The True Christians T est, Part 1 · Meditation 48 – Meditation 50
MEDITAT. XLVIII. Of Gluttony and Drunkenneſs.
NExt to the ſenſual Pleaſures that are unlawful in the Matter, come to be conſider'd thoſe that are unlawful in the Meaſure. The Matter of the pleaſure in eating and drinking, is lawful; but the Meaſure makes them both no pleaſure and ſinful too. Whoſoever takes pleaſure in meat or drink more than in God, is a lover of the World.
For the gratification of the ſenſual Appetite, to eat or drink things forbidden, was to prefer the ſervice of Senſe, before the Authority of God; ſince the difference of meats and drinks taken away, to eat, though it be Honey; and to drink, though it be Wine, to Exceſs, is the ſame.
But this Exceſs is not ſimply to be eſtimated by the quantity: Some men may and ought to eat and drink more than others, and in ſo doing are not exceſſive, becauſe Nature is but well relieved in theſe by ſuch a quantum, which in others would be oppreſt. It is Unphyſical and Unchriſtian, to judge another man by my proportion. He that ſhould appoint the ſame meaſure of Manure to feed, or deſire the ſame meaſure of Rain to refreſh all ſorts of ground, and ſhould make no difference between the Land of Canaan, and the Land of Egypt, would forfeit his skill in Husbandry. Yea, though a thirſty Traveller or Labourer, or an unwary Noah ſhould chance to be drunk with a draught of Wine, he would be innocent, in compariſon of the Sitter, who yet can wipe his mouth, and go home, and ſay, He is not drunk.
Much leſs is Exceſs to be eſtimated by the diſtemper conſequent upon eating and drinking. Many men are Gluttons, that do not ſurfeit; and Drunkards, that are not drunk. The ſober and temperate are ſometimes diſtemper'd with that quantum, which the intemperate are not affected with. Many can ſit by the Wine from morning till night, and not be inflam'd; and yet if a very good call do not juſtifie them, a Woe may belong to them for all that, and they may be reckon'd amongſt the Drunkards.
The truth is, it requires much skill in Phyſick, as well as in Divinity, to know exactly how not to offend in eating or drinking: And certainly if we cannot be perfect Caſuiſts concerning our ſelves, much leſs can we be concerning other men. Such is the conſtitution of this Body, that perhaps few men go to Bed not unduly affected, in ſome kind or degree or other, with meat or drink. Let wiſe men judge, whether they be altogether ſo wiſe and well at night, as they were faſting. By that time we have well thought how ſmall a miſtake either in the kind, or meaſure, or ſeaſon of meat and drink, may in ſome degree offend, we ſhall have reaſon to ſubſcribe to the Proverbial Aphoriſm, Anima ſicca eſt ſapientiſſima. But yet there are ſuch ſins as Gluttony and Drunkenneſs, and they are Symptoms of a Worldly mind, and they are to be judg'd by the predominant inclination and appetite.
The preference of the meat and drink that periſheth, before that which endureth to Everlaſting Life, denominates a Carnal Man (if not in proper ſpeaking, a Glutton or Drunkard) Chriſt himſelf being judge. I know it is not ſpoken againſt Senſuality, but Covetouſneſs, and yet it may indifferently be apply'd to either, that taking thought what to eat and to drink, does make us to ſymbolize winh Heathens, Mat. 6. 31, 32.
To be ſtudious for the Palate, to pamper and indulge the appetite, to make proviſion for the fleſh, to fare Sumptuouſly every day, to mind the gratification of the Senſes, more than the ſervice of God, the publick good, the relief of the poor, the nouriſhment of the Soul, is a gluttonous, at leaſt a ſenſual way of living.
To follow after ſtrong drink, to provoke to intemperate drinking, to be mighty to drink and to exerciſe that might, to ſtrive to drink down others, to drink for wagers or victory, to prefer a drinking life before buſineſs and uſefulneſs, is ſenſual, and a kind of drunkenneſs too, though it neither ſtammer nor ſtagger.
What then? are we limited in eating and drinking to a bit or a ſup; as in ſpeaking to yea and nay? Lord, what man upon earth ſo wiſe as to know, ſo exact as to obſerve ſuch a point!
Surely there is an innocent entertainment; as well as a neceſſary relief of nature: But what Caſuiſt ſhall ſtate it? Any degree of eating or drinking that fits us for higher offices ſeems to be lawful.
Lord, I beſeech thee grant that my appetite may be allways ſubject to my will, my will to my reaſon, my reaſon to thy Holy Word! Grant that I may not take undue pleaſure in Wine, wherein is exceſs; but be filled with thy Holy Spirit! That I may not ſerve my own will or luſt in eating or in drinking, but make it my meat and drink to do thywill! That I may by a divine Communion continually eat the Fleſh and drink the Blood of the Son of God; in which there is no danger of ſurfeiting! Oh there let me inſatiably hunger and thirſt!
MEDITAT. XLIX. Of Pleaſures unlawful in the Manner.
PLeaſure, either ſinful in the Matter nor Meaſure, yet may be ſo in the Manner.
To eat and drink is in it ſelf innocent, and a natural innocent delight may be reaped from thence: but to reliſh and ſenſate theſe innocent pleaſures, only as they are natural gratifications, is groſs and ſenſual.
The moſt refined Souls whilſt they are in conjunctian with theſe Earthly bodies, muſt needs find pleaſure in what gratifies the natural Appetite: But they find more pleaſure than ſo, pleaſure of another nature beſides that.
The Soul ought to taſt the ſweetneſs of God as well as the palate relliſh the created ſweetneſs of meat and drink; it ought to behold the amiableneſs of God as well as the eye behold and admire any created beauty.
If we do not riſe up by the particular created goodneſs of the creature, to the uncreated goodneſs, the Father of Lights, we are groſs and ſenſual. How groſs are the Amoretto's of the World, who ſtand gazing upon the ſweet Features and charming Complexion (forſooth) of a Miſtreſs; the Worldlings, who dote upon the Fabrick of a Houſe, or the Shape of a Horſe, and contemplate nothing higher!
How can I commend the convenience of Riches, the refreſhingneſs of Meat and Drink, the pleaſantneſs of Sleep, the ſweetneſs of Friends, or of Life, and not climb up to Riches, Refreſhment, Reſt, Love, Life it ſelf.
That whereby any thing is in any kind excellent, is ſome communication from God, ſomething of and from him. Why then ſtand we gazing and doting upon beautiful Objects? Why ſo raviſh'd with melodious Ditties? Can we not contemplate Harmony in the Abſtract; nor Beauty, exeept it be incarnate? Can we enjoy nothing, but what we can ſee or hear, or handle? O dull and degenerate Souls!
O thou most bleſſed and eternal Spirit, refine and ſpiritualize my apprehenſions and ſenſations; that I may ſee thee in every thing that I ſee, taſte thee in every diſh and draught! Thou leadest me by the ſtreams, but ſuffer me not to lie down there, but help me to purſue them up to the Fountain. Oh that I were a Jacob, and that every Creature were a Ladder, whereby thou mightst deſcend upon me, and my Soul might aſcend up unto thee!
MEDITAT. L. Of Pleaſures unlawful as to the Seaſon.
THere is a Seaſon for every thing, and the right timing of things makes them beautiful.
The Pleaſures that are lawful and honeſt, nay, and ſeem almoſt to have ſome relation to Religion, may at ſome times be intermitted. The Diſciples could not faſt, whil'ſt the Bridegroom was with them, but that is no wonder: Aaron could not feaſt before the Lord, when ſuch and ſuch things had befallen him, Lev. 10. and Moſes could not blame him. There may be a time when the very pleaſant praiſes of the Lord may ſeem unpleaſant, and the Songs of Sion be out of Tune. The Apoſtle, by his disjunctive diſcourſe, ſeems to imply ſome ſuch thing, concerning the Chriſtian Pſalmody, that it is not ſeaſonable in a time of affliction; If any be afflicted, let him pray: If any be merry, let him ſing Pſalms.
But to lead a merry jocund Life, to give up ones ſelf to Eating and Drinking, and Sports, in a time when God calls to Weeping and Mourning, is an Argument of a prophane and profligate Senſualiſt, and ſeems to be an unpardonable preſumption. Iſa. 22. 14. It is revealed in my ears by the Lord God of Hoſts; Surely this iniquity ſhall not be purged away from you till you dye. How unſeemly is it for me, ſaid David, to dwell in Cedar, and the Ark of God in Curtains? For me to go rest my ſelf upon a ſoft Bed, when my General lies upon the hard ground. To go ſolace my ſelf with my beautiful Wife, whil'st the Armies of God are looking Death in the face, is not ſeemly for me, quoth that Noble Captain Ʋriah.
If Whoring had been lawful, and a Gentleman-like quality, yet Zimri was abſurd, to be Whoring, when all Iſrael were mourning under Gods judgments. The Text imputes it as an Act of great weakneſs in that King, who was drinking himſelf drunk in his Tent, when the Enemy was upon him, and he ſhould have been ordering his Battel; which puts me in mind of the Reproof that the old man in the Comedian gives an idle Servant, In ipſa turba, atque in peccato maximo, potaſti, ſcelus; Quaſi re bene geſta. To be fidling, when the City was on fire, is a character fit for Nero: For an Old Woman to dance, according to the Latine Proverb, Makes Death laugh in his ſle…ve.
To frolick it under the afflicting hand of God upon our ſelves or the Church, under imminent dangers; in a time of Univerſal Wickedneſs (with the old World) to give up our ſelves to all fleſhly pleaſures, is far worſe than to eat fleſh in Lent.
Lord, how like is the new World to the old one! But ſhall there not yet be newer, wherein dwells righteouſneſs? why there then ſhall be pleaſures for everwere.
Oh but it is the part of a brave bold ſpirit to be unconcern'd, not to be baffled nor ſcared out of the enjoyment of it ſelf. Give Horace his Miſtreſs, and come on him what can.
What an Heroick thing is Atheiſm! Nay rather, this is a Beaſtly Valor: Such as the courage of the Horſe in Job, that mocketh at fear, and ſaith amongſt the Trumpets, Ha, ha: Or of the Leviathan, that laugheth at the ſhaking of the Spear.
Lord, the pleaſures of the fleſh are mean and beaſtly things at best: But when they are thus unſeaſonable, it adds wickedneſs to their meanneſs, and deviliſhneſs to their beaſtlineſs. Enable me to obſerve the operation of thy hands; teach me to diſtinguiſh the time to weep, from the time to laugh: let my reaſon ever maintain a just dominion over my appetite, my Senſes, yea, and my Fancy too!