The kinds of false zeal.
Direct.I. Be sure that you understand the nature and use of zeal and diligence, and mistake not a carnal, degenerate sort of zeal, for that which is spiritual and genuine. 1. There is a zeal, and activity merely natural, which is the effect of an active temperature of body. 2. There is an affected zeal, which is hypocritical, about things that are good; when men speak, and make an outward stir, as if they were truly zealous, when it is not so. 3. There is a selfish zeal: when a proud and selfish person is fervent in any matter that concerneth himself; for his own opinions, his own honour, his own estate, or friends, or interest, or any thing that is his own. 4. There is a partial, factious zeal:[583]when error, or pride, or worldliness hath engaged men in a party, and they think it is their duty or interest at least, to side with the sect or faction which they have chosen, they will be zealous for all the opinions and ways of their espoused party. 5. There is a superstitious, childish, carnal zeal, for small, indifferent, inconsiderable things: like that of the Pharisees (and all such hypocrites) for their washings, and fastings, and other ceremonious observances. 6. There is an envious, malicious zeal, against those that have the precedency, and cross your desires, or cloud your honour in the world, or that contradict you in yourconceits and ways: such is that at large described, James iii. 7. There is a peevish, contentious, wrangling zeal, which is assaulting every man who is not squared just to your conceits. 8. There is a malignant zeal, against the cause and servants of the Lord, which carrieth men to persecute them. See that you take not any of these, or any such like, for holy zeal.
The mischiefs of false zeal.
If you should so mistake, these mischiefs would ensue: 1. Sinful zeal doth make men doubly sinful: as holy zeal is the fervency of our grace, so sinful zeal is the intention and fervency of sin. 2. It is an honouring of sin and Satan: as if sin were a work, and Satan a master, worthy to be fervently and diligently followed. 3. It is the most effectual violent way of sinning, making men do much evil in a little time; and making them more mischievous and hurtful to others, than other sinners are. 4. It blindeth the judgment, and maketh men take truth for falsehood, and good for evil, and disableth reason to do its office. 5. It is the violent resister of all God's means; and teacheth men to rage against the truth that should convince them: it stops men's ears, and turns away their hearts from the counsel which would do them good. 6. It is the most furious and bloody persecutor of the saints, and church of Jesus Christ:[584]it made Paul once exceeding mad against them, Acts xxvi. 10, 11, and "shut them up in prison, and punish them in the synagogues, and compel them to blaspheme, and persecute them even unto strange cities, and vote for their death." Thus "concerning zeal he persecuted the church," Phil. iv. 6. 7. It is the turbulent disquieter of all societies; a destroyer of love; a breeder and fomenter of contention; and an enemy to order, peace, and quietness. 8. It highly dishonoureth God, by presuming to put his name to sin and error, and to entitle him to all the wickedness it doth. Such zealous sinners commit their sin as in the name of God, and fight against him ignorantly by his own (pretended or abused) authority.[585]9. It is an impenitent way of sinning: the zealous sinner justifieth his sin, and pleadeth reason or Scripture for it, and thinking that he doth well, yea, that he is serving God when he is murdering his servants, John xvi. 2. 10. It is a multiplying sin, and maketh men exceeding desirous to have all others of the sinner's mind: the zealous sinner doth make as many sin with him as he can.
Yea, if it be but a zeal for small and useless things, or about small controversies or opinions in religion; 1. It showeth a mind that is lamentably strange to the tenor of the gospel, and the mind of Christ, and the practice of the great substantial things. 2. It destroyeth charity and peace, and breedeth censuring and abusing others. 3. It dishonoureth holy zeal by accident, making the profane think that all zeal is no better than the foolish passion of deceived men. 4. And it disableth the persons that have it to do good; even when they are zealous for holy truth and duty, the people will think it is but of the same nature with their erroneous zeal, and so will disregard them.
The signs of holy zeal.
The signs of holy zeal are these: 1. It is guided by a right judgment. It is a zeal for truth and good, and not for falsehood and evil, Rom. x. 2. 2. It is for God, and his church or cause, and not only for ourselves. It consisteth with meekness, and self-denial, and patience, as to our own concernments, and causeth us to prefer the interest of God before our own, Numb. xii. 3; Exod. xxxii. 19; Gal. iv. 12; Acts xiii. 9, 12. 3. It is always more careful of the substance than the circumstances; it preferreth great things before small; it contendeth not for small controversies to the loss or wrong of greater truths, Matt. xxiii. 22, 23; it extendeth to every known truth and duty, but in due proportion, being hottest in the greatest things, and coolest in the least; it maketh men rather zealous of good works, than of their controverted opinions, Tit. ii. 14. 4. Holy zeal is always charitable; it is not cruel and bloody, nor of a hurting disposition, Luke ix. 55, but is tender and merciful, and maketh men burn with a desire to win and save men's souls, rather than to hurt their bodies, 1 Cor. xiii.[586]Zeal against the sin is conjunct with love and pity to the sinner, 2 Cor. xii. 21. 5. Yet it excludeth that foolish pity which cherisheth the sin, Rev. ii. 2; 1 Kings xv. 13. 6. True zeal is tender of the church's unity and peace; it is not a dividing, tearing zeal: it is first "pure and then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits," James iii. 17. 7. True zeal is impartial, and is as hot against our own sins, and our children's and other relations' sins, as against another's.[587]8. True zeal respecteth all God's commandments, and is not hot for one, and contemptuous of another. It aimeth at perfection; and stinteth not our desires to any lower degree. It maketh a man desirous to be like to God, even holy as he is holy. It consisteth principally in the fervour of our love to God; when false zeal consisteth principally in censorious wranglings against other men's actions or opinions: it first worketh towards good, and then riseth up against the hindering evil. 9. It maketh a man laborious in holy duty to God, and diligent in all his work;[588]and lieth not only in the heat of the brain, or rigid opinions, or heat of speech. 10. It is not a sudden flash, but a constant resolution of the soul; like the natural heat, and not like a fever (though the feeling part is not still of one degree); therefore it concocteth and strengtheneth, when false zeal only vexeth and consumeth.[589]
Direct.II. When you are thus acquainted with the nature of true zeal, consider next of its excellency and singular benefits, that there may be a love to it, and an honour of it in your hearts. To that end consider of these following commendations of it.
The excellency of zeal and diligence.
1. Zeal being nothing but the fervour and vigour of every grace, hath in it all the beauty and excellency of that grace, and that in a high and excellent degree. If love to God be excellent, then zealous, fervent love is most excellent.
2. The nature of holy objects are such, so great and excellent, so transcendent and of unspeakable consequence, that we cannot be sincere in our estimation and seeking of them, without zeal. If it were about riches or honours, a cold desire and a dull pursuit might serve the turn, and well beseem us; but about God, and Christ, and grace, and heaven, such cold desires and endeavours are but a contempt. To love God without zeal, is not to love him, because it is not a loving him as God.[590]To seek heaven without zeal and diligence is not to seek it, but contemn it. To pray for salvation without any zeal, is but hypocritically to babble, instead of praying; for no desire of Christ, and holiness, and heaven is saving, but that which preferreth them before all the treasuresand pleasures of the world; and that which doth so, hath sure some zeal in it; so that some zeal is essential to every grace, as life and heat are to a man.
3. The integrity and honesty of the heart to God consisteth much in zeal:[591]as he is true to his friend that is zealous for him, and not he that is indifferent and cold. To do his service with zeal is to do it willingly, and heartily, and entirely. To do it without zeal is to do it heartlessly, and by the halves, and to leave out the life and kernel of the duty: it is the heart that God doth first require.
4. Zeal is much of the strength of duty; and maketh it likeliest to attain its end. The prayer of the faithful that is effectual must be "fervent," Jam. v. 16. Zeal must make us importunate suitors, that will take no denial, if we will speed, Luke xviii. 1-8. "The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." We must "strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many shall seek to enter and not be able." Not every one that striveth is crowned, nor every one that runneth wins the prize; but he that doth it effectually so as to attain. No wonder if we be commanded to love God with all our heart, and soul, and might, which is a zealous love; for this is it that overcometh all other love, and will constrain to dutiful obedience. As experience telleth us, it is the zealous and diligent preacher that doth good, when the cold and negligent do but little; so it is in all other duties; the diligent hand maketh rich, and God blesseth those that serve him heartily with all their might.[592]
5. Zeal and diligence take the opportunity, which sloth and negligence let slip. They are up with the sun, and "work while it is day;" they "seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near;" they know the day of their visitation and salvation; they delay not, but take the "accepted time." When the slothful are still delaying and trifling, and hear not God's voice while it is "called to-day," but "harden their hearts," and sleep with their "lamps unfurnished," and knock not till the "door be shut."[593]They stand and look upon their work while they should do it; they are never in readiness, when Christ and mercy are to be entertained; they are still putting off their duty till some other time; till time be done, and their work undone, and they are undone for ever.
6. Zeal and diligence are the best improvers of time and mercy; as they delay not, but take the present time, so they loiter not, but do their work to purpose. As a speedy traveller goeth farther in a day, than a slothful one in many; so a zealous, diligent christian will do more for God and his soul in a little time, than a negligent dullard in all his life. It is a wonder to think what Augustine and Chrysostom did among the ancients! what Calvin, and Perkins, and Whitaker, and Reignolds, and Chamier, and many other reformed divines have done in a very little time! and what Suarez, and Vasquez, and Jansenius, and Tostatus, and Cajetan, and Aquinas, and many other papists, have performed by diligence! When millions of men that have longer time, go out of the world as unknown as they came into it; having never attained to so much knowledge as might preserve them from the reproach of brutish ignorance, nor so much as might save their souls from hell: and when many that had diligence enough to get some laudable abilities, had never diligence enough to use them to any great benefit of others or themselves. Zeal and diligence are that fruitful, well-manured soil, where God soweth his seed with best success; and which returns him for his mercies a hundredfold, Matt. xiii. 8, 23; and at his coming giveth him his "own with usury," Matt. xxv. 27, 28. But sloth and negligence are the grave of mercies, where they are buried till they rise up in judgment against the despisers and consumers of them. Aristotle and Plato, Galen and Hippocrates, improvers of nature, shall condemn these slothful neglecters and abusers of nature and grace; yea, their oxen and horses shall be witnesses against many that served not God with any such diligence, as these beasts served them; yea, many gallants of great estates never did so much service for the common good in all their lives as their very beasts have done. Their parts, their life, and all are lost by them.
7. Zeal and diligence are the victorious enemies of sin and Satan. They bear not with sin: they are to it as a consuming fire is to the thorns and briers. Zeal burneth up lust, and covetousness, and pride, and sensuality.[594]It maketh such work among our sins, as diligent weeders do in your gardens; it pulleth up the tares, and burneth them. It stands not dallying with sin, nor tasting or looking on the bait, nor disputing with and hearkening to the tempter; but casteth away the motion with abhorrence, and abstaineth from the very appearance of evil, and hateth the garment spotted by the flesh, and presently quencheth the sparks of concupiscence; it chargeth home, and so resisteth the devil that he flieth:[595]when sloth and negligence cherish the sin, and encourage the tempter, and invite him by a cold resistance. The vineyard of the sluggard is overgrown with nettles; his heart swarmeth with noisome thoughts and lusts, and he resisteth them not, but easily beareth them. If he feel sinful thoughts possessing his mind, he riseth not up with zeal against them; he hath not the heart to cast them out, nor make any effectual resistance; he famisheth his soul with fruitless wishes, because his hands refuse to labour.[596]Negligence is the nurse of sin.
8. Zeal and diligence bear down all opposition against duty with power and success. Those impediments which stop a sluggard, are as nothing before them; as the cart-wheels which go slowly are easily stopped by a little stone or any thing in their way, when those that are in a swifter motion easily get over all. The lion that is in the sluggard's way, is not so much as a barking whelp in the way of a diligent, zealous christian. The cold doth not hinder him from ploughing.[597]A very scorn, or mock, or threatening of a mortal man, will dismay and stop a heartless hypocrite; which do but serve as oil to the fire, to inflame the courage of the zealous so much more. The difficulties which seem insuperable to the slothful, are small matters to the zealous; he goeth through that which the slothful calls impossible. And when the slothful sits still and saith, I cannot do this or that, the zealous, diligent christian doth it.
9. Zeal and diligence take off the toil and irksomeness of duty, and make it easy. As a quick-spirited, diligent servant maketh but a pleasure of his work, which a lazy servant doth with pain and weariness; and as a mettlesome horse makes a pleasure of a journey, which a heavy jade goeth through withpain; so reading, and hearing, and prayer are easy to a zealous soul, which to another are an unwelcome task and toil.
10. Zeal is faithful, and constant, and valiant, and therefore greatly pleaseth God: it sticks to him through persecution; the fire consumeth it not; many waters quench it not. But others are false-hearted: and those that have but a cold religion will easily be drawn or driven from their religion. They are so indifferent, that a little more of the world put into the balance, will weigh down Christ in their esteem. The hopes or fears of temporal things prevail with them, against the hopes and fears of things eternal. No wonder therefore if God disown such treacherous servants, and turn them away as unworthy of his family.[598]
Direct.III. Let the great motives of holy zeal and diligence be set home and printed on your hearts:[599]and often read them over in some quickening books, that you may remember them, and be affected with them. I have given you so many of these moving, exciting considerations, in the third part of my "Saints' Rest," and my "Saint or Brute," and "Now or Never," and in my sermon against "Making Light of Christ," that I shall be but very brief in them at present.
Motives of zeal.
1. When you grow cold and slothful, remember how great a Master you serve: should any thing be done negligently for God? And remember how good a Master you serve; for whom you are certain that you can never do too much; nor so much as he deserveth of you; nor will he ever suffer you to be losers by him.
2. Remember that he is always present; in your converse with others, in your prayers, your reading, and all your duties: and will you loiter in his sight? when a very eye-servant will work while his master standeth by.
3. One serious thought of the end and consequence of all thy work, one would think, should put life into the dullest soul! Say to thy sleepy, frozen heart, Is it not heaven that I am seeking? Is it not hell that I am avoiding? And can I be cold and slothful about heaven and hell? Must it not go with me for ever according as I now behave myself? And is this the best that I can do for my salvation? Is it not God that I have to please and honour? and shall I do it slothfully?
4. One thought of the exceeding greatness of our work, one would think, should make us be zealous and diligent! To think what abundance of knowledge we have to get! and how much of every grace we want! and how much means we have to use! and how much opposition and many temptations to overcome! The humble sense of the weakness of our souls, and the greatness of our sins, should make us say, that whatever the rich in grace may do, it is labour that becomes the poor.
5. To remember how short our time of working is, and also how uncertain! How fast it flieth away! how soon it will be at an end! And that all the time that ever we shall have to prepare for eternity is now! and that shortly there will be no praying, no hearing, no working any more on earth![600]To look into the grave, to go to the house of mourning! to consider that this heart hath but a little more time to think, and this tongue but a little more time to speak, and all will end in the endless recompence; methinks this should quicken the coldest heart!
6. To remember how many millions are undone already by their sloth and negligence! how many are in hell lamenting their slothfulness on earth, while I am hearing, or reading, or praying to prevent it, one would think should waken me from my sloth: what if I saw them, and heard their cries? would it not make me serious? What if one of them had time and leave and hope again as I have? would he be cold and careless?
7. To think how many millions are now in heaven, that all came thither by holy zeal and diligence, and are now enjoying the fruit of all their labour and sufferings! to think of the blessed end of all their pains and patience, and how far they are now from repenting of it! methinks should stir us up to zeal and diligence.
8. To foresee what thoughts all the world will have of holy diligence at last! how the best will wish they had been better, and had done much more for God and their salvation! and how the worst will wish, when it is too late, that they had been as zealous and diligent as the best! How earnestly they will then knock and cry, "Lord, open to us," when it is all in vain! and say to the watchful, diligent souls, "Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out," Matt. xxv. To think how glad the most ungodly would then be, if they might but have "died the death of the righteous, and their latter end might be as his!" Numb. xxiii. 10. And what heart-tearing grief will seize upon them for ever, to think how madly they lost their souls, and sluggishly went to hell to spare their pains of that sweet and holy work that should have prevented it! Will not such forethoughts awaken the most sluggish, stupid souls, that will but follow them till they can do their work?
9. Remember that thou must be zealous and diligent in this or nothing; for there is nothing else that is worth thy seriousness, in comparison of this. To be earnest and laborious for perishing vanities, is the disgrace of thy mind, and will prove thy disappointment, and leave thee at last in shame and sorrow; when holy diligence will recompense all thy pains.
10. Remember also that thou hast been slothful and negligent too long! And how dost thou repent of thy former sloth, if thou wilt be as slothful still? Art thou grieved to think how many duties slothfulness hath put by, and how many it hath murdered, and frustrated, and made nothing of, and how much grace, and mercy, and comfort, it hath already deprived thee of? and how much better thy case were, if thou hadst lived in as much holy diligence as the best thou knowest? And yet wilt thou be slothful still?
11. Remember that thou hast thy life, and health, and wit, and parts, for nothing else but by thy present duty to prepare for everlasting joys: that all God's mercies bind thee to be diligent; and every ordinance, and all his helps and means of grace, are given to further thee in the work; and sun, and moon, and air, and earth, and all, attend thee with their help. And yet wilt thou be cold and slothful, and frustrate all these means and mercies?
12. Remember how diligent thy enemy is: Satan "goeth about even night and day, like a roaring lion seeking to devour!" 1 Pet. v. 8. And wilt thou be less diligent to resist him?
13. Think what an example of diligence Christ himself hath left thee! And how laboriously blessed Paul and all the holy servants of Christ did follow their Master's work! Did they pray, and watch, and work as slothfully as thou dost?
14. Remember how hot and earnest thou wast formerly in thy sin! and wilt thou now be cold and negligent in thy duty, when God hath set thee in a better way?
15. Observe how eager and diligent worldlings are for the world, and flesh-pleasers for their sports and pleasures, and proud persons for their greatness and honour, and malignant persons to oppose the gospel of Christ, and their own and other men's salvation; look on them; and think what a shame it is to thee to be more cold and remiss for God.
16. Observe how an awakening pang of conscience, or the sight of death when it seems to be at hand, can waken the very wicked to some kind of serious diligence at the present; so that by their confessions, and cries, and promises, and amendments, while the fit was on them, they seemed more zealous than many that were sincere. And shall not saving grace do more with you, than a fit of fear can do with the ungodly?
17. Remember of how sad importance it is, and what it signifieth, to be cold and slothful! If it be predominant, so as to keep thee from a holy life, it is damnable. The spirit of slumber is a most dreadful judgment. But if it do not so prevail, yet, though thou be a child of God, it signifieth a great debility of soul, and foretelleth some sharp affliction to befall thee, if God mean to do thee good by a recovery. The decay of natural heat is a sign of old age, and is accompanied with the decay of all the powers. And sicknesses and pains do follow such decays of life. And as you will make your horse feel the rod or spur when he grows dull and heavy, expect when you grow cold and dull, to feel the spur of some affliction, to make you stir and mend your pace.
18. Remember that thy sloth is a sinning against thy knowledge, and against thy experience, and against thy own covenants, promises, and profession; and therefore an aggravated sin. These and such like serious thoughts will do much to stir up a slothful soul to zeal and diligence.
Direct.IV. Drown not your hearts in worldly business or delights;[601]for these breed a loathing, and averseness, and weariness of holy things. They are so contrary one to the other, that the mind will not be eagerly set on both at once: but as it relisheth the one, it more and more disrelisheth the other. There is no heart left for God, when other things have carried it away.
Direct.V. Do all you can to raise your hearts to the love of God, and a delight in holy things, and then you will not be slothful, nor weary, nor negligent. Love and delight are the most excellent remedy against a slow, unwilling kind of duty. Know but how good it is to walk with God, and do his work, and thou wilt do it cheerfully.
Direct.VI. A secret root of unbelief is the mortal enemy of zeal and diligence; labour for a well-grounded belief of the word of God and the world to come, and stir up that belief into exercise, when you would have your slothful hearts stirred up. When there is a secret questioning in the heart, What if there should be no life to come? What if the grounds of religion be unsound? This blasteth the vigour of all endeavours, and inclineth men to serve God only with hypocritical halving and reserves; and maketh men resolve to be no further religious, than stands with present, fleshly happiness.
Direct.VII. Take heed of debauching conscience by venturing upon doubtful things, much more, by known and wilful sin.[602]For when once conscience is taught to comply with sin, and is mastered in one thing, it will do its duty well in nothing, and zeal will quickly be extinct; diligence will die when conscience is corrupted or fallen asleep.
Direct.VIII. Live in a constant expectation of death. Do not foolishly flatter yourself with groundless conceits that you shall live long. There is a great power in death to rouse up a drowsy soul, when it is taken to be near; and a great force in the conceit of living long, to make even good men grow more negligent and secure.
Direct.IX. Live among warm and serious christians; especially as to your intimate familiarity.[603]There is a very great power in the zeal of one to kindle zeal in others; as there is in fire to kindle fire. Serious, hearty, diligent christians, are excellent helps to make us serious and diligent. He that travelleth with speedy travellers, will be willing to keep pace with them; and tired sluggards are drawn on by others; when he that travelleth with the slothful will go slowly as they do.
Direct.X. Lastly, Be oft in the use of quickening means: live, if you can attain it, under a quickening, zealous minister. There is life in the word of God, which, when it is opened and applied livelily, will put life into the hearers. Read the holy Scriptures, and such lively writings as help you to understand and practise them. As going to the fire is our way when we are cold, to cure our benumbedness, so reading over some part of a warm and quickening book, will do much to warm and quicken a benumbed soul: and it is not the smallest help to rouse us up to prayer or meditation, and put life into us before we address ourselves more nearly unto God. I have found it myself a great help in my studies, and to my preaching: when studying my own heart would not serve the turn, to awake me to serious fervency, but all hath been cold and dull that I have done, because all was cold and dull within, I have taken up a book that was much more warm and serious than I, and the reading of it hath recovered my heat, and my warmed heart hath been fitter for my work. Christians, take heed of a cold, and dull, and heartless kind of religion; and think no pains too much to cure it: death is cold, and life is warm; and labour itself doth best excite it.
Direct.I. If you would escape the sin and danger, which men commonly run into by unlawful sporting, under pretence of lawful recreations, you must understand what lawful recreation is, and what is its proper end and use. No wonder else if you sin, when you know not what you do!
What lawful recreation is.
No doubt but some sport and recreation is lawful, yea needful, and therefore a duty to some men. Lawful sport or recreation is the use of some natural thing or action, not forbidden us, for the exhilarating of the natural spirits by the fantasy, and due exercise of the natural parts, thereby to fit the body and mind for ordinary duty to God. It is some delightful exercise.
1. We do not call unpleasing labour by the name of sport or recreation; though it may be better and more necessary. 2. We call not every delight by the name of sport or recreation; for eating and drinking may be delightful; and holy things andduties may be delightful; and yet not properly sports or recreations. But it is the fantasy that is chiefly delighted by sports.
Qual.I. All these things following are necessary to the lawfulness of a sport or recreation, and the want of any one of them will make and prove it to be unlawful. 1. The end which you really intend in using it, must be to fit you for your service to God; that is, either for your callings, or for his worship, or some work of obedience in which you may please and glorify him: I Cor. x. 31, "Whether ye eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." It is just to your duty, as the mower's whetting to his scythe, to make it for to do his work.
Qual.II. 2. Therefore the person that useth it, must be one that is heartily devoted to God, and his service, and really liveth to do his work, and please and glorify him in the world: which none but the godly truly do.' And therefore no carnal, ungodly person, that hath no such holy end, can use any recreation lawfully; because he useth it not to a due end. For the end is essential to the moral good of any action; and an evil end must needs make it evil. Tit. i. 15, "Unto the pure all things are pure, (that is, all things not forbidden,) but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their mind and conscience are defiled."
Quest.But must all wicked men therefore forbear recreation?Answ.1. Wicked men are such as will not obey God's law if they know it; and therefore they inquire not what they should do, with any purpose sincerely to obey. But if they would obey, that which God commandeth them is immediately to forsake their wickedness, and to become the servants of God, and then there will be no room for the question. 2. But if they will continue in a sinful, ungodly state, it is in vain to contrive how they may sport themselves without sin. But yet we may tell them that if the sport be materially lawful, it is not the matter that they are bound to forsake, but it is the sinful end and manner. And till this be reformed they cannot but sin.
Qual.III. 3. A lawful recreation must be a means fitly chosen and used to this end. If it have no aptitude to fit us for God's service in our ordinary callings and duty, it can be to us no lawful recreation. Though it be lawful to another that it is a real help to, it is unlawful to us.
Qual.IV. 4. Therefore all recreations are unlawful, which are themselves preferred before our callings, or which are used by a man that liveth idly, or in no calling, and hath no ordinary work to make him need them. For these are no fit means, which exclude our end, instead of furthering it.
Qual.V. 5. Therefore all those are unlawful sports, which are used only to delight a carnal fantasy, and have no higher end, than to please the sickly mind that loveth them.
Qual.VI. 6. And therefore all those are unlawful sports, which really unfit us for the duties of our callings, and the service of God; which, laying the benefit and hurt together, do hinder us as much or more than they help us! which is the case of all voluptuous wantons.
Qual.VII. 7. All sports are unlawful which take up any part of the time which we should spend in greater works: such are all those that are unseasonable; (as on the Lord's day without necessity, or when we should be at prayer, or any other duty;) and all those that take up more time than the end of a recreation doth necessarily require (which is too common).
Qual.VIII. 8. If a recreation be profane, as making sport of holy things, it is a mocking of God, and a villany unbeseeming any of his creatures, and laying them open to his heaviest vengeance. The children that made sport with calling the prophet "bald-head" were slain by bears, 2 Kings ii. 23.
Qual.IX. 9. They are unlawful sports which are used to the wrong of others: as players, that defame and reproach other men; and hunters and hawkers, that tread down poor men's corn and hedges.
Qual.X. 10. It is sinful to make sport of other men's sinning, or to act it ourselves so as to become partakers of it; which is too common with comedians, and other profane wits.
Qual.XI. 11. Unclean, obscene recreations are unlawful; when filthiness or wantonness is represented without a due expression of its odiousness, or with obscene words or actions. Eph. v. 3, 4, "But fornication, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not be once named among you as becometh saints, neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting."
Qual.XII. 12. Those sports are unlawful, which occasion the multiplying of idle words about them; and engage the players in foolish, needless, unprofitable prating.
Qual.XIII. 13. And those sports are sinful, which plainly tend to provoke ourselves or others to sin: as to lust, to swearing, and cursing, and railing, and fighting, or the like.
Qual.XIV. 14. Those also are sinful, which are the exercise of covetousness, to win other men's money of them; or that tend to stir up covetousness in those you play with.
Qual.XV. 15. Cruel recreations also are unlawful: as taking pleasure in the beholding of duellers, fighters, or any that abuse each other; or any other creatures that needlessly torment each other.
Qual.XVI. 16. Too costly recreation also is unlawful: when you are but God's stewards, and must be accountable to him for all you have, it is sinful to expend it needlessly on sports.
Qual.XVII. 17. Unnecessary recreations forbidden by our lawful governors are unlawful. If they were before lawful to thee, yet now they are not; because your king, your pastor, your parents, your masters, have power to rule and restrain you in such things; and you most obey them.
Qual.XVIII. 18. Lastly, if you have the choice of divers recreations before you, you must choose the fittest: and if you choose one that is less fit and profitable, when a fitter might be chosen, it is your sin; though that which you choose were lawful, if you had no other.
What to think of common stage-plays, gaming, cards, dice, &c.
By all this it is easy to judge of our common stage-plays, gaming, cards dice, and divers other such kind of sports. If they have but any one of these evil qualifications they are sinful. And when they are used without very many of them, 1. They are too commonly used by men that never intended to fit themselves for their work and duty by them; yea, by men that live not at all to the pleasing and glorifying God, and know not what it is to be obediently addicted to his service; yea, by men that live not in any constant, honest labour, but make a very trade of their recreations, and use them as the chief business of the day.
2. They are sports unfit for the ends of lawful recreation, as will easily appear to the impartial.[604]For it is either your bodies or your minds that need most the recreations: either you are sedentary persons, or have a calling of bodily labour: if you are sedentary persons, (as students, scribes, and divers others,) then it is your bodies that have most needof exercise and recreation, and labour is fitter for you than sport; or at least a stirring, labouring sport. And in this case to sit at cards, or dice, or a stage-play, is, instead of exercising your bodies, to increase the need of exercising them: it stirreth not your parts; it warmeth not your blood; it helpeth not concoction, attraction, assimilation, &c. It doth you much more harm than good, as to your very health. But if you are hard labourers, and need rest for your bodies and recreation for your minds; or are lame or sickly, that you cannot use bodily exercise; then surely a hundred profitable exercises are at hand which are more suitable to your case. You have books of necessity to read (as the word of God); and books of profit to your souls; and books that tend to increase your knowledge in common things, as history, geography, and arts and sciences. And should not these be any of them pleasanter than your dice, and cards, and plays?
3. At least it is plain that they are not the fittest recreations for any man that intends a lawful end. If you are students, or idle gentlemen, is not walking, or riding, or shooting, or some honest, bodily labour rather, that joineth pleasure and profit together, a fitter kind of exercise for you? Or if you are labouring persons, and need only pleasure for your minds, should you not take pleasure in God, in Scripture, in holy conference, meditation, or good books? Or if indeed you need a relaxation from both these, have you not profitable history or geography to read? Have you not herbs, and flowers, and trees, and beasts, and birds, and other creatures to behold? Have you not fields, or gardens, or meadows, or woods to walk into? Have you not your near relations to delight in; your wives, or children, or friends, or servants? May you not talk with good, and wise, and cheerful men, about things that are both pleasing and edifying to you? Hath God given you such a world of lawful pleasures, and will none of them, nor all of them, serve your turns, without unlawful ones, or at least unfit ones (which therefore are unlawful): all these are undoubtedly lawful; but cards, and dice, and stage-plays are, at best, very questionable: among wise and learned men, and good men, and no small number of these, they are condemned as unlawful.[605]And should one that feareth God and loveth his salvation, choose so doubtful a sport, before such abundance of undoubtedly lawful ones? If you be so proud or rash as to reply, Why should I leave my sport for another man's conceits or judgment? I will tell thee that which shall shame thy reply, and thee, if thou canst blush. 1. It is not some humorous, odd fanatic that I allege against thee, nor a singular divine; but it is the judgment of the ancient church itself. The fathers and councils condemn christians and ministers especially, that usespectacula, spectacles, or behold stage-plays and dicing. 2. Even the oldest canons of our own church of England forbid dicing to the clergy, which is because they reputed it evil, or of ill report. 3. Many laws of religious princes do condemn them. 4. Abundance of the most learned, holy divines condemn them. 5. The soberest and learnedst of the papists condemn them. 6. And how great a number of the most religious ministers and people are against them, of the age and place in which you live, you are not ignorant. And is the judgment of the ancient church, and of councils, and fathers, and of the most learned protestants and papists, and the most religious people, besides many ancient laws and canons, of no force with you in such a case as this? Will you hold to a thing confessedly unnecessary, against the judgment of so many that account them sinful? Are you and your play-fellows more wise and learned than all these? Or is it not extremity of pride, for such unstudied, empty men to prefer their sensual conceits, before such a concurrent stream of wiser and more ponderous judgments? Read but Dr. J. Reignolds's Treatise against Stage-plays, against Albericus Gentilis, and you will see what a world of witnesses are against you. And if the judgment of Voetius, Amesius, and other learned men against all lusory lots be of no authority, at least it should move you that even Mr. Gataker and others, that write for the lawfulness of them in that respect (as lusory lots) do yet lay down the rest of the requisites to make them lawful, which utterly condemn our common use of cards and dice, much more our gamesters: so that all the sober divines that ever I read or heard, condemn all these: and are you wiser than all of them?
4. Besides this, your consciences know that you are so far from using them to fit you for your callings, that you either live idly out of a calling, or else you prefer them before your callings: you have no mind of your work, because your mind is so much upon your play: you have no mind of your home or family, but are weary of your business, because your sports withdraw your hearts; and you are so far from using them to fit you to any holy duty, that they utterly unfit you, and corrupt your hearts with such a kind of sensual delight, as makes them more backward to all that is good; insomuch that many of you even grow so desperate as to hate and scorn it. This is the benefit it bringeth you.
5. And you cannot but know what a time-wasting sin it is. Suppose the game were never so lawful; is it lawful to lay out so many hours upon it? as if you had neither souls, nor bodies, nor families, nor estates, nor God, nor death, nor heaven to mind?
6. And how much profaneness, or abuse of others, is in many of your stage-plays! How much wantonness and amorous folly, and representing sin in a manner to entice men to it, rather than to make it odious, making a sport and mock of sin; with a great deal more such evil! And your cards and dice are the exercise usually of covetousness, the occasion of a great deal of idle talk and foolish babble about every cast and every card: and ofttimes the occasion of cursing, and swearing, and railing, and hatred of those that win your money; and oft it hath occasioned fighting, and murder itself. And even your huntings are commonly recreations so costly,[606]as that the charge that keepeth a pack of hounds, would keep a poor man's family that is now in want: besides the time that this also consumeth.
So that the case is clear, that our gamesters, and licentious, sportful gallants, are a sort of people that have blinded their minds, and seared their consciences, and despise the laws and presence of God, and forget death and judgment, and live as if there were no life to come, neglecting their miserable souls, and having no delight in the word or holy worship of God, nor the forethoughts of eternal joys, and therefore seek for their pleasure in such foolish sports, and spend those precious hours in these vanities, which, God knows, they had need to spend most diligently, in repenting of their sins, and cleansing their souls, and preparing for another world.
If yet any impenitent gamester or idle time-waster shall reply, I will not believe that my cards, or dice, or plays are unlawful. I use them but to fit me for my duty. What! would you have all men live like hermits or anchorites, without all pleasure? I answer you but by this reasonable request: will you set yourselves as dying men in the presence of God, and the sight of eternity, and provide a true answer to these few questions; even such an answer as your consciences dare stand to at the bar of God?
Quest.I. Dost thou not think in thy conscience that thy Maker, and Redeemer, and his work and service, and thy family and calling, and the forethoughts of heaven, are not fitter matters to delight a sober mind, than cards or stage-plays? And what can it be but a vain and sinful mind that should make these toys so pleasant to thee, and the thoughts of God and heaven so unpleasant?
Quest.II. Doth not thy conscience tell thee, that it is not to fit thee for thy calling or God's service that thou usest these sports, but only to delight a carnal fantasy? Doth not conscience tell thee, that it is more the pleasure than the benefit of it to thy soul or body that draws thee to it? Dost thou work so hard or study so hard all the day besides, as to need so much recreation to refresh thee?
Quest.III. Doth not thy conscience tell thee, that if thy sensual fantasy were but cured, it would be a more profitable recreation to thy body or mind, to use some sober exercise for thy body, which is confined to its proper limits of time; or to turn to variety of labour, or studies, than to sit about these idle games?
Quest.IV. Dost thou think that either Christ or his apostles used stage-plays, cards, or dice; or ever countenanced such a temper of mind as is addicted to them? Or was not David as wise as you, that took up his pleasure in the word of God, and his melodious praise?
Quest.V. Doth not your conscience tell you, that your delight is more in your plays and games than it is on God? And that these sports do no way increase your delight in God at all, but more unfit and undispose you? And yet every "blessed man's delight is in the law of the Lord, and in it he meditateth day and night," Psal. i. 2. And do you do so?
Quest.VI. Do you bestow as much time in praying and reading the word of God, and meditating on it, as you do in your sports and recreations? Nay, do you not shuffle this over, and put God off with a few hypocritical, heartless words, that you may be at your sports, or something which you love better?
Quest.VII. Doth not conscience tell thee, that this precious time might be much better spent, in the works that God hath appointed thee to do? And that thy sinful soul hath need enough to spend it in far greater matters? Doth it become one that hath sinned so long, and is so unassured of pardon and salvation, and near another world, and so unready for it, to sit at cards or be hearing a stage-play, when he should be making ready, and getting assurance of his peace with God?
Quest.VIII. Wouldst thou be found at cards or plays when death cometh? If it were this day, hadst thou not rather be found about some holy, or some profitable labour?
Quest.IX. Will it be more comfort to thee when thou art dying, to think of the time which thou spentest in cards, and plays, and vanity, or that which thou spentest in serving God, and preparing for eternity?
Quest.X. Darest thou pray to God to bless thy cards, and dice, and plays, to the good of thy soul or body? Would not thy conscience tell thee, that this were but a mocking of God, as praying for that which thou dost not intend, and which thy pleasures are unfit for? And yet no recreation is lawful, which you may not thus lawfully pray for a blessing on.
Quest.XI. If you were sure yourselves that you sin not in your games or sports, are you sure that your companions do not? that they have no lust or vanity of mind at stage-plays, no covetousness, or sinful pleasure, or passion at cards or dice? If you say, We are not bound to keep all other men from sin, I answer, You are bound to do your best towards it; and you are bound not to contribute willingly to their sin; and are bound to forbear a thing indifferent, though not a duty, to avoid the scandalizing or tempting of another. If Paul would never eat flesh while he lived rather than make a weak person offend, should not your sports be subject to as great charity? He saith, "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy weak brother stumbleth, or is offended, or made weak."[607]Object. Then we must give over our meat, and drink, and clothes, and all.Answ.It followeth not that we must forsake our duty to prevent another man's sin, because we must forsake our pleasure in things indifferent. If you knew what sin is, and what it is to save or lose one's soul, you would not make a sport of other men's sin, nor so easily contribute to their damnation, and think your sensual pleasure to be a good excuse. Rom. xv. 1-3, in such cases, "we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, (that is, to compassionate them as we do children in their weakness,) and not to please ourselves (to their hurt). Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification (that is, prefer the edifying of another's soul, before the pleasure of your bodies). For even Christ pleased not himself—" If Christ lost his life to save men from sin, will not you lose your sport for it?
Quest.XII. What kind of men are they that are most addicted to thy games and plays, and what kind of men are they that avoid them, and are against them? Are there not more fornicators, drunkards, swearers, cursers, coveters of other men's money, and profane neglecters of God and their souls, among gamesters and players, than among them that are against them? Judge by the fruits.