The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature…

Fish that leap into the Air for their recreation, return quickly to their own element again; Beasts that play up and down in the Fields, in a short time return to their food. Recreation is like some pleasant house which we may call at, as we pass on towards our heavenly country, but must not stay, much less dwell there. Sir Francis Bacon said of Parliaments, in reference to the English body politic, That they are good purging Physic (to be made use of now and then) but bad diet-drink (to be taken constantly) the same may be said of recreations, If used in measure, they are helpful; if immoderately, they are hurtful. They are good sauce, but bad meat. ¹Plato reproved a young man for playing at Dice; The young man answered him, For how small a matter do you reprove me? I but saith Plato, the custom is no small matter.

Fish that leap into the Air for their recreation, return quickly to their own element again; Beasts that play up and down in the Fields, in a short time return to their food. Recreation is like some pleasant house which we may call at, as we pass on towards our heavenly country, but must not stay, much less dwell there. Sir Francis Bacon said of Parliaments, in reference to the English body politique, That they are good purging Physick (to be made use of now and then) but bad diet-drink (to be taken constantly) the same may be said of recreations, If used in measure, they are helpful; if immoderately, they are hurtful. They are good sauce, but bad meat. ¹Plato reproved a young man for playing at Dice; The young man answered him, For how small a matter do you reprove me? I but saith Plato, the custom is no small matter.

1. 1Diogen. Laert.

Those that put their hands to their mouths, when they drank water, were elected by God to fight his battles. Those that bowed down to the ground upon their knees, were rejected,