A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties

§. Sect. 2 What lawful recreation is; and that it may be used with a good conscience.

§. Sect. 2 What lawfull recreation is; and that it may be vsed with a good conscience.

Seeing then it is not only allowed as lawful, but commended as necessary and profitable, that ordinarily we should spend some part of the day in vacancy from labour, and remission of the works of our callings, therein taking our recreation, diet and repast, rest and sleep, that we may more cheerfully return to our labours, and more ably perform them, when as our bodies and minds are refreshed by this intermission; we will in the next place speak of them severally, and show how we may lawfully so use them, as that they may be helps and not hindrances to the well-performing of all Christian duties. And first we will speak of recreation; which is an intermission of our labours, and spending of convenient time in some delightful exercise, for the refreshing of our minds and bodies, that their vigour and strength being repaired, we may more cheerfully return to our callings, and perform the duties of them with more ability. Which that we may use without scruple of conscience, (which would make it, though lawful in it self, unlawful unto us, because whatsoever is not done of faith, is sin;) let us know, that honest recreation ¹is a thing not only lawful, but also profitable and necessary. The lawfulness of it hence appeareth, in that it is according to Gods will, which he hath manifested, both by his works, in that he hath made man so finite in his powers and abilities both of body and mind, that he cannot hold out in continual labour, nor long subsist in well-being, in health, and strength, unless he be refreshed with seasonable recreation; and also by his Word. For the same Law which enjoineth painful and profitable labour in our callings, requireth honest recreations as a special means which enableth us unto it, seeing in every Commandment wherein a duty is imposed, all the helps and furtherances which enable us to do it, are also enjoined. And though God hath appointed this world to be a place of pilgrimage and warfare, and not a Paradise of pleasure, and Chariot of triumph, reserving that for his own Kingdom, when having finished our journey, and obtained victory, we shall rest from all our labours, and be complete in all joy and happiness; in which regard it becometh us not here to spend most of our time in sports and pastimes, but rather in painful travail and sore conflicts with our spiritual enemies;