A26892:2251
A Christian Directory
A Christian directory, or, A sum of practical theology and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortify every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.A Christian directory, or, A summ of practical theologie and cases of conscience directing Christians how to use their knowledge and faith, how to improve all helps and means, and to perform all duties, how to overcome temptations, and to escape or mortifie every sin : in four parts ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by Robert White for Nevill Simmons, 1673
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Part 1 › Chapter 5 › Tit. 4. The Thieves or Time-wasters to be watchfully avoided.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. 57. Th. 8. Another notorious Time-wasting Thief, is needless, inordinate sports and games, which1 are commonly stigmatized by the offenders themselves, with the infamous name of PASTIMES;2 and masked with the deceitful title of Recreations: such as are Cards and Dice, and Stage-plays, and Dancings, and Revellings, and excesses in the most lawful sports, especially in Hunting, and Hawking, and Bowling, &c. whether all these are lawful or unlawful in themselves, is nothing to the present question: but I am sure that the precious hours which they take up, might have been improved to the saving of many a thousand souls, that by the loss of Time are now undone and past recovery: except malicious enemies of Godliness, I scarce know a wretcheder sort of people on the earth, and more to be lamented, than those fleshly persons, who through the love of sensual pleasure, do waste many hours day after day, in Plays and Gaming and Voluptuous courses; while their miserable souls are dead in sin, enslaved to their fleshly lusts, unreconciled to God, and find no delight in him, or in his service, and cannot make a recreation of any Heavenly work. How will it torment these unhappy souls, to think how they plaid away those hours, in which they might have been pleasing God, and preventing misery, and laying up a treasure in Heaven? And to think that they sold that precious time, for a little fleshly sport, in which they should have been working out their salvation, and making their calling and election sure? But I have more to say to these anon.
- 1Thief 8.
- 2Laertius saith of Solon, that Th•spini tragedias agere & docere prohibuit, inu••lem eas falsiloquentiam voca••••.