First, (this being presupposed that he do not use any recreations but those which he can prove to be in themselves lawful) first, I say, for the beginning of recreation, let every man know, that recreation must follow labour, for the most part, or if at any time it go before it, it must be very little, only to fit one for labour. The Lord allows a man no sport, though never so lawful in it self, until such time as his body or mind do stand in need of it, chiefly when they have been busied in some such honest affairs, as by wearying them, have made them unfit for further labour, so that they must again be fitted thereto by recreation. Until pains-taking have made the body or mind, not so well able to take pains, there is no allowance ordinarily for recreation. All our sports and recreations, if we will use them well, (I speak of those which are lawful) must be to our body or mind, as the mowers whet-stone or rifle is to his sith, to sharpen it when it grows dull. He that when his sith is dulled, will not (upon a desire to do more work) ⟨p. 16⟩take time to whet it, shall cut less, and with more pain, & more unhandsomely then he need to do: so he that when his body or mind is tired or heavy, will not use some honest refreshing, shall do less, and with less dexterity then he might. But on the other side, if the mower should do nothing from morning to noon, or from noon to night but whet, whet, whet, rubbing his sith, he would both mar the sith, and be counted an idle work-man also, for loosing his days work: so he that will run after the most honest delights when neither the weariness of his body, nor heaviness of his mind requires the same (but only upon a fond lust, or longing after them) shall in time destroy his wit, and strength, and in the mean season, marvellous unthriftily mis-spend his time. Therefore let not a man begin the day with play, though never so lawful, unless his body or mind require some necessary exercise to make it more apt for his calling. He that sets into the day sportingly, shall be sure to go through it, either lumpishly or sinfully, ⟨p. 17⟩much more if he spend all the day from morning to night in playing, let it be never so much holy day, or have he what other excuse he will. This rule is for the beginning of sports.
First, (this being presupposed that he doe not vse any recreations but those which he can proue to be in themselues lawfull) first, I say, for the beginning of recreation, let euery man know, that recreation must follow labour, for the most part, or if at any time it goe before it, it must be very little, onely to fit one for labour. The Lord allowes a man no sport, though neuer so lawfull in it selfe, vntill such time as his body or mind do stand in neede of it, cheefly when they haue beene busied in some such honest affaires, as by wearying them, haue made them vnfit for further labour, so that they must againe be fitted thereto by recreation. Vntil paines-taking haue made the body or minde, not so well able to take paines, there is no allowance ordinarily for recreation. All our sports and recreations, if we wil vse them well, (I speake of those which are lawfull) must bee to our body or minde, as the mowers whet-stone or rifle is to his syth, to sharpen it when it growes dull. He that when his syth is dulled, wil not (vpon a desire to doe more worke) ⟨p. 16⟩take time to whet it, shall cut lesse, and with more paine, & more vnhandsomely then he need to doe: so he that when his body or mind is tired or heauie, will not vse some honest refreshing, shall doe lesse, and with lesse dexteritie then he might. But on the other side, if the mower should doe nothing from morning to noone, or from noone to night but whet, whet, whet, rubbing his syth, he would both marre the syth, and bee counted an idle worke-man also, for loosing his dayes work: so he that will run after the most honest delights when neither the wearinesse of his body, nor heauines of his minde requires the same (but onely vpon a fond lust, or longing after them) shall in time destroy his wit, and strength, and in the meane season, maruailous vnthriftilie mis-spend his time. Therefore let not a man beginne the day with play, though neuer so lawfull, vnlesse his body or minde require some necessarie exercise to make it more apt for his calling. Hee that sets into the day sportingly, shall bee sure to go through it, either lumpishly or sinfully, ⟨p. 17⟩much more if he spend all the day from morning to night in playing, let it be neuer so much holy day, or haue he what other excuse he wil. This rule is for the beginning of sports.
