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!
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.