_Direct._ II. When you understand the true nature and use of recreations, labour to be acquainted just how much and what sort of recreation is needful to yourselves in particular. In which you must have respect, 1. To your bodily strength. 2. To your minds. 3. To your labours. And when you have resolved on it, what and how much is needful and fit, to help you in your duty, allow it its proper time and place, as you do your meals, and see that you suffer it not to encroach upon your duty.
_Direct._ III. Ordinarily join profit and pleasure together, that you lose no time. I know not one person of a hundred, or of many hundreds, that needeth any game at all: there are such variety of better exercises at hand to recreate them. And it is a sin to idle away any time, which we can better improve! I confess my own nature was as much addicted to playfulness as most: and my judgment alloweth me so much recreation as is needful to my health and labour (and no more). But for all that I find no need of any game to recreate me. When my mind needeth recreation, I have variety of recreating books, and friends, and business to do that. And when my body needeth it, the hardest labour that I can bear is my best recreation: walking is instead of games and sports; as profitable to my body, and more to my mind: if I am alone, I may improve that time in meditation; if with others, I may improve it in profitable, cheerful conference. I condemn not all sports or games in others, but I find none of them all to be best for myself: and when I observe how far the temper and life of Christ and his best servants was from such recreations, I avoid them with the more suspicion. And I see but few but distaste it in ministers (even shooting, bowling, and such more healthful games, to say nothing of chess and such other, as fit not the end of a recreation). Therefore there is somewhat in it that nature itself hath some suspicion of. That student that needeth chess or cards to please his mind, I doubt hath a carnal, empty mind. If God and all his books, and all his friends, &c. cannot suffice for this, there is some disease in it that should rather be cured than pleased. And for the body, it is another kind of exercise that profits it.
_Direct._ IV. Watch against inordinate, sensual delight, even in the lawfullest sport. Excess of pleasure in any such vanity, doth very much corrupt and befool the mind. It puts it out of relish with spiritual things; and turneth it from God, and heaven, and duty.
_Direct._ V. To this end keep a watch upon your thoughts and fantasies, that they run not after sports and pleasures. Else you will be like children that are thinking of their sport, and longing to be at it, when they should be at their books or business.
_Direct._ VI. Avoid the company of revellers, gamesters, and such time-wasters. Come not among them, lest you be insnared. Accompany yourselves with those that delight themselves in God, 2 Tim. ii. 22.
_Direct._ VII. Remember death and judgment, and the necessities of your souls. Usually these sports seem but foolishness to serious men; and they say of this mirth, as Solomon, "it is madness," Eccl. ii. 2. And it is great and serious subjects which make serious men. Death and the world to come, when they are soberly thought on, do put the mind quite out of relish with foolish pleasures.
_Direct._ VIII. Be painful in your honest callings. Laziness breedeth a love of sports; when you must please your slothful flesh with ease, then it must be further pleased with vanities.
_Direct._ IX. Delight in your relations and family duties and mercies. If you love the company and converse of your parents, or children, or wives, or kindred as you ought, you will find more pleasure in discoursing with them about holy things or honest business, than in foolish sports. But adulterers that love not their wives, and unnatural parents and children that love not one another, and ungodly masters of families that love not their duty, are put to seek their sport abroad.