E I 6 Treatife Hence it followeth,that all Chriílians may freelywithout fcruple ofco- fcience,vfe all things indifferent, fobe it the manner ofvfngthem begood. And firff, when I faythat all may vfe them, I vnderftand a twoFold vie; natural!, or fpirituall. The natural' vfe , iseither to releeueour neceflities , or for honett delite. Thus the Pfalmiff faith , that God gluesnot onely bread to f}rengthen the heart ofman , but an wine to make glad theheart , and oyle tomake the face tofhine,Pfal.ro4.I s. andGod hathput into his creatures infiniteva- rietiesofcolours,í'auours,tafts,and formes, to this end that menmight take delte inthern.Hence it foliows,that Recreation is lawful,and apartofChri- flianlibertie,if it be well vied. By recreation I vndert}and exercifes & fports, feruingtorefrefheither the bodie or the minds: and that they maybe well vfed, two rulesefpetiallymutt beretnembred. Thefirfi, that lawful!recrea. :ion Itandsonely in thevfe ofthings indifferent. For if the things be com- mandedby God, there is no (porting in them; or iftheybe forbidden,there is no vfingofthem at all. Vpon this ground, fundriekindesofrecreation are to be neglected. As Z. the daunting commonlyvfed in there daies, in which men and wnmen,youngmen and rnaides,all mixed togither,dance to the foundof the inttrument or voyce in time and meafure, withmany wanton geflures, and that in folemne meetings after great feats. This ex- ercifecannot be nombred among things indifferent ; For experience Phew_ eth, thatithath beene vfuallyeither a fruit ora followerofgreatwickednes, as idolatrie, fornication, drunkennes; hereupon, one well compared it to a bTripud/u,n b circle, whofe-center was the deuill. Againe,ifwe mutt gluean account of /ft rircM!U eucry idle word , then altoofeuery idlegeflure and pace : and what ac. ariuantrum count can be giuen of there paces backward and forward, of caprings, iiolur, himpes, gambols, turnings,with many other friskes oflightnes and vani- tie, more befeeming goates and apes,of whome they arecommonlyvfed, thenmen. WhereasSalomom efleerned laughter as madnes, hewould(no doubt) haue condemnedour common lafciuious dauntingmuch more for madnes, laughter beeingbut the leaf}part ofit. 11. Dicing, which ispre- cifelythecartingof lot's, not ro beviedat our pleafirres, but in matters of weight and importance. And ofthis kindare all games, theground where- ofare not the fleight ofmans Witte, but lottealone. 111. Playes and en. terludes, that ftand in the reprefentationofthe vices and mifdemeanour ofthe world. For ifitbenot lawful! to namevices , vnleffeitbe in theway ofdiflike,Eph.s,3. much lefhe is it warrantable to gelhure and reprefent vice in the wayofrecreation and delire. The fecond rule is,thát recreation- muff bea fearing, moderate, and lawfullvfe of things indif ercnt,accordingto Pag-,r7. the rules` following. and "$` The fpirituall vie is, when we take occafion by the creatures to meditate and fpeake ofheaucnly things : as, vpon thefight ofthevineand the bran - ches thereof, to confider the tnyt}icall coniunétion betweene Chrit} and his Church: by the fight of the .rainebovv to thinksof thepromise ofGod of
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