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cause_n day_n lord_n sabbath_n 2,994 5 10.1532 5 true
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A41637 Christian directions, shewing how to walk with God all the day long drawn up for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of Sepulchres parish / by Tho. Gouge ... Gouge, Thomas, 1605-1681. 1661 (1661) Wing G1359; ESTC R955 152,866 176

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true God from whom we receive all the good things we doe enjoy yea what is it but brutish and swinish ingratitude if when God openeth his hand and filleth us with plenty of good things we doe not open our mouthes in praises and thanksgivings unto God giving unto him the glory thereof CHAP. X. Of Sports and Recreations AS you ought to be watchful over your felves at your Meals so likewise at your Recreations for though some recreations are lawful yet are we generally apt to abuse them unto licentiousness and to adventure upon all manner of sports and recreations without any difference therefore I shall shew you 1 What kind of Sports which are used for recreations are lawful 2 How those which are in their kind lawful are abused and so made unlawful Unlawful Sports and Recreations may bee brought to these Heads 1 All such wherein neither wit of mind nor exercise of body is used as Dice-play and some Games at Cards for in them is nothing but an expectation of an uncertain event wherein neither wit of mind nor exercise of body is used which are the main ends of Sports and Recreations either for the refreshing of our minds or bodies that we may thereby bee the better enabled for the honouring of God in the discharge of the duties of our place and calling 2 Such as bring danger to men as of old was fighting with Beasts and now Matches at Foot-bal fighting at Cudgels especially fighting with sharp Weapons much like the playing of Ioabs and Abners men who at length killed one another 3 Such as declare Gods punishment on the Creatures for mans Sin as Bear-baiting Cock-fighting and the like the enmity that is in one Creature against another is a punishment on the poor Creatures for mans Sin and therefore ought no● to bee a ground or matter of sport and rejoycing unto us but rather of sorrow and humiliation 4 Such as are forbidden by the Laws of the Land or place where we live for Sports and Recreations being among indifferent things the Magistrates authority is especially of force in them and in this respect our ordinary Stage-Playes in this City are unlawful 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 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 meerly to get mony that which a man gains by this tra●●ick he cannot with a good conscience possesse and enjoy it is not by God given him 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 purloyneth from his Wife Children and Family if he have any or if not from Church Common-wealth and poor Oh that all our Gamesters would consider what a fearful reckoning they are to make at the Day of Judgement not only of their precious time lavishly mis-spent but also of their estates for the most part wickedly lost when in their account there shall be found so much wasted in Gaming and so little given to the Poor and charitable uses Q. Is it altogether unlawful to play for mony A. I will not say it is altogether unlawful to play for money provided that what you play for be but a small matter of little value which is to be measured according to the estate and quality of those who play 3 Lawful Recreations are made unlawful when they are used at unseasonable times as on days of Humiliation and on the Sabbath Day in which time the Lord forbiddeth all men to seek their own pleasure 4 When they are so used as they raise a mans Passion unto anger fury and the like or that they cause swearing cursing brawling quarrelling with the like evil effects Hee that cannot moderate his Passion nor rule his Tongue at Play is not fit for it 5 When in your Recreations you forget God who is present with you as at all times so in all your actions and therefore respect ought to be had to God as in all your actions so in your recreations Then you are to remember that you are in the presence of God who seeth and observeth every thing Which would bee a special means to keep and re●train you from many uncivil and uncomly actions CHAP. XI Of the Duties of our Callings EVery one ought to have special regard to the duties of that particular Calling wherein he is placed by Gods Providence in a conscionable discharge whereof consists the very life and power of religion For the more profitable handling of this Branch of Christian watchfulness viz. over our particular Callings 1 I shall premise a few things 2 Give you some directions to help you therein The things to be premised are these I. That every man ought to have a certain Calling wherein hee may exercise himself to the glory of God and good of others which will appear from these reasons 1 It is the Ordinance of God that in the sweat of his face every man should eat his bread which words are to bee understood not only as a Curse● but also as a Co●●nd yea Adam in the state of Innocency had a Calling appointed him by God namely to dress the Garden 2 Whosoever hath no Calling whereby hee may bee profitable to Human society is said to live disorderly and walk inordinately 3 Manifold mischiefs and evils are avoyded by following a lawful Calling For idleness is the cause of many evils hee that giveth himself up to sloathfulness is a fit subject for the Devil to work upon yea an idle person is the Devils Shop there he works ever busie when men are most idle II. That our Calling ought to be honest and lawful that is such an one as our labour in it may tend to the glory of God the good of our neighbour and the furthering not only of our own temporal but also of our spiritual welfare These things premised come we now to the Directions I. Begin with God by seeking unto him by Prayer as for the pardon of thy sin● and supply of all needful graces so for his blessing upon thy lawful pains and endeavours for as the Apostle speaketh By the Word of God and Prayer all things are sanctified and therefore it must needs be an