have a good signification
and consequents, are hardly ever to be supposed lawful.
Note also, that any one of the aforesaid evils maketh a fashion evil,
but it must be all the requisites concurrent that must prove your
fashions good or lawful.
_Quest._ IV. Is it not sometimes lawful to follow the fashions?
_Answ._ It is always lawful to follow the sober fashions of sober
people; but it is not lawful to follow the vain, immodest,
ill-signifying fashions of the riotous, proud, and wanton sort: unless
it be in such cases of necessity as David was in, when he behaved
himself like a mad-man, or as Paul when he told them that he was a
Pharisee, Acts xxiii. 6, to escape in a persecution, or from thieves
or enemies. 2. Or unless for a time it prove as conducible to the good
of others, as Paul's circumcising Timothy was, or his becoming all
things to all men, that he might win some.[611] But to follow
ill-signifying fashions, unnecessarily, or for carnal ends, to avoid
the disesteem or evil speeches of carnal persons, or to seem to be as
fine as they, this is undoubtedly a sin.
_Direct._ VI. Be sure to avoid excess of costliness in your apparel.
Remember that you must answer for all your estates. And one day it
will prove more comfortable to find on your accounts, So much a year
laid out in clothing the naked, than, So much a year in bravery or
curiosity for yourselves or your children. Costly apparel devoureth
that which would go far in supplying the necessities of the poor.
_Direct._ VII. Be sure you waste not your precious time in needless
curiosity of dressing. I cannot easily tell you how great a sin, and
horrible sign of folly and misery, it is in those gallants that spend
whole hours, yea, most part of the morning, in dressing and neatifying
themselves, before they appear to the sight of others; so that some of
them can scarce do any thing else before dinner time, but dress
themselves. The morning hours that are fittest for prayer, and reading
the word of God, are thus consumed. They spend not a quarter so much
time in the serious searching and adorning of their souls, nor in any
holy service of God; but God, and family, and soul, and all is thus
neglected.
_Direct._ VIII. Next to the usefulness of your apparel for your bodies
and labours, let your rule be to imitate the common sort of the grave
and sober persons of your own rank. Not here and there one that in
other things are sober, who themselves follow the fashions of the
proud and vain; but the ordinary fashion of grave and sober persons.
For thus you will avoid both the levity of the proud, and the needless
singularity of others.
_Direct._ IX. Regard more the hurt that your fashion may do, than the
offence or obloquy of any. For proud persons to say you are sordid, or
not fine enough, and talk of your coarse attire, is no great disgrace
to you, nor any great hurt; but it is a greater disgrace to be
esteemed proud. It signifieth an empty, childish mind, to be desirous
to be thought fine: it is not only pride, but the pride of a fool,
distinct from the pride of those that have but manly wit. And you
ought not thus to disgrace yourselves, as to wear the badge of pride
and folly, any more than an honest woman should wear the badge and
attire of a whore. Moreover, mean apparel is no great temptation to
yourselves or others to any sin; but proud and curious apparel doth
signify and stir up a lustful or proud disposition in yourselves; and
it tempteth those of the same sex to envy and to imitate you, and
those of the other sex to lust or wantonness. You spread the devil's
nets (even in the churches, and open streets, and meetings) to catch
deluded, silly souls. You should rather serve Christ with your
apparel, by expressing humility, self-denial, chastity, and sobriety,
to draw others to imitate you in good, than to serve the devil, and
pride, and lust by it, by drawing men to imitate you in evil.
_Direct._ X. Remember what a body it is that you so carefully and
curiously adorn: well is it called by the apostle a "vile body," Phil.
iii. 21. What a silly, loathsome lump of dirt is it! What a thing
would the pox, or leprosy, or almost any sickness make it appear to
be! What loathsome excrements within, are covered by all that bravery
without! Think what it is made of, and what is within it, and what it
will turn to! How long it must lie rotting in a darksome grave, more
loathsome than the common dirt; and then must turn to common earth.
And is purple and silk, Luke xix. 19, and a curious dress, beseeming
that body that must shortly have but a winding-sheet, and must lie
thus in the grave, and it is to be feared the soul for this pride lie
in hell? Luke xvi. 23, 25. Is all this cost and curiosity comely for
one that knoweth that he is returning to the dust?
_Direct._ XI. Remember that you have sinful souls that have continual
cause of humiliation, and that have need of more care and adorning
than your bodies. And therefore your apparel should express your
humiliation; and show that you take more care for the soul. How vile
should that sinner be in his own eyes, who knoweth what he hath done
against God! what mercy he hath sinned against! what a God he hath
offended! what a Saviour he hath slighted! what a Spirit of grace he
hath resisted! and what a glory he hath undervalued and neglected! He
that knoweth what he is, and what he hath done, and what he hath
deserved, and in what a dangerous case his soul yet standeth, must
needs have his soul habituated to a humble frame. Every penitent soul
is vile in its own eyes, and doth loathe itself for its inward
corruptions and actual sins; and he that loatheth himself as vile,
will not be very desirous to have his sinful, corruptible body seem
fine, nor by curious ornaments to attract the eyes of vain spectators.
How oft have I seen proud, vain gallants suddenly cast off their
bravery and gaudy, gay attire, and clothe themselves in plainness and
sobriety, as soon as God hath but opened their eyes, and humbled their
souls for sin, and made them better know themselves, and brought them
home by true repentance! so that the next week they have not seemed
the same persons: and this was done by mere humiliation without any
arguments against their fashions or proud attire.[612] As old Mr. Dod
said, when one desired him to preach against long hair: "Preach them
once to Christ and true repentance, and they will cut their hair
without our preaching against it." As pride would be seen in proud
apparel; so humility will appear in a dress like itself, though it
desire not to be seen. Mark 1 Pet. iii. 3-5, "Whose adorning let it
not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of
gold, or of putting on of apparel; (that is, curious dressing or
adorning the body beyond plain simplicity of attire;) but let it be
the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even
the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is
of great price. For after this manner (that is, with inward holiness
and outward plainness) in the old time the holy women also, who
trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own
husbands." Oh that God would print those words upon your hearts! 1
Pet. v. 5, "Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed
with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the
humble." Plainness among christians is a greater honour than fine
clothing, James ii. 2-5. 1 Tim. ii. 9, 10, "In like manner also that
women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and
sobriety, not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly
array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good
works." I entreat those that are addicted to bravery or curiosity, to
read Isa. iii. from verse 16 to the end.
_Direct._ XII. Make not too great a matter of your clothing, but use
it with such indifferency as a thing so indifferent should be used.
Set not your hearts upon it. For that is a worse sign than the excess
in itself. "Take no thought wherewith ye shall be clothed: but
remember how God clothes the lilies of the field," Matt. vi. 28. If
you have "food and raiment, be therewith content," though it be never
so plain, 1 Tim. vi. 8.
_Direct._ XIII. Be not too censorious of others for different fashions
of apparel. Be as plain and modest yourselves as you can; but lay no
greater stress on the fashions of others than there is cause. If they
be grossly impudent, disown such fashions and seek to reform them: but
to carp at every one that goeth finer than yourselves, or to censure
them as proud, because their fashions are not like yours, may be of
worse signification than the fashions you find fault with. I have oft
observed more pride in such censures, than I could observe in the
fashions which they censured. When you have your eye upon every
fashion that is not according to your breeding, or the custom of your
rank or place, and are presently branding such as proud or vain, it
showeth an arrogant mind, that steppeth up in the judgment-seat, and
sentenceth those that you have nothing to do with, before they are
heard, or you know their reasons. Perhaps their fashion was as common
among the modest sort where they have lived, as your fashion is among
those that you have conversed with. Custom and common opinion do put
much of the signification upon fashions of apparel.
* * * * *
I should next have given you special directions about the using of
your estates;[613] about your dwellings; about your meat and drink;
and about your honour or good name. But being loth the book should
prove too tedious, I shall refer you to what is said before, against
covetousness, pride, and gluttony, &c.; and what is said before and
after, of works of charity and family government.
As to sacred habits, and the different garbs, laws, orders of life,
diet, &c. of those called religious orders among the papists, regular
and secular, whether and how far such are lawful or sinful, they are
handled so largely in the controversies of protestants and papists,
that I shall pass them by. Only remembering the words of the clergy of
Ravenna to Carolus Junior, king of France, inter Epist. Hincmari
Rhemensis, _Discernendi a plebe vel cæteris sumus, doctrina non veste,
conversatione non habitu, mentis puritate non cultu. Docendi enim
potius sunt populi, quam ludendi, nec imponendum est eorum oculis, sed
mentibus præcepta sunt infundenda._
FOOTNOTES:
[567] See 1 Cor. ix. 6; 2 Cor. vi. 1; 1 Cor. xvi. 10; 2 Tim. ii. 15.
[568] See before, chap. vi. tit. 4. of this: and in my "Treat. of
Divine Life," part iii.
[569] Ezek. xlvi. 1; Deut. xvi. 15; ii. 7; Exod. xxxiv. 21.
[570] Socrates was mightily addicted to the exercise of his body, as
necessary to the health of body and mind. Laert. Plutarch out of Plato
saith, that soul and body should be equally exercised together, and
driven on as two horses in a coach, and not either of them overgo the
other. Prec. of Health.
[571] Omnes qui sunt, quique erunt, aut fuerunt, virtutibus aut
doctrinis clari, non possunt unum ingenium accendere, nisi aliquæ intus
in animo scintillæ sint, quæ preceptoris spiritu excitatæ et adjutæ,
generosum disciplinæ fomitem arripiant. Petrarch. dial. 41. li. 2.
[572] It was one of Solon's laws: Is qui sectatur otium, omnibus
accusare volentibus obnoxius esto. Ut Laert. in Sol. Num solum aquas
haurio, inquit Cleanthes? nonne et fodio et rigo et omnia facio
philosophisæ causa? when they asked him why he would draw water.
[573] How little have some men (yea, ministers themselves) to show of
all the good they might have done through all their lives! The work
they have done calls them idle.
[574] 1 Thess. v. 12, 13; Prov. xviii. 9; xxi. 25; 2 Thess. iii.;
Prov. xii. 24; xii. 15; Eccl. x. 18.
[575] Prov. x. 26; xviii. 9.
[576] Prov. xxvi. 16; xxiv. 30.
[577] See Psal. cxxviii. 2, "Thou shalt eat the labour of thy hands."
Prov. xiv. 23; xiii. 11.
[578] Cleanthes coactum aliquando stipem in medium familiarium
intulit, dicens, Cleanthes alium Cleanthem posset nutrire si vellet.
And when he was questioned in judgment, how he lived, Adeo robustus,
et tam boni habitûs, the gardener that he worked for, and the woman
that baked his meal, were the witnesses that acquit him. Hard labour
and hard fare enabled him for hard study. Laert. in Cleanth.
[579] Platonem tradunt cum vidisset quendam aleis ludentem increpasse:
et cum ille; Quam me in parvis reprehendis? diceret, respondisse, At
est consuetudo non parva res. Laert. in Plat.
[580] Callimachus, in Attila, reporteth that when certain players came
before Attila, to show the agility of their bodies in their exercises,
he was offended to see such able, active bodies no better employed,
and commanded them to be exercised in shooting and other military
acts: which when they could not do, he commanded that they should have
no meat but what they got by hunting at a great distance, and so
exercised them till they became excellent soldiers. Page 353.
[581] Ni sis bonus aleator, probus chartarius, scortator improbus,
potator strenuus, profusor audax, decoctor et conflator æris alieni,
deinde scabie ornatus Gallica, vix quisquam te oredet equitem. Erasm.
Colloq. p. 483. See more of this chap. v. and read Luke xvi. and James
v.
[582] Rev. iii. 15, 19.
[583] Matt. xxiii. 15.
[584] See Jam. iii.
[585] Rom. x. 2; Acts xxi. 20, 22.
[586] 2 Pet. ii. 7, 8; Ezek. ix. 4; 1 Cor. v.
[587] Matt. vii. 4; Gen. xxxviii. 24; 2 Sam. xii. 5.
[588] 2 Cor. viii. 3; Acts xviii. 25; Exod. xxxvi. 6.
[589] Gal. iv. 15, 18.
[590] Psal. lxix. 10; John ii. 17; Gal. iv. 18; 2 Cor. vii. 11; Tit.
ii. 14; Rev. iii. 15, 16, 19.
[591] Jam. v. 16; Rom. xii. 11.
[592] Matt. xi. 12; Rom. xv. 33; Luke xiii. 24; 2 Tim. ii. 5; 1 Cor.
ix. 24-26; Heb. xii. 1; Deut. vi. 5; Matt. xxii. 37; 2 Cor. v. 14;
Prov. l. 4.
[593] John ix. 4; Isa. lv. 6; Luke xix. 42; Heb. iii. 7, 15; Matt. xxv.
[594] Sam. ii. 23, 29; Rev. iii. 19.
[595] 1 Thess. v. 22; Jude 23; Jam. iv. 7; 1 Pet. v. 9.
[596] Eccles. x. 18; Prov. xxiv. 30; xxi. 25; xiii. 4.
[597] Prov. xxii. 13; xxvi. 13; xx. 4.
[598] Numb. xxv. 11, 13; Cant. viii. 6, 7; Heb. xx. 11; Dan. iii.;
vi.; Matt. xiii. 20, 21; Rev. ii. 5; Rev. iii. 16; 2 Thess. ii. 10.
[599] Read before chap. v. the cont. dir. for redeeming time.
[600] 1 Cor. vii. 29, 30; 2 Pet. iii. 11; Rev. xii. 12.
[601] Luke viii. 14.
[602] Rom. xiv. 21, 22; 1 Cor. v. 6; Eph. iv. 29, 30.
[603] Prov. xxii. 24, 25; xxvii. 17; Heb. iii. 13; x. 24, 25; Rom. xv.
14.
[604] Tanto cum strepitu ludi spectantur et artes. Hor.
[605] Among the Ep. of Bonifac. Mog. there is a council held under
Carloman, king of France, which saith in the king's name, Necnon et
illas venationes et sylvaticas vagationes cum canibus, servis Dei
interdiximus. Similiter ut accipitres et falcones non habeant. And
sure these are better than cards and dice, which yet some priests now
use too much.
[606] It is one of the Roman laws, 12. tab. Prodigo bonorum suorum
administratio interdicta esto.
[607] Rom. xiv. 21; 1 Cor. viii. 13.
[608] 1 Pet. i. 14, 15; ii. 11, 12.
[609] Matt. xxiii. 5; Mal. iii. 17.
[610] Laertius saith, that when Crœsus sat in all his ornaments and
glory on his throne, he asked Solon, An pulchrius unquam spectaculum
viderit? Illumque dixisse: Gallos, gallinaceos, phasianos, et pavones:
naturali enim eos nitore et speciositate eximia vestiri.
[611] Phil. iii. 10; Rom. xii. 2; Eph. v. 11.
[612] And no wonder, when the light of nature reduced the serious sort
of philosophers to so plain a garb; as Socrates, Zenocrates, with almost
all the Stoics and Cynics, and many of the Academics and Pythagoreans.
[613] Of the proportion of our estates to be given, see my Letter to
Mr. Gouge.
Transcriber's Notes:
Obvious punctuation and spelling errors have been fixed throughout.
Inconsistent hyphenation left as in the original text.
Page 73: The table has been reformatted from the original in order to
fit in the width of the page.
Page 112: The sentence ending in "... next to nothing.)" has no
opening parenthesis, left as in the original.
Page 227: The sentence containing "... hereafter; (to say you ..." has
no closing parenthesis, left as in the original.
Footnote 70: There is no opening parenthesis for the sentence
containing "...didicisse magnum dicitur)...", left as in the original.
Footnote 479: There is no anchor for this footnote, left as in the
original text.