The Chief Interest of Man, Section 6
SECT. VI. Religion forbids us not any pleaſures which are agreeable to nature, reaſon, or Mans own intereſt. None can more freely enjoy pleaſures than a Godly Man.
THere is yet another thing which many account their great intereſt (and their great prejudice againſt Religion is, that they conceive it inconſiſtent therewith) and that is Pleaſure. Now if we take Pleaſure in a large ſence as it is taken in Scripture, that inward Joy, Comfort and ſatisfaction which accompanies an holy Life, and thoſe everlaſting pleaſures at Gods right hand, which a holy Life leads to, will fall afterwards under conſideration. And as for thoſe bodily pleaſures, which in this place are chiefly intended, Religion doth not at all forbid them, nor deprive a Man of them; and it is an unjuſt calumny of ſome that God hath put inclinations into mans nature to ſuch things as he hath forbidden him, and that this is the chief cauſe of ſo much ſin in the World: But theſe men know not what ſpirit they are of. It was the ſuggeſtion of the Devil to Man in Paradiſe, that God (as if he envyed mans happineſſe) had laid a reſtraint on them to keep them from that which (as the Devil would perſwade them) he knew might better their condition, and advance them to an equality with himſelf, as if it had been a ſmall matter that he had allowed them ſuch liberty to enjoy all the pleaſures of Paradiſe, and to eat of all the fruit of it, ſave only that in the midſt of the Garden. But they received a juſt recompence for believing the Devil rather than God. It is the ſame ſpirit which now perſwades Men that God hath dealt hardly with us, to interdict us the enjoyment of that wherein we might find ſuch pleaſure and ſatisfaction, whereas he hath rather manifeſted his goodneſſe to Man, in that he hath put into him ſuch inclinations, as he may take pleaſure in thoſe things which are neceſſary for the propagation of the ſpecies, or for the conſervation of the individuals of Mankind; and he doth not forbid our pleaſure in theſe, but only forbids Gluttony and Drunkenneſſe, which is exceſs in the uſe of meats and drinks, and Adultery, which is the miſplacing of theſe deſires which he hath provided for the ſatisfaction of mankind without ſin: and we have no cauſe to complain of Gods bounding of us in theſe things, but rather wonder that there ſhould be any need of any Laws to forbid ſuch irregularities therein, as we ſhould wonder that any ſhould make Laws ſtrictly to forbid Men to burn their own houſes, to cut their own fleſh, to drink poyſon, if we conſider the miſchiefs that enſue upon our exceeding the limits which God hath yet ſet us in theſe things, in impairing our Health, waſting our Eſtates, ſtaining our honour, breeding diſcords in Families, depriving us of reaſon, and turning us into Bruits, expoſing us ſometimes to Mans rage, ſometimes to the penalty of human Laws. In ſhort, God hath not only provided for the ſupply of our neceſſities, but for our delight and comfort. Pſal. 104.15. 2ly. Religion allows a Man to enjoy and take comfort in theſe things which God hath given us. Eccl. 2.24, 25, 26.5.18.9.7, 8, 9. Yea, requires we ſhould rejoyce in them. Deut. 12.7.12.18. cap. 14.26. cap. 16.11, 14. cap. 26.11. 3ly. There is none can take more pleaſure in theſe things than a Chriſtian. Eccl. 2.25. Solomon might haſten as much as any to ſuch pleaſure, not ſo much as he was a King, and had all things in abundance: but as he was a good Man, and in the favour of God. Eccl. 9.7. But this I have elſewhere touched. Sect. 4. and ſect. 8. If any account it hard to be reſtrained from unnatural pleaſures, I may ſay as Joaſh of Baal, Judges 6.31. Will you plead for theſe? He that will plead for theſe, let him preſently be put to Death. He that cannot content himſelf with moderate pleaſures, without exceſſe, let him go and learn of Bruit-beaſts, that will not eat and drink to Gluttony and Drunkenneſſe. He that cannot ſatisfie himſelf unleſs he may wholly proſtitute himſelf to pleaſure, and ſpend his whole time therein, as if he were put into the World, as the Leviathan into the Sea, to play therein: Pſal. 104.26. Let them learn of a Heathen, who would ſay, He is not worthy the name of a Man, thàt would ſpend a whole day in pleaſure. So that Religion reſtrains us no more in the uſe of Pleaſures than nature, reaſon, or our own intereſt reſtrains us, but rather teacheth us how we may enjoy them more pure and refined, without any ſting of guilt, or check of Conſcience, which may allay the ſweetneſſe of them.