DIRECTIONS ABOUT SPORTSAND RECREATION
by Richard Baxter; anabridgement from AChristian Directory,(SDG), 386–390

Direct. I: On Lawfulness

If you would escape the sin and danger, which men commonly run into by unlawfulsporting, under pretence of lawful recreations, you must understand what lawfulrecreation is, and what is its proper end and use.

No doubt but some sport and recreation are lawful, yea needful, and therefore aduty to some men. Lawful sport or recreation is the use of some natural thingor action, not forbidden us, for the exhilarating of the natural spirits by thefantasy, and due exercise of the natural parts, thereby to fit the body andmind for ordinary duty to God. It is some delightful exercise.

We do not call unpleasing labour by the name of sport or recreation; though itmay be better and more necessary. We call not every delight by the name ofsport or recreation; for eating and drinking may be delightful; and holy thingsand duties may be delightful; and yet not properly sports or recreation. But itis the fantasy that is chiefly delighted by sports.

All these things following are necessary to the lawfulness of a sport orrecreation, and the want of any one of them will make and prove it to beunlawful:

(1) It must be engaged in with the glory of God in view. The end which youreally intend in using it, must be to fit you for your service to God; that is,either for your callings, or for His worship, or some work of obedience inwhich you may please and glorify Him (cf. 1 Cor 10:31). Therefore the personthat uses it, must be one that is heartily devoted to God, and His service, andreally lives to do His work, and pleases and glorifies Him in the world: whichnone but the godly truly do! And therefore no carnal, ungodly person, that hasno such holy end, can use any recreation lawfully; because he uses it not to adue end. For the end is essential to the moral good of any action; and an evilend must needs make it evil: “Unto the pure all things are pure, [that is, allthings not forbidden,] but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving isnothing pure, but even their mind and conscience are defiled” (Tit 1:15).

(2) It must fit you for God’s service. A lawful recreation must be a meansfitly chosen and used to this end. If it has no aptitude to fit us for God’sservice in our ordinary callings and duty, it can be to us no lawfulrecreation. Though it be lawful to another that it is a real help to, it isunlawful to us.

Therefore all recreations are unlawful, which are themselves preferred beforeour callings, or which are used by a man that lives idly, or in no calling, andhas no ordinary work to make him need them. For these are no fit means, whichexclude our end, instead of furthering it.

Therefore all those are unlawful sports, which are used only to delight acarnal fantasy, and have no higher end, than to please the sickly mind thatloves them.

And therefore all those are unlawful sports, which really unfit us for theduties of our callings, and the service of God; which, laying the benefit andhurt together, do hinder us as much or more than they help us! which is thecase of all voluptuous wantons.

(3) It must not take time away from greater works. All sports are unlawfulwhich take up any part of the time which we should spend in greater works: suchare all those that are unseasonable; (as on the Lord’s day without necessity,or when we should be at prayer, or any other duty;) and all those that take upmore time than the end of a recreation does necessarily require (which is toocommon).

(4) It must not be sacrilegious. If a recreation be profane, as making sport ofholy things, it is a mocking of God, and a villainy unbeseeming any of Hiscreatures, and laying them open to His heaviest vengeance. The children that madesport with calling the prophet “bald head” were slain by bears (2 Kgs 2:23).

(5) It must not be at the expense of others. They are unlawful sports which areused to the wrong of others: as players, that defame and reproach other men;and hunters and hawkers that tread down poor men’s corn and hedges.

(6) It must not involve deriving pleasure from the sin of others. It is sinfulto make sport of other men’s sinning, or to act it ourselves so as to becomepartakers of it; which is too common with comedians, and other profane wits.

(7) It must not be unclean or obscene. Unclean, obscene recreations areunlawful; when filthiness or wantonness is represented without a due expressionof its odiousness, or with obscene words or actions. “But fornication, and alluncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you as becomethsaints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting” (Eph 5:3–4).

(8) It must not evoke lust and other sinful reactions. Those sports are sinful,which plainly tend to provoke ourselves or others to sin: as to lust, toswearing, and cursing, and railing, and fighting, or the like. Those also aresinful, which are the exercise of covetousness, to win other men’s money ofthem; or that tend to stir up covetousness in those you play with.

(9) It must not be cruel. Cruel recreations also are unlawful: as takingpleasure in the beholding of duellers, fighters, or any that abuse each other;or any other creatures that needlessly torment each other.

(10) It must not be too expensive. Too costly recreation also is unlawful: whenyou are but God’s stewards, and must be accountable to Him for all you have, itis sinful to expend it needlessly on sports.

(11) It must not be forbidden to us by our superiors. Unnecessary recreationsforbidden by our lawful governors are unlawful. If they were before lawful toyou, yet now they are not; because your king, your pastor, your parents, yourmasters, have power to rule and restrain you in such things; and you must obeythem.

By this it is easy to judge of our common stage-plays, gaming, cards, dice, anddiverse other such kind of sports. If they have but any one of these evilqualifications they are sinful.

All these are applicable both to young and old. But I wouldespecially address our youths, who are sadly being carried by the love ofsports and pleasure from the love of God, and the care of their salvation, andthe love of holiness, and the love of their callings; and into idleness,riotousness, and disobedience to their superiors:

(1) Do you not know that you have higher delights to mind? And are these toysbeseeming a noble soul, that has holy and heavenly matters to delight in?

(2) Do you not feel what a plague the very pleasure is to your affections? howit bewitches you, and befools you, and makes you out of love with holiness, andunfit for any thing that is good?

(3) Do you know the worth of those precious hours which you play away? have youno more to do with them? Look inwards to your soul, and forward to eternity,and bethink you better.

(4) Is it sport that you most need? Do you not more need Christ, and grace, andpardon, and preparation for death and judgment, and assurance of salvation? Whythen are not these your business?

(5) Have you not a God to obey and serve? and does He not always see you? andwill He not judge you? alas! you know not how soon. Though you be now merry inyour youth, and your “heart cheer thee…, and [thou] walk in the ways of thineheart, and in the sight of thine eyes: yet know thou, that for all these thingsGod will bring thee into judgment” (Ecc 11:9).

(6) Observe in Scripture what God judges of your ways. “We ourselves… weresometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving diverse lusts and pleasures”(Tit 3:3), being “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God” (2 Tim 3:4).“Flee… youthful lusts: but follow after righteousness, faith, charity, peace,with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Tim 2:22; read also 1Peter 1:14–15; 2:11–12; 4:1–4; 2 Peter 3:3).

(7) You are but preparing for your future sorrow, either by repentance ordestruction; and the greater is your pleasure now, the greater will be yoursorrow and shame in the review.

Direct. II: On Needfulness

When you understand the true nature and use of recreations, labour to beacquainted just how much and what sort of recreation is needful to yourselvesin particular. In which you must have respect, (1) To your bodily strength; (2)To your minds; and (3) To your labours.

And when you have resolved on it, what and how much is needful and fit, to helpyou in your duty, allow it its proper time and place, as you do your meals, andsee that you suffer it not to encroach upon your duty.

Direct. III: On Profitability

Ordinarily join profit and pleasure together, that you lose no time. I know notone person of a hundred, or of many hundreds, that needs any game at all: thereare such variety of better exercises at hand to recreate them. And it is a sinto idle away any time, which we can better improve! I confess my own nature wasas much addicted to playfulness as most: and my judgment allows me so muchrecreation as is needful to my health and labour (and no more). But for allthat I find no need of any game to recreate me. When my mind needs recreation,I have variety of recreating books, and friends, and business to do that. Andwhen my body needs it, the hardest labour that I can bear is my bestrecreation: 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; ifwith others, I may improve it in profitable, cheerful conference. I condemn notall sports or games in others, but I find none of them all to be best formyself: and when I observe how far the tempter and life of Christ and His bestservants was from such recreations, I avoid them with the more suspicion. And Isee but few, but distaste it in ministers (even shooting, bowling, and suchmore healthful games, to say nothing of chess and such other, as fit not theend of a recreation). Therefore there is somewhat in it that nature itself hassome suspicion of. That student that needs chess or cards [ed. orcomputer games] to please his mind, I doubt has a carnal, empty mind. If Godand all His books, and all His friends, &c. cannot suffice for this, thereis some disease in it that should rather be cured than pleased. And for thebody, it is another kind of exercise that profits it.

Direct. IV: On Moderation

Watch against inordinate, sensual delight, even in the most lawful sport.Excess of pleasure in any such vanity, does very much corrupt and befool themind. It puts it out of relish with spiritual things; and turns it from God,and heaven, and duty.

Direct. V: On Control

To this end keep a watch upon your thoughts and fantasies, that they run notafter sports and pleasure. Else you will be like children that are thinking oftheir sport, and longing to be at it, when they should be at their books orbusiness.

Direct. VI: On Company

Avoid the company of revellers, gamesters, and such time-wasters. Come notamong them, lest you be ensnared. Accompany yourselves with those that delightthemselves in God (2 Tim 2:22).

Direct. VII: On Eternality

Remember death and judgment, and the necessities of your souls. Usually thesesports seem but foolishness to serious men; and they say of this mirth, asSolomon, “It is mad” (Ecc 2:2). And it is great and serious subjects which makeserious men. Death and the world to come, when they are soberly thought on, doput the mind quite out of relish with foolish pleasures.

Direct. VIII: On Diligence

Be painful in your honest callings. Laziness breeds a love of sports; when youmust please your slothful flesh with ease, then it must be further pleased withvanities.

Direct. IX: On Preferred Delights

Delight in your relations and family duties and mercies. If you love thecompany and converse of your parents, or children, or wives, or kindred as youought, you will find more pleasure in discoursing with them about holy thingsor honest business, than in foolish sports. But adulterers that love not theirwives, and unnatural parents and children that love not one another, andungodly masters of families that love not their duty, are put to seek theirsport abroad.

Direct. X: On Sanctifying

See to the sanctifying of all your recreations, when you have chosen such asare truly suited to your need; and go not to them before you need, nor use thembeyond your need. See also that you lift up your hearts secretly to God, forHis blessing on them; and mix them all along as far as you can with holythings; as with holy thoughts or holy speeches. As for music, which is a lawfulpleasure, I have known some think it profaneness to use it privately orpublicly with a psalm, that scrupled not using it in common mirth; whereas allour mirth should be as much sanctified as is possible. All should be done tothe glory of God; and we have much more in Scripture for the holy use of music,(public and private,) than for any other use of it whatever. And it is the excellencyof melody and music, that they are recreations which may be more aptly andprofitably sanctified by application to holy uses, than any other. And I shouldthink them little worth at all, if I might not use them for the holyexhilarating or elevating of my soul, or affecting it towards God, or excitingit to duty.

Direct. XI: On Time Spent

The sickly and the melancholy (who are usually least inclined to sport) havemuch more need of recreation than others, and therefore may allow it a muchlarger time than those that are in health and strength. Because they take itbut as physic to recover them to health, being to abate again when they arerecovered.

Direct. XII: On Judging Others

Be much more severe in regulating yourselves in your recreations, than incensuring others for using some sports which you dislike. For you know notperhaps their case, and reasons, and temptations; but an idle, time-wasting,sensual sporter, every one should look on with pity as a miserable wretch.

[Richard Baxter (1615–1691)pastored the church at Kidderminster, near Wales. He was much admired in hisown day in the area of casuistry, or practical theology. He was not so highlyregarded, however, in the area of justification and sanctification. Even hisfellow Puritans, who respected his ability to apply Scripture to so many areasof life, wrote strongly against what they called “the Baxterian perversion ofthe doctrine of justification,” which inclined itself towards a “sanctified andthen justified” position. Baxter never fell into the fatal error, though, ofattributing any merit to anything we do.—from SDG Books website. Most ofBaxter’s controversial works have not been republished, though his views dosurface occasionally in his more popular works, such as his excellent treatise, The Reformed Pastor. Despite that, Baxter can be veryprofitable reading whenever he does not touch on justification or therelationship between law and grace. We are publishing the present abridgementon that basis.

—J.J. Lim]

—18 August, 2002