The Christian Warfare Part 2, Book 2 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Of the vanitie of worldly pleasures.
ANd thus hauehave I shewed the vanity of riches, in§. Sect. 1. Worldly pleasures are of no worth, in comparison of heauenly ioyes. the speciall kinds thereof. Now it followeth in the last place that we examine worldly pleasures, to see if wee can find any more worth and excellencie in them, then in the other: where vponupon the triall we shall find, that howsoeuer they may be preferred before honours and riches, as being the end of them both: for therefore do men affect honors, because they delight and please them, and riches because they would enioy them, and reioyce in their fruition, as also because they are much more free from trouble, and full of sweetnesse; whereof it is that the wise Salomon, who had experience of them all, concludeth, that among worldly things there is nothing better, then that a man should reioyce in his affaires, Eccles. 3. 22. and 2. 24.because that is his portion: and that there is no profit to man, but that he eate and drinke, and delight his soule with the profit of his labour: yet neuerthelesse if we compare them with the spirituall ioy of a Christian in this life, or the heauenly ioyes in the life to come, they are to be esteemed vaine and of no value, and to be contemned as being altogether worthlesse and void of excellencie. For howsoeuer Salomon comparing them with other worldly things, doth giuegive them the preeminence; yet considering them in their owne nature, ioyned with our vse, he condemneth them as vaine and vnprofitable, in respect of any sound good, or true happines which they bring vntounto vsus. I said in my heart (saith he) go to Eccles. 2. 1. 2. 11.now, I will proue thee with ioy, therfore take thou pleasure in pleasant things: and behold this also is vanitie. I said of laughter, thou art mad: and of ioy, what is that thou doest? And afterwards he saith, that he sought for ioy and contentment, in stately buildings, fruitfull vineyards, pleasant gardens and orchards, sweete and delightfull musicke, and in all other worldly pleasures which his heart could thinke of; but in conclusion found, that there was nothing in them all, but meere vanitie, and which is worse, vexation of spirit.
But how vaine and void of excellencie these worldly pleasures§. Sect. 2. That worldly pleasures are gifts of an inferiour nature, which are bestowed most plentifully vponupon the wicked. are, it may hereby appeare, in that if we take them at the best, they are but of a meane, inferiour and indifferent nature; whose goodnes chiefly consisteth in their mediocritie and measure, rather then in the pleasures themselues; which measure being exceeded, they become euil and loathsome, as we may see in the exceesse of eating, drinking, playing and the rest. Now how base and meane is that good to be esteemed, whose abstemious vse is better then full fruition? and whose limites measure is more commendable, then plentie and abundance? yea how void of excellencie, and neare vntounto nought is that to be accounted, which becommeth euill by increasing, and when it hath greatnesse, loseth goodnes? And hence it is, that the Lord, whose most wise iudgement is the true ballance, that discerneth solid good, from light vanitie, esteeming these worldly pleasures, as vaine and worthlesse trifles, carelessely casteth them in common among all, and suffereth the bad as well as the good, his enemies as well as his friends to communicate in them: yea seeing that the wicked set their hearts vponupon them, and louelove them much better then their Creator; and his owne children, being too carnally licorous, are readie to surfet vponupon these sweet meats of worldly delights; hauing scattered them in common among all, in his iust iudgement to the one, he leaueth them to their owne libertie, and letteth them gather their fill; and in his rich merciemercy to the other, he holdeth them backe, when they run after them with too eager an appetite, and suffereth them to feed vponupon them but sparingly, and in small quantitie, and because being tainted with the fall of our first parents, as they still retaine some goodnes of their creation, so there is infused into them a malignant qualitie, which filleth those who too much feed vponupon them, with the grosse and dangerous humors of corruption: therefore the Lord the wise Physition, either restraineth his patients, whom he intendeth to cure, from their vse, or if yeelding so much to their appetite, he suffereth them to feed vponupon them; he doth so correct and qualifie them with the cordiall preseruatiues of his grace, that they do not hurt them; or if the grosse humors of sin breed in them by this voluptuous diet, he purgeth them away with the bitter potions of troubles and afflictions. So that the wicked hauehave a greater portion in these worldly delights then Gods dearest children; yea and much more carnall pleasure in their fruition, because in the securitie of their hearts they inioy them, letting the raines loose to their licentious will, and suffering their appetites to take their fill, vntill euen they glut themselues with these delights, and be made drunke with abundance of pleasure: whereas the children of God dare only taste of these bewitching cups, or if being allured with the sweetnes, they take a more deepe draught, they find them bitter in digestion, for not only do they find much trouble in the very fruition of their pleasures, whilest they are faine to watch with great care and vigilancie ouer their hearts, that they do not surfet of these delights, by exceeding iust measure, lest in pleasing themselues they displease God; but finding that they are faultie and ouertaken, they hauehave their sweet pleasures sowrely sauced, with present smiting of the heart, and checkes of conscience, and afterwards when the delight is vanished, it leaueth behind it bitter sorrow and repentance: whereby it appeareth that the children of the world hauehave in al respects a greater share in these carnall pleasures, then the children of God: and therefore our Sauiour Christ plainly telleth his Disciples, that they should weepe and lament, when as wicked Iohn 16. 20.worldlings should reioyce, and solace themselues in their delights: the which also the experience of all times hath plainly proued: for Dauid was afflicted and persecuted, when his wicked enemies wallowed in their delights, and through their daintie fare, ease and pleasure, had their eyes swollen with fatnesse; so the false Prophets fare daintily at Iesabels Psalme 73.table, whilest poore Elias is fed by the rauens, and glad of any scraps: proud Herod delighteth himselfe with his feasts and reuels, whilest holy Iohn Baptist lieth in prison, expecting death; and the rich Glutton goeth gorgeously and fareth deliciously eueryevery day, whilest poore Lazarus is couered with sores in stead of clothes; and being famished with hunger cannot hauehave the crummes of his table, or the least part of his needlesse superfluities. By all which it appeareth that these worldly pleasures are of little worth, seeing the Lord doth so plentifully bestow them vponupon those who are most vnworthie; and that they hauehave little goodnesse in them; because with a sparing hand he imparteth them vntounto the good, and suffereth those who are voide of goodnesse to bee glutted with them.
But how vaine and worthlesse these worldly pleasures are,§. Sect. 3. That the brutish creatures hauehave the largest share in earthly pleasures. it may further appeare, in that the Lord more freely, and in greater measure bestoweth them vponupon the brutish creatures, then vponupon those who are reasonable; implying thereby that they are so base and contemptible, that they are fitter for beasts then for men. And this may easily appeare, if wee consider that the bruit creatures hauehave full freedome in the vse of their delights, hauing no law to limit them but their owne appetite, and consequently are priuiledged in their pleasures from all sinne, guilt and punishment; whereas man is limited by the law, so as he dare not do what hee list, but is pulled backe with feare when his appetite most draweth him on, being subiect to punishment when in his delights he exceedeth due measure. Or if he desperately goe on, hee hath all his mirth marred with the pangs of an accusing conscience, and loseth much of his present delight, through feare and expectation of future punishment. Againe, they are so guided by instinct of nature, and hauehave their appetite so fully conformable to it direction, that they take delight in those pleasures, which are vntounto them most good and profitable; they ioy in that food which is most fit for their nourishment, and take pleasure in no more then will do them good; they satisfie in seasonable time their naturall lusts, and enioy their sports when it best pleaseth them; they doe not compasse their pleasures by fraud or iniurie offered to those of their owne kind, nor enioy them enuying, or being enuied; their pleasures are free from shame, because they are free from sin, and hauehave not like men their delights damped with lookers on. They hauehave more strength and health then men to enioy their pleasures, and their appetite is no more strong to desire these sweete delights then their stomacke to digest them; they hauehave no crudities in concoction nor superfluitie of ill humours through bad digestion; or if they hauehave, they can easily cure themselues with their knowne physicke, and neuer need the apothecaries lothsome drugs. Finally, they securely enioy their pleasures without feare of losing them; and when the obiect of their delight is taken away, they hauehave no ca…king care in seeking it, or griefe for losing it. By all which it appeareth that the brutish creatures hauehave many priuiledges in their pleasures more then men; and therefore farre be it from vsus to set our hearts vponupon these vanities, as though they were of great worth and excellencie, seeing the very beasts herein excell and goe before vsus: for (as one saith) if this were mans chiefe good to enioy pleasures, in vaine was reason and wisedome bestowed vponupon him, seeing he might more easily and perfectly attaine vntountoCleanthes apud Stobaeum Serm. 6. §. Sect. 4. That worldly pleasures are of lesse esteeme because they are apt to be abused. and enioy them, if he had onelyonly the guide of sense and sonsuall appetite, like the brutish creatures.
Lastly, howsoeuer these worldly pleasures be vaine and worthlesse in themselues, yet they become more base and of lesse value, by reason that we are ready through our corruption to abuse them vntounto sinne; being apt in the middest of our delights to forget God, and neglect his seruice, to vse prophane iesting, and wanton communication, intemperance, and excesse; and finally to remaine in our security and hardnesse of heart, putting farre from vsus the euill day, and together with it our repentance and conuersion vntounto God: In which regard the wise Salomon saith, that it is better to goe into the house of mourning then into the house of feasting; because this is the end of all men: and the liuing shall lay it to his heart: and that anger is better then laughter, because by a sad looke the heart is made better; and finally, that it is a signe of a wise heart, when it frequenteth the house of mourners, and a badge of follie, when it moueth vsus to haunt the house of mirth. But of this I shall hauehave occasion hereafter to speake more largely; as also of the vncertaintie, inutility, and hurtfulnesse of worldly pleasures, all which proue them most vaine and worthlesse; and therefore it shall suffice in this place to hauehave thus briefly touched them.
Seeing therefore these carnall delights are so vaine and§. Sect. 5. That the vanity of worldly pleasures should make vsus to seek spirituall and heauenly ioyes. void of excellencie, let vsus not like filthie swine, take our chiefe ioy and contentment to wallow our selues in this puddle of worldly pleasures: neither let vsus like the serpentine brood creepe groueling vponupon our bellies, licking the dust of these earthly and sensuall delights; but rather let vsus seeke while we continue heere, to take our chiefe delight in the Lord, in meditating and studying in his word, in doing his will, in our reconciliation and peace with God, in our spirituall ioy, grounded vponupon our assurance and hopeful expectation of our heauenly happinesse; and finally in all other Gods spirituall fauours and graces. For if the heathen man iustly taxed such of folly as did seeke for pleasure in tauernes, ratherZeno apud Stobaeum. then in their owne houses; and in vnlawfull sports, rather then in their honest labours; how much more are we to bee reproued, if we seeke for our ioy and delight in voluptuous, carnall, and sinfull pleasures, which being vaine and momentante, doe end in bitternesse, and eternall woe and miserie, and not in Gods louelove, holy obedience, and all other testimonies of his mercy, and pledges of our owne saluation? In which (if our hearts were not too too carnall, sauouring only earthly things, and our negligence exceeding great, in making a holy and comfortable vse of them) wee might take infinite more true delight and comfort in one day, then wee hauehave done in all worldly pleasures and vaine sports in our whole life. An example whereof we hauehave in the kingly prophet, who had so weaned his affections from the world, and inured them to feed on these spirituall banquets, that feeling their sweetnesse he could not in comparison thereof relish at all the chiefe comforts which he found in the world: for so he professeth, that he had more ioy of heart when the light of Gods countenance shined vponupon him, then worldly men had, when their wheate and wine did abound; that he desired Gods law rather then gold, yea though it were most purePsal. 4. 7. in qualitie, and much in quantitie; and that hee found more sweetnesse in it then in the honie and honie combe. That Gods testimonies were his delight and his counsellers; thatPsal. 9. 10. & 119. 14. 24. 97. 103. 111. 162. he had taken Gods testimonies as his heritage for euer, because they were the ioy of his heart, and that he reioyced in Gods word, as one that had found a great spoile. And therefore when for his sinne he had lost the sense and feeling of this delight and comfort, it was not all the ioy and pleasure of a kingdome that would giuegive his mind contentment, but as one robbed and depriued of all his pleasure, he earnestly desireth God to restore it vntounto him: Make me (saith he) to heare ioy and gladnes, that the bones which thou hast broken may Psal. 51. 8. 12.reioyce: restore me to the ioy of thy saluation, and stablish me with thy free Spirit: and elsewhere, he saith, that except Gods 1. Chron. 29. 9.law had been his delight, he should hauehave perished in his affliction. So it is said, that when the people offered willingly towards the building of the Temple, they reioyced with great ioy. And thus our Sauiour Christ took such pleasure in doing his Fathers will, that it more delighted him, then to eat his meat when he was an hungred; and his beloued Apostle professeth,Iohn 4. 34. that he tooke no greater ioy in any thing, then to see the fruits of his Apostleship, and to heare that his sonnes, whom he had begotten vntounto God, did walke in his truth. Which examples (if we had the like holy hearts and sanctified affections)Ioh. epist. 3. 4. we would follow, weaning our selues from delighting in worldly vanities, that we might wholly ioy in the Lord, and in these spirituall pleasures; which if we would do, then should we find more comfort in this course, then euer the world could afford vntounto vsus; for the Lord would not giuegive vsus ioy with a sparing hand; but as the Prophet speaketh, we should be satisfied with the fatnesse of his house, and God would Psal. 36. 8. Psalm. 89. 15.cause vsus to drinke out of the riuers of his pleasures: yea then should we be, as he also saith, eternally blessed: for they who delight in the Lord in this life, they shall find in his presence in the life to come, fulnes of ioy, and pleasures at his right hand Psalm. 16. 11.for euermore.