The True Christians T est, Part 1 · Meditation 44 – Meditation 46
MEDITAT. XLIV. Of Uncharitableneſs.
THere are many ſorts of Uncharitableneſs, but becauſe I am conſidering of the riches of the world, I will confine my ſelf to that of not giving alms.
Not to give at all, and to have bowels perfectly ſhut up againſt the indigent, is the groſſeſt uncharitableneſs: So groſs, that I thing few are guilty of it, and none will confeſs it.
To give ſomething, but grudgingly, and with an ill will, is uncharitableneſs: not to take pleaſure in this exerciſe, ſpoyls it. Men may be many ways forc'd to give, and yet no thanks to them; it does not proceed from a charitable mind.
To give ſparingly, is uncharitableneſs: Not that true charity conſiſts in the quantity, but in the principle: The Goſpel-widow gave much in giving her mite. But not to give proportionably to what God hath given us, and the neceſſities of our families will permit, is uncharitableneſs. Nay I ſuppoſe that the nature of true charity requires, that a man do ſometimes defalk from himſelf, and ſtraiten his own family in ſome degree, to relieve the neceſſities of others.
If any one would know the juſt proportions of charity, I confeſs I do not find them preciſely ſtated in the Word of God, neither do I take it to be an argument of a charitable mind to be curious in this enquiry; I ſuſpect them that are, as I do thoſe, who labour much to know the loweſt degree of ſaving grace. To theſe that ask, How much more muſt we give? I will not anſwer as our Saviour did in ſomewhat a like caſe, If you will be perfect, Go ſell all, and give to the poor; but I will deſire them ſeriouſly to conſider of the proportion which God expreſly requir'd the Iſraelites to give to the Levites and to the poor; and of that tenth part, which it is reported that Dr. Hammond and many other charitable perſons, have thought themſelves bound to devote to charitable uſes; and then onelyonly add with our Saviour, Go thou and do likewiſe. But it is againſt the nature of charity to be ſtinted: I think therefore if we liv'd by this ſhort rule at preſent, it might do well, to give what we can ſpare, and to ſpare what is more than enough. When I and my Family have fed well on a diſh of meat, I do not grudg to give the reſt to the poor. And ſo I argue, when I have enough for my ſelf and mine, the reſt belongs to the poor. And would to God men would know when they have enough of riches, as they do, when they have eat and drunk ſufficiently!
To give that which is another mans is not Charity; or at leaſt it is an ill govern'd Charity, that is not in Conjunction with Juſtice.
O thou that takeſt pleaſure in the communications of thy ſelf, that gloryeſt in the raying; forth of thy own Perfections, who rejoyceſt in thy works of Bounty and Merey▪ Conform me alſo to this divine diſpoſition, that I may rejoyce to do good; account it a better and bleſſeder thing to give than to receive; be better pleas'd to find an object, upon whom to beſtow a treaſure, than to find one! And let this rejoycing be pure; not ſpringing from the hopes of a reward (leſt my very charity at laſt ſhould be found to be covetouſneſs,) nor from applauſe in this world (leſt it ſhould be pride) but from a principle of God-like Love, Chriſt-like Compaſſion, and rational belief, that in is better to give to them that need, than to keep what one needs not!
And O my Soul, what profits, what ſignifies the meer poſſeſſion of gold more than of ſtones? The uſe then is all, And what better uſe can there be of any thing, than to make it ſerve a publick good? quo communius eo melius.
MEDITAT. XLV. Of Pleaſure in general.
THe general notion of Pleaſure is a Gratification of any Faculty; or a Satisfaction reſulting from the union of the Faculty with the Object. From whence it follows, that there muſt needs be the greateſt pleaſure in the enjoyment of God; eſpecially when all the Faculties ſhall be advanced and inlarg'd.
It is not harſh to ſay, nor (methinks) hard to conceive, that Mans chiefeſt happineſs conſiſts in pleaſure; for the happineſs wherein Man takes no pleaſure is not happineſs: Heaven it ſelf cannot make a mind happy that cannot delight in it.
It is lawful to take pleaſure in the things which we poſſeſs. Solomon ſeems to make it an argument of a worldly mind not to do ſo; ſure I am, a man may do ſo, and yet not be ſenſuallly Voluptuous. It is ſtrange that covetous Men, who love the World moſt, ſhould yet find the leaſt pleaſure in it; they can take no pleaſure in what they have, for graſping after what they have not.
Covetouſneſs ſeems to be more unnatural than Voluptuouſneſs. Innocent Nature aims at the Gratification of it ſelf, even in the Creatures that have not ſinned. To enjoy preſent good things, and not to lay up in Barns, is the commendation of Birds, the moral vertue of Sparrows.
Yea Pleaſure ſeems not only to be lawful, but neceſſary: Life would not be Life without it. If there were not a thing call'd Enjoyment, as well as Poſſeſſion, the ſilly Bird, that makes her Neſt where ſhe pleaſes, would be as rich as the greateſt Landlord. It is impoſſible but that nature ſhould take pleaſure in the ſupply of her wants, in the gratification of her appetites. Pleaſure is as natural to ſenſitive Creatures, as Appetite, and Appetite as Being.
But however natural the Pleaſures of Senſe are, there is a mighty difference between the pleaſures of Minds and Spirits. The pleaſures of the Fleſh laſt no longer than whilſt the neceſſities of nature are in ſupplying; enjoy them and you loſe them. The pleaſures of the Spirit are fine and ſtrong, and (like it ſelf) laſting, everlaſting, Pleaſures for evermore.
MEDITAT. XLVI. Of Worldly Pleaſure.
THere have been of old, and it is propheſy'd that there ſhall be hereafter, Men that love Pleaſures more than God: Whoever theſe Senſualiſts are, the love of God is not in them. For the predominant love of Senſual Pleaſures is inconſiſtent with the ſaving Love of God: If the Belly be our God, our end will be deſtruction; God ſhall deſtroy both it and us. If we ſerve our own Bellies, we ſerve not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; whom if any man ſerve not, love not, he is anathema-maranatha.
The predominant love of pleaſures is deadly; if ye live after the fleſh, ye ſhall dye: Yea, it is death it ſelf. What the Apoſtle ſays of every Widow that liveth in pleaſure, true of every Woman, yea, and Man too▪ They are dead whil'st they live, 1 Tim. 5. 6. This was the Father's opinion of his voluptuous, prodigal Son, during his riotous courſe of life, he was dead, Luke 15. 24.
To take more pleaſure in the gratification of the bodily ſenſes, than of the Soul, What is this, but to advance the Beaſt above the Man? To give up ones ſelf to the pleaſures of the fleſh, more than of the mind; to prefer them before the enjoyment of God, before the exerciſe of Virtue, is to be lover of pleaſures, more than of God, and conſequently to be the Lover of the World here ſpoken of.
I know it is hard to convince a man that he is habitually intemperate in his Pleaſures: But certainly, when men do induſtrionſly, from time to time, purſue their pleaſures, and that in things unlawful, theſe muſt needs be the pleaſures of ſin, and this is manifeſt ſenſuality. Yea, though it be not in things directly forbidden, if the purſuit be with more zeal and induſtry, and more expence of time, than the intereſt and concernments, of the Soul, it muſt needs be accounted Senſuality, and a living after the fleſh.
When every particular man has purg'd himſelf, (as the worſt of men will do) and deny'd the charge of being Senſualiſts; yet it remains a certain truth, that there are many lovers of pleaſure, more than of God; ſuch as live in pleaſures upon earth, as the Apoſtle phraſeth it, Jam. 5. 5. not lap and away, as a Dog at Nilus; but they wallow in them, they ſwim in them, they immerſe themſelves in them, they delight in them as in their proper Element: Such as love pleaſures, as Solomon ſpeaks, Prov. 21. 17. Such as are given to pleaſures, as the Prophet deſcribes them, Iſa. 47. 8. Such as ſerve divers pleaſures, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Titus 3. 3. Such as fare deliciouſly every day, as it is ſtory'd of the Goſpel-glutton: Such, as like Beaſts, nouriſh their hearts as in a day of ſlaughter. Theſe, ſure, are predominant Lovers of pleaſure: And are there not many ſuch now, as well as there were in the days of thoſe Prophets and Apoſtles? Let us not miſtake; a man may ſin in his pleaſures, who does not take pleaſure in ſin.
Carnal pleaſures I reckon to be either ſenſual, or fantaſtical. Thus I will diſtinguiſh them for method ſake: Although thoſe of the Fancy may, for ought I know, be properly enough called ſenſual. I think Divines reckon them ſo; and Fancy it ſelf may well be call'd a bodily ſenſe, being found in Beaſts as well as men.
Now theſe ſenſual pleaſures become unlawful, either by their Matter, Meaſure, Manner, or Seaſon. And in this order I will addreſs my Meditations to them, and afterwards conſider of the pleaſures of Fancy.