CHAPTER XXII – 5. False stories, romances, and other idle tempting books
Direct. 9. Be still sensible of the worth of time and opportunity, and then you will be as loath to cast it away on idle talk, as a good husband will be to cast away his money for nothing.
Direct. 10. Keep up a sense of your own necessity, which may provoke you to be better husbands of your tongues and time: and engage those you converse with, to mind you of your idle talk, and take you off it as soon as you begin.
Direct. 11. See that your heart and tongue, and all be absolutely devoted to God; and then you will question any by-expense of words: and "Whatsoever you do in word or deed, you will do all in the name of Christ, and to the glory and praise of God;" Col. 3:17. 1 Cor. 10:31.
Direct. 12. Be resolute for God, and be not ashamed to own him and his cause. A sinful bashfulness hinders much good. Observe these directions for this part of self-denial.
CHAPTER XXII
False Stories, Romances, and other tempting Books 5. ANOTHER point of sensuality to be denied, is, the reading or hearing of false and tempting books, and those that only tend to please an idle fancy, and not to edify. Such as are romances, and other feigned histories of that nature, with books of tales, and jests, and foolish compliments, with which the world so much aboundeth,
that there are few but may have admittance to this library of the devil. Abundance of old feigned stories, and new romances are in the hands, especially of children, and idle gentlemen, and filthy, lustful gallants, or empty persons that savour not greater matters, but have spirits suitable to such gauds as these. But if they were only toys, I should say the less; but having seen by long observation the mischief of them, I desire you to note it in these few particulars.
1. They ensnare us in a world of guilt, by drawing us to the neglect of those many, those great and necessary things that all of us have to mind and study. O! for a man or woman, that is under a load of sin, unassured of pardon and salvation, that is near to death, and unready to die, to be seen with a story or romance in their hand; what a gross incongruity is this! It is fitter the book of God should be in your hand. It is that which you must live by and be judged by.
There is much that you are yet ignorant of, which you have more need to be acquainted with than fables. Are you not ignorant of a hundred truths that you should know, that God hath revealed to further your salvation: and can you lay them all by to read romances?
Are you travelling towards another world with a play-book in your hand? O that you did but know what greater matters you have to mind and to do! Do all that you have to do first, that is of a thousand times more worth, and weight, and need; and then come to me, and I will answer your objections, 'What harm is it to read a play-book?'
First, quench the fire of sin and wrath that is kindled in your souls; and see that you understand the laws of God, and read over those profitable treatises of divines, that the world aboundeth with, and your souls more need, and then tell me, what mind or time you have for fables.
2. Moreover it dangerously bewitcheth and corrupteth the minds of young and empty people, to read these books. Nature doth so close with them, and delight in them, that they presently breed an inordinacy of affection, that steal away the heart from God, and his holy word and ways. It cannot be that the love and delights of the heart can be let out on such trash as these, and not be taken off from God and the most needful things. That is the most dangerous thing to the soul, that works itself deepest into the affections, and is most delighted in, instead of God. And therefore I may well conclude that play-books, and history-fables, and romances, and such like, are the very poison of youth, the prevention of grace, the fuel of wantonness and lust, and the food and work of empty, vicious, graceless persons; and it is great pity that they be not banished out of the commonwealth.
3. Moreover they rob men of much precious time, in which much better work might be done: much precious knowledge might be got while they are exercised in these fables. Those hours must be answered for: and there is not the worst of you but then had rather be able to say, 'I spent those days and hours in prayer, and meditating on the life to come, and reading the law and Gospel of Christ, and the books which his servants wrote for my instruction,' than to say, 'I spent it reading love-books, and tale-books, and playbooks.' All these considered, I beseech you throw away these pestilent vanities, and take them not in your hands, nor suffer them in the hands of your children, or in your houses, but burn them as you would a conjuring-book, and as they did, Acts 19:19. that so they may do no mischief to any others.