“And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.”
Zech. 8:5
“And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul desires after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desires: and thou shalt eat there before the Lord thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household”
Deut. 14:26
“For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you.”
1 Pet. 4:3,4
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Subsections
Lots, Gambling, Dice & Games
Theater, Stage-Plays, Movies & Acting
Sports Damaging to the Body
Recreation on the Lord’s Day
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Order of Contents
Articles 2
Quotes 3
Idleness 1
Historical 1
Historical Tour 1
Latin 1
Biblio 1
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Articles
1500’s
Bucer, Martin – bk. 2, ch. 54, ‘Honest Games’ in On the Reign of Christ in Melanchthon & Bucer, ed. Wilhelm Pauck (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1969), pp. 346-54
Vermigli, Peter Martyr – ‘Of Music & Meter’ in The Common Places… (London: Henrie Denham et al., 1583), pt. 3, ch. 13, ‘Of Holy Prayers & of the Intercession of Christ’, pp. 311-13
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1600’s
Baxter, Richard – pt. 1, ch. 10, pt. 2, ‘Directions about Sports & Recreations, & Against Excess & Sin Therein’ in Christian Directory… (London: White, 1673), pp. 460-65
Baxter was an English congregationalist puritan.
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Quotes
1500’s
Peter Martyr Vermigli
The Common Places… (London: Henrie Denham et al., 1583), pt. 2, 7. ‘The Fourth Precept: of Sanctifying the Sabbath Day’, section 6, ‘Whether it be lawful to solemnize the birthday of any man’, p. 377
“Surely it is a notable gift that we may be reckoned among the number of God’s creatures. And who doubts, but that it is well done, to give thanks unto God for it [one’s birth], and in thanksgiving to testify the joyfulness of mind by an outward token of some modest banket? The use of honest pleasures is such, as they have always godliness joined with them.”
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1600’s
William Perkins
The Order & Causes of Salvation & Damnation in The Works of William Perkins, vol. 1, pp. 57-58 HT: R. Andrew Myers
“Recreation is an exercise joined with the fear of God, conversant with things indifferent, for the preservation of bodily strength and the confirmation of the mind in holiness (Eccl. 2.2; Isa. 5.12; 1 Cor. 10.9; Luke 6.25; Deut. 12.7).
To this end has the Word of God permitted shooting (2 Sam. 1.18), musical consort (Neh. 7.67), putting forth riddles (Judges 14.12), hunting of wild beasts (Cant. 2.15), searching out or the contemplation of the works of God (1 Kings 4.33).”
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1700’s
William Burkitt
A Help & Guide to Christian Families… (d. 1703; London: SPCK, 1840), ch. 6, ‘Of Glorifying God in our Recreations,’ p. 27 HT: R. Andrew Myers
“It being impossible for the mind of man to be always intent upon business and for the body to be exercised in continual labours, the wisdom of God has therefore adjudged some diversion and recreation (the better to fit both body and mind for the service of their Maker) to be both needful and expedient: such is the constitution of our bodies and the complexion of our minds that neither of them can endure a constant toil without some relaxation and delighting diversion.
As a bow, if always bent, will prove sluggish and unserviceable, in like manner will a Christian’s mind if always intent upon the best things: the arrow of devotion will soon flag, and fly but slowly towards heaven. A wise and good man perhaps could wish that his body needed no such diversion, but finding his body tire and grow weary, he is forced to give way and choose such recreations as are healthful, short and proper to refresh both mind and body.”
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On Idleness
Vermigli, Peter Martyr – ‘Of Idleness & other enticements unto wickedness’ in The Common Places… (London: Henrie Denham et al., 1583), pt. 2, ‘The Seventh Precept’, pp. 479-82
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Historical
On the Puritans
Article
Dennison, Jr., James T. – Appendix 2, ‘The Puritan Attitude Toward Recreation’ in The Market Day of the Soul: The Puritan Doctrine of the Sabbath in England, 1532-1700 (Lanham: University Press of America, 1983), pp. 144-45
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Quote
James T. Dennison, Jr.
The Market Day of the Soul: The Puritan Doctrine of the Sabbath in England, 1532-1700 (Lanham: University Press of America, 1983), Appendix 2, ‘The Puritan Attitude Toward Recreation’, pp. 144-45
“The Puritan Attitude Toward Recreation
The Puritans were not opposed to recreations per se. Lawful (“honest”) recreations were encouraged on the other six days of the week. Bownd’s remark was typical: “I am not of that minde…to thinke that men should never take delight, and that all recreation were sinfull…”1 However, even honest recreations were to be suspended on the Lord’s day because they interfered with the proper sanctification of the Sabbath.2 The Puritans also cited Isaiah 58:13-14 in defense of their position; God had clearly revealed His opposition to taking one’s own “pleasure” on the Sabbath.3
Some would counter the Puritan arguments with the observation that recreation was not possible on any day other than Sunday.4 The Puritan reply is significant:
“If men will allow servants recreations, let them allow part of their own time, and be liberal in that which [is] their own, and not in that which God hath given them no such warrant to bestow on their servants.”5
Labor was not to be exploited. Men were to be allowed honest recreations Monday through Saturday.6 Though the general rule was that Sunday was playday, people did find time for sport on week-days; witness Bridenbaugh’s remark:
“…young men who would ‘endure long and hard labor in so much that after twelve hours hard work they will go in the evening to football, stoole ball, cricket, prison-base, wrestling, cugel throwing, or some such like vehement exercise.'” 7
Richard Baxter maintained that the argument from lack of spare time on week-days was a “sad argument to be used by them that by racking of rents do keep them (laboring people) in poverty.”8 The Puritan protest against Sabbath profanation was also a protest against overwork on the other six days of the week.
But the truth is, it is not the minds of poor laboring men, that are overworked and tired on week-days, but it is their bodies; and therefore there is no recreation so suitable to them as the ease of the body, and the holy and joyful exercise of the mind, upon their Creator, and their Redeemer, and their everlasting rest.9
1 Bownd, Sabbathum Veteris, p. 271; cf. Dudley Fenner, A Short and Profitable Treatise, of lavvful and unlavvful Recreations; William Perkins, 1558-1602: English Puritanist, ed. by Thomas F. Merrill (Nieuwkoop, 1966), pp. 217-22 with extracts from Perkins’ The Whole Treatise of Cases of Conscience, Book 3.
2 Elton, An Exposition of the Ten Commandments, pp. 54-56; George Walker, The Doctrine of the Holy Weekly Sabbath (London, 1641), p. 157; Richard Baxter, The Divine Appointment of the Lord’s Day, pp. 440, 444-445.
3 Cf. Nicolas Bifield (Byfield), The Beginning of the Doctrine of Christ, or, A Catalogue of Sinnes (London, 1636), p. 63.
4 For a survey of the relative truth of this point, see Carl Bridenbaugh, Vexed and Troubled Englishmen, 1590-1642 (New York, 1968), pp. 109-118.
5 John Dod and Robert Cleaver, A Plaine and Familiar Exposition of the Ten Commandments (London, 1628), p. 140.
6 Percy Scholes (The Puritans and Music in England and New England(London, 1934), pp. 104-111) mentions the provisions of a bill presented to Parliament in 1647 which allowed every other Tuesday to be designated as a holiday. Scholes’ judicious treatment of the Puritan attitude toward recreation is refreshing as well as accurate; cf. also pp. 302-331. Compare Hugh Martin, Puritanism and Richard Baxter (London, 1954), pp. 101-106.
7 Bridenbaugh, Vexed, p. 115.
8 Baxter, Divine Appointment, p. 444.
9 Ibid., p. 445.”
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Historical Tour
Isbell, Shermn – ‘Archibald Alexander Travelogue’
Take a vacation to Lexington, VA and see these special sites connected to the godly legacy of A.A. Alexander. Isbell was a minister in the Presbyterian Reformed Church and the Free Church of Scotland (continuing), who lived near the area.
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Latin Articles
1600’s
Voet, Gisbert – Select Theological Disputations (Utrecht, 1667), vol. 4
26. Third: ‘On Abuses in Food & Feasts’ 385
27. Fourth: ‘On Luxury & Vanity in Clothes, Houses & Goods’ 403
28. pt. 2 417
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50. ‘A Syllabus of Questions on the Whole Decalogue’
On feasts 792
Of recreations and games 818
Of avarice and care about temporal things 818
Of prodigality or lavishness 819
Of idleness, leisure and negligence 819
Of curiosity 819
Of parsimony 819
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Bibliography
Malcom, Howard – Theological Index... (Boston: Gould & Lincoln, 1868)
‘Amusements’, p. 18
‘Pleasure’, pp. 360-61
‘Pleasures of Piety’, p. 361
‘Recreation’, p. 395
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“For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”
1 Tim. 4:4-5
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
1 Cor. 10:31
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Related Pages