In respect also of our time, which is spent in our recreations; we must use great moderation, making them serve like sauces to our meat, to 1sharpen our appetite unto the duties of our callings, and not to glut our selves with them, and so to make us the more unfit for any necessary employments. We must remember that they are but recreations to refresh us, and not occupations to tyre us, and that they are allowed us to cheer our spirits, and repair our strength, that we may be made more fit for the well-performing of the duties of Gods service and of our callings, and not that we should by toiling our selves in them, spend and consume them, and so be disabled for any necessary employment. We must consider that God hath not created and redeemed us, that we should wholly follow our pleasures, and with the Israelites, sit down to eat and drink, and rise up to play, but that we should spend our time and strength in the duties of his service, or in the means whereby we may be fitted for them. Neither hath he appointed recreation to be the end of our lives, but only as a means to preserve them, for more high and holy employments, tending to the glory of God and the salvation of our own souls. We must esteem time the most precious treasure, and that the consumption of it is the most dangerous disease, and desperately unrecoverable; that it exceedeth all other losses, and that the wasting of it is the greatest unthriftiness. And therefore we must not turn our recreations into pastimes, as the English name importeth, making only this use of them, to cause idle hours seem less tedious; for this were but to set spurs to a running Horse, which of it self posteth away speedily, and when it is once past, can never be recalled. Let us not fool and trifle out this our most precious treasure, upon every base vanity; or if we have done it in the ⟨p. 271⟩days of our ignorance, when we did not know the worth of it, let us, according 2to the Apostles counsel, redeem it at any price, and recover our loss, by redoubling our diligence in all good duties. Let us learn to set a right value on these wares; and to this end let us not go to enquire of worldly Impostors, who will set a base price of this Jewell, to cozen us of it, not to enrich themselves with our spoil, but to spoil themselves also with our loss;
In respect also of our time, which is spent in our recreations; we must vse great moderation, making them serue like sawces to our meate, to 1sharpen our appetite vnto the duties of our callings, and not to glut our selues with them, and so to make vs the more vnfit for any necessary imployments. We must remember that they are but recreations to refresh vs, and not occupations to tyre vs, and that they are allowed vs to cheere our spirits, and repaire our strength, that we may bee made more fit for the well-performing of the duties of Gods seruice and of our callings, and not that wee should by toyling our selues in them, spend and consume them, and so be disabled for any necessary imployment. We must consider that God hath not created and redeemed vs, that we should wholly follow our pleasures, and with the Israelites, sit downe to eate and drinke, and rise vp to play, but that we should spend our time and strength in the duties of his seruice, or in the meanes whereby we may be fitted for them. Neither hath he appointed recreation to be the end of our liues, but onely as a meanes to preserue them, for more high and holy imployments, tending to the glory of God and the saluation of our owne soules. We must esteeme time the most precious treasure, and that the consumption of it is the most dangerous disease, and desperately vnrecouerable; that it exceedeth all other losses, and that the wasting of it is the greatest vnthriftinesse. And therefore wee must not turne our recreations into pastimes, as the English name importeth, making onely this vse of them, to cause idle houres seeme lesse tedious; for this were but to set spurres to a running Horse, which of it selfe posteth away speedily, and when it is once past, can neuer be recalled. Let vs not foole and trifle out this our most precious treasure, vpon euery base vanitie; or if we haue done it in the ⟨p. 271⟩dayes of our ignorance, when we did not know the worth of it, let vs, according 2to the Apostles counsell, redeeme it at any price, and recouer our losse, by redoubling our diligence in all good duties. Let vs learne to set a right value on these wares; and to this end let vs not goe to enquire of worldly Impostors, who will set a base price of this Iewell, to coozen vs of it, not to inrich themselues with our spoile, but to spoyle themselues also with our losse;
- 1Sint exercitationes & faciles & breves, qui corpus & sine mora laxent & tempori parcant, cuius praecipuè ratio habenda est. Quicquid facies, citò ready à corpore ad animum, &c. Sen. Epist. 15. 1. Cor. 10. 7.Sint exercitationes & faciles & breues, qui corpus & sine mora laxent & tempori parcant, cuius praecipuè ratio habenda est. Quicquid facies, citò redi à corpore ad animum, &c. Sen. Epist. 15. 1. Cor. 10. 7.
- 2Eph. 5. 16.
