wine Pro. 23 31. when it is red and when it sheweth his colour in the cup or goeth downe pleasantlie we must not make a God of our bellie for we read that the Iewes that had such a greedie desire to their meate died with Quailes in their mouthes For though a man haue abundaunce yet his life standeth not in his riches Man liueth not by bread but by the prouidence of God It was said to the rich man that reioiced so much in his riches and said to his soule Soule thou hast Luke 12. 17 much goods laid vp for manie yeres liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime O foole this night will I fetch awaie thy soule from thée then whose shal those things be which thou hast prouided The Lord doth sometimes of purpose lessen those meanes wherby he wil saue vs least we shuld staie our selues too much vpon them for this cause the Lord doth strike the Iudg 7 2. earth with barrennesse least our minde should bée too much busied in thinking what great crops we haue had for this cause by sicknes he dotâ— often take froÌ„ vs the vigor of our tast doth mingle all our pleasures with griefe as it were with an vnsauerie tongue as the booke of the preacher teacheth vs. He sometimes taketh from vs our wise counsellers our valiant politicke capitanes He sometimes seÌ„deth earthquakes He beateth down our strong holdes castels all our munition of war to the end we might see what a vaine thing it is to trust in any earthlie defense An horse saith the Prophet is but a vaine thing to saue a mans life It is but a vaine thing to trust in Princes for except the Lord kéepe the citie the kéeper watcheth in vaine Our trust therefore must be in the name of God that made both heaueÌ„ Psal 127. earth those that trust in him shal be as mount Sion which caÌ„not be remoued but remaineth for euer Héere alone doth the difference consist betweene the child of God a naturall man the child of God hath his hart knit vnto him that made all things but the natural man is altogether linked to the creature they make it the place where all their affections haue their abode it is their SummuÌ„ bonum it is their happines it is their onlie ioie The philosophers wer verie diligent markers of the goodlie properties that wer in the creatures of God they spake verie plentifullie of the vertue of hearbs mettals of that nature of euerie liuing thing They knewe by the creatures that there was a God yet did they neuer worship him as God neither were they thankfull but became vain in their imaginatioÌ„s their foolish hart was ful of darknes EueÌ„ Tullie their chiefe Orator in his Rom. 1. 21. booke De natura deoruÌ„ when he had discoursed at large of the great wisdom bountifulnes that was to by séene in the workmanship of the creatures yet as if he had bene halfe a god himself or onlie an idle looker on had no benefit by theÌ„ he vseth not one word of thanksgiuing He was a very eloqueÌ„t man had tounge at will yet wheÌ„ he shuld come to sound foorth the praise of God he was altogether speachles but the Prophet Dauid intreting of the same matter breaketh out into thankfull speaches O Lord saith he how manifold are thy workes In wisedome hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches And againe I will sing vnto the Lord all my life I will praise my God while I liue And againe O my soule praise thou the Lord Praise ye the Lord. Likewise Psal 104. in the 8. Psalme O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the world His whole Psalmes are full of such meditations for this thankefulnesse that I speake of was alwaies the foote of his song O that the Papists would but aduisedlie consider this thankfulnesse of the Prophet Dauid our controuersie then about Organes chaunting of songs would soone be at an ende They can readilie alleadge all the kinde of instruments that Dauid vsed but they will neuer remember withall that he praised the Lord in them They maie vnderstand if they will by the 14. of the first to the Corinths that there was made a distinction in the soundes and that the people knew what was piped and what was harped Psa 106. 4â— But they think it maketh no matter though English men sing a song in the Latine tongue that they vnderstand not The note is the thing that they take pleasure in so that as we sée they sing not to the Lord but to their owne eares And that makes them speake so baselie of our songs We all with one voice in a plaine and distinct note sing lustelie vnto the Lord with a good courage And that they like not of their hearts are set vpon the melodie of the descant they worship him that made the note they doe not sing to the Lord. Where do they finde that the songs of Dauid vsed in the seruice of God were of fiue or six parts Where doe they finde that they quauered and deuided the note so that the people could not vnderstand what was sung In the 25. of the first booke of the Chronicles the order of musick that the Iewes vsed in the seruice of God is set down but there is no mention made of â—uch babbling musicke The end wherefore their songs were sung is directlie against this chaunting 1. Chro. 16. the. 4. 7. verse The Lord will be worshipped in spirit in truth And if we will sing Dauids Psalmes we must bring Dauids spirit or els the Lord cares not for our melodie Our delight must not rest in anie thing but in the Lord he is the Lord our God we must haue none other Gods but him The Lord himselfe hath commaunded vs to honour those that he hath set ouer vs the Apostle teacheth vs that it is the first commandement with a promise to obay our parents And yet he that loueth father or mother better then Christ is not worthie of him He that taketh more plesure in his parents then in Christ is reiected of him Likewise we must haue in estimation the ministers of the word for their works sake yet we 1. Cor. 3. 21. must not absolutelie rest our selues vpon theÌ„ we must not reioice in meÌ„ but we must reioice in God that worketh by men Now if the Lord will not haue vs depend too much vpon men that sowe into our hearts that immortall and Psa 014 incorruptible séed of eternal life how greatlie shal we think wil it displease the Lord to delight so much in that dunghil 1. Cor. â— things of this world which perish with the vse We maie reioice as I said before in vsing these corruptible creatures of God for wine maketh glad the heart of man as the Prophet saith but yet we must reioice
A friendlie communication or Dialogue betweene Paule and Demas wherein is disputed how we are to vse the pleasures of this life By Samuel Byrd Master of Art and fellow not long since of Benet Colledge DM Imprinted at London for Iohn Harison the younger dwelling in Pater noster Roe at the signe of the Anker and are there to be solde 1580. ¶ TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader Samuel Byrd wisheth grace mercie and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ IT maie perhaps seeme somewhat straunge there beeing so manie learned and godlie bookes set out that I haue not bene discouraged thereby from writing I desire therfore leaue of the good Reader that I maie bee heard what I can saie for my selfe First therefore it maie be answered that though a matter be handled of neuer so manie yet the varietie of time and place maie alwaies minister some new and profitable matter to speake of Beside this I haue speciall reasons and those also manie to alledge for my selfe in this behalfe First it may be said that though the Argument heere handled especially dice and card plaie haue bene condemned as it were by a general consent of all Nations yet are there verie fewe founde which haue in particulars vnfolded laide abrode the vglinesse thereof They haue taken the beastlinesse of this game to be so plaine and so euident a case that they haue not vsed manie reasons in the proofe thereof And least I should seeme to affirme this thing at a venture without some triall onelie to excuse my selfe the Reader shall vnderstand that I haue made inquirie that the most that hath bene said of anie that I can heare of is of Pascasius which hath entered into the secrets of this idle pastime hath bewraied the hid thoughts of gamesters and their distempered affections In this respect I saie he hath said very much although concerning the vnlawfulnesse of this game hee hath said nothing at all Daneus a learned diuine hath proued that this game is vnlawfull but yet in fewer wordes then can satisfie the patrones therof I haue not heard of manie other and I am the sooner brought to thinke that but few haue taken paines in this thing because the forenamed Pascasius making great inquirie could not heare of anie as he saith that hath of purpose written a treatise of this matter It ought therefore as I said before the lesse to be accounted an vnnecessarie worke which speaketh of that that so few haue spoken of especiallie in our English tongue And I haue ben the bolder to take this thing vppon mee because I cannot thinke but that the Lord which cannot awaie with idlnesse and hath graunted me so great leasure requireth it at my handes This my enterprise shall the lesse bee meruailed at if men consider that my miserable experience in these vnthriftie games canne make mee speake that which those that want the like experience cannot though otherwise they bee neuer so eloquent Beside that it shall make more for the glorie of God and more against this sinne when it is cried out vppon of him that hath had his delight therein rather then when it is spoken against of him that hath had no acquaintaunce with it and hee teacheth well which would haue vs Excerpere ex ipsis malis quod inest boni I shall also by this meanes cheere and make glad the heartes of those good men whome I doubt not but I haue heeretofore greeued and vexed with following this confused and foolish gaming Neither shall it be a small comfort vnto mine owne soule not onelie for the present time but euen when those that stand about my bedde can doe mee no good when the women are almost readie to binde vp my face in a napkin It will bee I saie at that time a great staie vnto my soule when I shall consider that that hande that hath beene so defiled with the cursed bones and with such filthie papers now hath beene at defiaunce with them and hath writ against them This I doubt not in my greatest extremitie will bee a witnesse vnto me that both hand and foote and euerie part of mee are purged and cleansed and purefied with the precious bloudshedding of the sonne of God my almightie redeemer All these reasons beeing well waied of mine indifferent Reader this my booke shall I hope haue the better enterteinement at his handes Concerning the matter and substaunce of this treatise my purpose was to sette downe a difference betweene the childe of God and a naturall man in vsing the present thinges of this life The naturall man as a brute beast looketh vpon whatsoeuer is before him and neuer goeth further and as a brutish swine which feedeth vnder an Acorne tree mindeth onelie the Acornes that lie seattered vppon the ground neuer looking vp to the tree from whence they came so this people nussel themselues in the creatures neuer lifting vp their heart vnto the Creator and some are so grose that they thinke God is greatlie honoured when they are so much delighted with the creature that they are neuer satisfied therewith For when their â—ares are altogether busied in piping and singing when they rest their soules laie themselues down in the melodie of Organs and quauering they call it an heauenlie noise but it is an earthlie noise they are Epicures that delight so much in it And therefore Plautus describing Epicures setteth them out by these words Viuunt musicè For whie maie not the dronken glutton as well saie that sweete luscious meate and drinke haue an heauenlie tast Manie of these men can tell the naturall reason of earthquakes windes snowe haile and raine and of all meteors they can shewe reasons howe meate and drinke doth nourish our life but the Lord and giuer of life they will not acknowledge They are busied altogether in secondarie meanes but the cause of all causes the high and mightie God that holdeth the sterne both of sea land ruleth with his becke both heauen earth worketh vsuallie by meanes oftentimes without meanes sometimes contrarie to all meanes they wil not remember If a man speak of this first cause they thinke there is no wit in anie such talke they are alwaies in their A B C as Caluin that good man noteth as blinde buzzards keepe altogether below but the learned Christian like an eagle mounteth vp aloft vseth the creatures as steppes and staires to ascend vnto the high God he is the resting place of their ioie he is the stay center of all their delights They pitie the foolishnes of such as make their back their bellie their bowling dicing carding their God For how can the vanitie of these vaine things helpe them in the time of need When they are sore sick their gaie coats must be let off When their stomacks be taken from them what good will their meate drinke do them They cannot stand to bowle they cannot
vse the name of Christ as men are wont to vse an olde cloke which put it on when any stormy tēpest is towards thē are ashamed of it when the storme is ouer Men shall not then anie longer vse the calling vppon the name of God as they vse Aqua vitae only when they lye a dieng but they shall professe the calling of his name throughout the whole course of their life then shall not the son of God be ashamed of vs before his father If the glorious kingdome of Iesus Christ were thus set vp we should haue euen an heauen vpon earth I am afraide I haue troubled my Reader with loking an Epistle and therefore I will heere take my leaue of him wishing him well to fare in the Lord. Thine in the Lord Samuel Byrd The summe of euerie Chapter VVhat pleasures are lawfull and that we maie offend by vsing them too little or too much Chap. 1. fol. 1. VVhat games are simplie vnlawfull Cha. 2. fol. 12. Continuing to much at lawfull games maketh Chap. 3. fol 29. That our kind of daūsing is vtterlie vnlawfull Chap. 4. fol. 34. Of Dice and Cards Chap. 5. fol. 37. A remedy against such euils as haue ben before spoken of Chap. 6. fol. 70. FINI◠¶ A friendlie communication or diōloge betweene Paule and Demas wherein is disputed how wee are to vse the pleasures of this life The first Chapter DEmas I am come to sée how you doe sir for me thinke it is long since I sawe you Paule It is long since I sawe you in déede but I will not saie you are therefore welcome for if you would come oftener you should be much more welcome De Well bicause as you saie I come so seldome I will tarrie with you so much the longer if it were not for hindering your studie you should haue me dwell with you this whole after-noone for I haue manie things to talke with you off you shall sée I will make you werie of me before I go The last time we were in companie together if you remember there was much talke had to and fro how we should vse this present world And me thinke it was well said of one that séeing it is the will of God to haue vs liue in this world It is likewise his plesure to haue vs inioy the pleasures of this life And yet on the other side the riotous life of a great manie was found fault withall that also not without good cause I would therefore gladlie learne some certeintie in this matter I would gladly learne I saie when we vse the pleasures of this world aright and when we abuse them But to the end you might vnderstand my meaning aright you shall vnderstand that I call those the pleasures of this life not which are simplie euill as adultrie is or such things as we inioie by stelth but I speake of such as maie be both vsed not vsed without anie breach of the commaundement And bicause I am somwhat doubtfull what those are that are of this kinde I praie you tell me what they are and how a man maie be bolde to vse them Paule The pleasures of this life maie verie well bée diuided into such as are common to all men as meate drinke such like or else into such as are vsed but of some men of this kind are games for all men you knowe are not gamesters Concerning the first kinde the Apostle telleth vs that the earth is the Lords all that there in is And therefore we maie boldlie féed on anie thing that is solde in the Shambles We maie be bolde I saie to delight our tast with anie kinde of foule that flieth in the aire with anie kinde of liuing thing that goeth on the earth with anie kinde of fish that liueth in the water or with anie kinde of fruite that groweth out of the earth It is lawfull to delight our hearing our eie-sight our smelling our tast our féeling with the vse of anie thing that the Lord hath made for example it is lawfull to delight our hearing with the singing of birds or with anie other kind of honest melodie It is lawfull to delight our eies with beholding the glorious maiestie of the heauens that are drawne out like a curtein We maie behold the Sun when he commeth out of his chamber like a bridegrome to run his race we maie beholde all the host of heauen and all the glorie of the earth we may delight our eies with looking vpon anie amiable coulour or pleasant sight we may take pleasure in anie fresh swéet smelling sauour We may féed as I said before on whatsoeuer is pleasant to our tast we maie refresh our selues with heat in Winter and with cooling things in Summer And 1. Tim. 4. 1. as the Apostle is bolde to call the forbiddng of anie kinde of meat the doctrine of diuels Bicause the occasiion of giuing God thankes therefore is therby taken awaie so I dare boldlie saie that the forbidding a man to refresh anie of his other senses with anie honest delight is likewise the doctrine of diuels so far am I frō condēning anie honest pleasures We maie therefore sport our selues as I haue said or to speake more particularlie we may with delight view the earth the is apparelled with flowers hearbs trées with all kinde of fruite The incredible multitude wherof is distinguished with an insatiable vareitie whervnto we maie adde fountaines Tullie de natura deorum 2. booke goodlie springs cléere waters riuers with their gréene bankes The huge height of mountaines the largnesse of the wide fields to conclude the whole earth with the rich treasures that are hid in the bowels therof what a comelie grace haue golde and siluer aboue other mettels what also and how manie kinde of beasts are there both wilde and tame how trimlie doe the birds fall vpon the earth the ground is diuided by the diligence of man some to pasture some to tillage and some is taken vp for places to dwell in The sea is full of fishes both great small If we consider the beasts of the earth it is wonderfull what care the dammes haue to defend their little ones how louinglie do the hen gather her chickins vnder hir wings Now if we shall come to the comelie proportion of euerie liuing thing especiallie of man how trimlie are our bones knit together fit for the mouing and for euerie action of the bodie The sences beeing the interpreters messengers of things are verie fitlie placed in the head as it were in a castle the eies as spies possesse the vppermost part of the face as it were a tower by their warning the bodie auoideth manie harmes All sounds and all sauours doe naturallie assend vpward our eares therefore and our nostrels which are made to receiue sounds sauours are verie fitlie placed aloft Our tast which trieth all those kinde of meates and drinks which we féede on dwelleth