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.