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

Contrariwise our care must be, that we avoid such recreations as are unlawful, which howsoever for the time they may be pleasing unto the flesh, yet leaving behind them the sting of sin, they will, like the play of Joab and Abners soldiers, be bitter in the end, and not bring unto the mind any lasting delight, but at the best, mournful repentance and afflicting grief. And such are all those sports as are so vain and light, that they will not beseem Christian gravity; all those which tend to break peace, and weaken love, as bitter or scurrilous jesting, and rude horse-play; all lascivious and effeminate sports which corrupt the mind, or weaken the body, inflame the lust, or poison the manners, as vain dalliance, and courting of women, chambering and wantonness, profane stage-plays and Interludes, which make the Theatre a School of all impiety and profaneness, lust and uncleanness, and wanton dancing of both sexes one with another; especially in those light and lewd Lavoltoes and Corantoes used in these times, which are so full of lascivious and immodest gestures and actions, Goat-like jumps and frisks of women as well as men; proclaiming wanton immodesty, and tending only to the inflaming of lust, that they would not well beseem an honest Pagan; and better fit a cunning Courtesan, who cast before men these alluring baits, that they may be catched in the snares of lust; then for a true Christian, who esteemeth modesty and chastity her best ornaments. Unto these we may add carding and dicing, as they are almost generally used. For suppose that all games at them are not simply unlawful, and that the argument of lots taketh no hold of them, because they are in nothing like, but as they are both disposed by Gods providence, which hath a chief stroke in disposing all things, or because (as they allege) the most games stand not so much upon chance and casualty, as on the Art and skill of the player, the which they think cleared by experience, in that a bungler playing with a cunning gamester, though he get some games, yet he is no constant winner, but if he continue long at play, is almost sure in the end to depart a loser; yea, let it be granted unto them, either that they are not therefore unlawful, because providence ruleth them;

Contrariwise our care must be, that wee auoyd such recreations as are vnlawfull, which howsoeuer for the time they may bee pleasing vnto the flesh, yet leauing behind them the sting of sinne, they will, like the play of Ioab and Abners souldiers, be bitter in the end, and not bring vnto the mind any lasting delight, but at the best, mournfull repentance and afflicting griefe. And such are all those sports as are so vaine and light, that they will not beseeme Christian grauity; all those which tend to breake peace, and weaken loue, as bitter or scurrilous iesting, and rude horse-play; all lasciuious and effeminate sports which corrupt the minde, or weaken the body, inflame the lust, or poyson the manners, as vaine dalliance, and courting of women, chambring and wantonnesse, prophane stage-playes and Enterludes, which make the Theater a Schoole of all impiety and profanenesse, lust and vncleannesse, and wanton dancing of both sexes one with another; especially in those light and lewd Lauoltoes and Corrantoes vsed in these times, which are so full of lasciuious and immodest gestures and actions, Goate-like iumpes and friskes of women as well as men; proclaiming wanton immodesty, and tending onely to the inflaming of lust, that they would not well beseeme an honest Pagan; and better fit a cunning Curtizan, who cast before men these alluring baites, that they may be catched in the snares of lust; then for a true Christian, who esteemeth modesty and chastity her best ornaments. Vnto these we may adde carding and dicing, as they are almost generally vsed. For suppose that all games at them are not simply vnlawfull, and that the argument of lots taketh no hold of them, because they are in nothing like, but as they are both disposed by Gods prouidence, which hath a chiefe stroke in disposing all things, or because (as they alledge) the most games stand not so much vpon chance and casualty, as on the Art and skill of the player, the which they thinke cleared by experience, in that a bungler playing with a cunning gamester, though he get some games, yet he is no constant winner, but if he continue long at play, is almost sure in the end to depart a loser; yea, let it be granted vnto them, either that they are not therefore vnlawfull, because prouidence ruleth them;