_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.
[Sidenote: To sportful youths.]
And what I say to idle gamesters, is proportionably to be said to voluptuous youths, that run after wakes, and May-games, and dancings, and revellings, and are carried by the love of sports and pleasure from the love of God, and the care of their salvation, and the love of holiness, and the love of their callings; and into idleness, riotousness, and disobedience to their superiors. For the cure of this voluptuousness (besides what is said chap. iv. part ix.) consider:
1. Dost thou not know that thou hast higher delights to mind? And are these toys beseeming a noble soul, that hath holy and heavenly matters to delight in?
2. Dost thou not feel what a plague the very pleasure is to thy affections? how it bewitcheth thee, and befooleth thee, and maketh thee out of love with holiness, and unfit for any thing that is good?
3. Dost thou know the worth of those precious hours which thou playest away? hast thou no more to do with them? Look inwards to thy soul, and forward to eternity, and bethink thee better.
4. Is it sport that thou most needest? Dost thou not more need Christ, and grace, and pardon, and preparation for death and judgment, and assurance of salvation? Why then are not these thy business?
5. Hast thou not a God to obey and serve? and doth he not always see thee? and will he not judge thee? alas! thou knowest not how soon. Though thou be now merry in thy youth, and thy "heart cheer thee, and thou walk in the ways of thy heart, and the sight of thy eyes, yet know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment," Eccles. xi. 9.
6. Observe in Scripture what God judgeth of thy ways. Tit. iii. 3, "We ourselves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures--" 2 Tim. ii. 22, "Fly youthful lusts: but follow after righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart." Read 1 Pet. iv. 1-4; 2 Pet. iii. 3; 1 Tim. iii. 4, "Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God."[608]
7. You are but preparing for your future sorrow, either by repentance or destruction; and the greater is your pleasure now, the greater will be your sorrow and shame in the review.
Having spoken this much for the cure of sinful sports, I proceed to direct the more sober in their recreations.