The natural use, is either to •eleeve our necessities, or for honest delight. Thus the Psalmist saith, that God gives not only bread to strengthen the heart of man, but also wine to make glad the heart, & oil to make the face to shine, Psal. 104. 15. and God hath put into his creatures infinite varieties of colours, savours, tastes, and forms to this end that men might take delight in them. Hence it follows, that Recreation is lawful, and a part of Christian liberty, if it be well used. By recreation I understand exercises and sports, serving to refresh either the body or the […] and that they may be well used, two rules espy cially must be remembered. The first, that lawful recreation stands only in the use of things indifferent. For if the things be commanded by God, there is no sporting in them; or if they, be forbidden, there is no using of them at all. Upon this ground, sundry kinds of recreation are to be neglected. As I. the dancing commonly used in these days, in which men and women, ⟨p. 101⟩young men and ma••s, all mixed together, dance to the sound of the instrument or voice in time and measure, with many wanton gestures, and that in solemn meetings after great feasts. This exercise cannot be numbered among things indifferent; for experience showeth, that it hath been usually either a fruit or a follower of great wickedness, as idolatry, fornication, drunkenness: hereupon, one well compared it to a *circle, whose centre was the devil. Again, if we must give an account of every idle word, then also of every idle gesture and pace: & what account can be given of these paces backward and forward, of caprings, jumps, gambols, turnings, with many other •riskes of lightness and vanity, more beseeming goats and apes, of whom they are commonly used, then men. Whereas Solomon esteemed laughter as madness, he would (no doubt) have condemned our common lascivious dancing much more for madness, laughter being but the least part of it. II. Dicing, which is precisely the casting of a lot, not to be used at our pleasures, but in matters of weight and importance. And of this kind are all games, the ground whereof are not the sleight of mans wit, but lot alone. III. Plays and interludes, that stand in the representation of the vices and misdemeanour ⟨p. 102⟩of the world. For if it be not lawful to name vices, unless it be in the way of dislike, Eph. 5. 3.
The naturall vse, is either to •eleeue our necessities, or for honest delite. Thus the Psalmist saith, that God giues not onely bread to strengthen the heart of man, but also wine to make glad the heart, & oyle to make the face to shine, Psal. 104. 15. and God hath put into his creatures infinite varieties of colours, sauours, tastes, and formes to this end that men might take delite in thē. Hence it follows, that Recreation is lawfull, and a part of Christian libertie, if it be well vsed. By recreation I vnderstand exercises and sports, seruing to refresh either the bodie or the 〈…〉 and that they may be well vsed, two rules esp• cially must be remembred. The first, that l••full recreation stands only in the vse of things indifferent. For if the things be commanded by God, there is no sporting in them; or if they, be forbidden, there is no vsing of them at all. Vpon this ground, sundrie kindes of recreation are to be neglected. As I. the dauncing commonly vsed in these daies, in which men and women, ⟨p. 101⟩yongmen and ma••s, all mixed together, daunce to the sound of the instrument or voyce in time and measure, with many wanton gestures, and that in solemne meetings after great feasts. This exercise cannot be numbred among things indifferent; for experience sheweth, that it hath beene vsually either a fruit or a follower of great wickednes, as idolatric, fornication, drunkennes: hereupon, one well compared it to a *circle, whose center was the deuill. Againe, if we must giue an account of euery idle worde, then also of euery idle gesture and pace: & what account can be giuen of these paces backward and forward, of caprings, iumpes, gambols, turnings, with many other •riskes of lightnes and vanitie, more beseeming goates and apes, of whome they are commonly vsed, then men. Whereas Salomon esteemed laughter as madnesse, he would (no doubt) haue condemned our common lascivious dauncing much more for madnesse, laughter beeing but the least part of it. II. Dicing, which is precisely the casting of a lotte, not to be vsed at our pleasures, but in matters of weight and importance. And of this kinde are all games, the ground whereof are not the sleight of mans witte, but lotte alone. III. Playes and enterludes, that stande in the representation of the vices and misdemeanour ⟨p. 102⟩
- *Tripadium est circulus […] […] Di•b•l••.Tripadium est circulus 〈…〉 〈…〉 Di•b•l••.
