Christian directions, showing how to walk with God all the day long drawn up…Christian directions, shewing how to walk with God all the day long drawn up…

II. The next thing to be considered is, how those Sports which are in themselves lawful, are made unlawful by mens manner of using them.

1 When too much time is spent in them. Recreations should be as sauces to your meat, to sharpen your appetite unto the duties of your Calling, and not to glut your selves with them, so as to make your selves the more unfit, both for the duties of your Callings, and of Gods service; you must know, that the main and principal end of Gods sending you into the world, was not to follow your pleasures, but that you should spend your time and strength in the duties of Gods service and in the means whereby you may be fitted thereunto.

1 When too much time is spent in them. Recreations should bee as sauces to your meat, to sharpen your appetite unto the duties of your Calling, and not to glut your selves with them, so as to make your selves the more unfit, both for the duties of your Callings, and of Gods service; you must know, that the main and principal end of Gods sending you into the world, was not to follow your pleasures, but that you should spend your time and strength in the duties of Gods service and in the means whereby you may be fitted thereunto.

2 When your Recreations are made a trade of Merchandise, as when men Play merely to get money; that which a man gains by this tra••ick, he cannot with a good conscience possess and enjoy; it is not by God given him,¹ because he cometh not to it by lawful means, but is rather as stolen goods, over which Gods curse hangeth; and as for the party that loseth, he also is guilty of Theft, for that which he loseth he purloineth from his Wife, Children and Family, if he have any; or if not, from Church, Commonwealth, and poor. Oh that all our Gamesters would consider what a fearful reckoning they are to make at the Day of Judgement, not