The Christian Warfare Part 2, Book 2 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Of pleasures, lawfull, ciuill, and carnall, which are to be desired, and which to bee contemned and shunned.
ANd thus much for the lawfull vse of riches.§. Sect. 1. Of diuine pleasures. In the last place we are to adde something of pleasures, and to consider how farre forth they are to bee desured, as lawfull and commendable, whereby also we may more easilie discerne in what respects wee are to eschew and contemne them. To which purpose we are to know, that pleasures are of three kinds: the first diuine and holy; the second naturall and ciuill, the third carnall and wicked. Diuine pleasure is, when as we delight in the Lord, and reioyce in the fruition of his gifts and graces in this life, and in our assurance of those heauenly ioyes in the life to come. And vntounto this pleasure as being not onelyonly lawfull, but religious, holy, and very commendable, we are in many places of the Scriptures exhorted. So the Apostle willeth him, that reioyceth to reioyce 2. Cor. 10. 17. Phil. 4. 4.in the Lord. And in another place; Reioyce in the Lord alway; againe, I say reioyce. So as wee ought thus to reioyce, and to reioyce againe with a double ioy; yea, and not sometime alone, but alwaies: and as he saith elsewhere, we must reioyce 1. Thes. 5. 16.continually: not onelyonly when we abound in wordly prosperitie, but euen in affliction: for as the Apostle saith, being Rom. 5. 1. 3.iustified by faith, and hauing peace with God, we reioyce not only vnderunder the hope of the glory of God, but also in tribulation. And1. Sam. 30. 6. thus Dauid comforted himself in the Lord, when as the people were readie to stone him: and the Apostles reioyced, becauseAct. 5. 41. they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for Christ▪ and Paul and Silas when they were sore whipped, and putAct. 16. into a cruell prison.
And this is that principall ioy and pleasure which eueryevery§. Sect. 2. Diuine pleasures are much to be desired. Christian ought chiefly to affect and desire, as being most excellent, sweet and comfortab…e. Which, howsoeuer carnall▪ men cannot rellish, but thinke it tedious and loathsome; yet to those that hauehave euer truly tasted of it, it is much more comfortable and delightfull then all worldly and wicked pleasures. An example whereof wee hauehave in our Sauiour Christ, who accounted it meat and drinke to doe the will ofIohn 4. 34. his heauenly Father: and in his beloued Apostle, who professeth, that he had no greater ioy then this, that those whomIohn epist. 3. vers. 4. he had begotten vntounto God did walke in his truth. And holy Dauid calleth God his ioy, affirming that he will be glad and Psal. 9. 2. & 13. 5reioyce in him and in his saluation, and merciemercy which he extended to him. So that the ioy and pleasure of a Christian conuertedQuia ergo omni homini conuerso ad Deum mutatur delactatio, mutantur deliciae; non enim subtrahuntur, sed mutantur. Aug. in Psalm. 74. enarrat. vntounto God is not taken away▪ but onelyonly changed, yea bettered in the change, as much as the Creator excelleth the creature, heauen, earth; and his spirituall graces and eternall excellencies, the momentanie and base trifles of the world. And therefore if our hearts were truly sanctified, and we but a little inured to these heauenly ioyes and pleasures, wee would but a little esteeme the sinfull pleasures of the flesh, which now because we are carnally minded we so much dote vponupon.
The second kind of pleasures are those which are naturall§. Sect. 3. Of naturall and ciuill pleasures, and that they are in their own nature good, but in respect of vsus of an indifferent nature▪ and a… they are vsed. and ciuil, when as we ioy and reioyce in the fruition of Gods temporall and earthly blessings and benefits: the which pleasure is in it owne nature good, but yet not absolutely and immutablie; and in respect of the vse of an indifferent nature, good to the good, who hauehave a right vse of it, and euill to those who abuse it vntounto sinne. Concerning the former; Naturall pleasures which consist in meats, drinkes, apparel, houses, musicke, recreations, and in the fruition of other Gods comfortable blessings & benefits, are to those that vse them well lawfull, good and commendable. First, because they are the gifts of God which he hath purposely prouided for vsus in the creation, and bestoweth them vponupon his seruants, as incouragements to moue them vntounto more chearefull obedience. For as the Psalmist saith, he hath not only made bread to strengthen mans heart▪ but also wine which maketh glad the Psal. 104. 15.heart of man, and oyle to make his face shine. He hath prouided for his children not only things necessarie and profitable, but also pleasant and comfortable, seruing for their honest delight; as appeareth in the varietie of colours▪ smelles, tastes, metals, stones, fruits, beasts and birds: the lawfull and delightfull vse whereof Gods children cannot refuse without contempt, or at least neglect of the Creators bounty. Againe, the Lord hath mixed those pleasures with all our naturall actions, as eating, drinking, sleeping, and the rest▪ that we might be moued to do those things which are necessarie, because they are also pleasant and delightful. And therefore we are not to reiect and contemne pleasures, seeing they are the bountifull gifts of God▪ but to imploy them so as that they may tend to the glorie of him who gaue them, and to the furthering of our owne spirituall good; neither is their vse, but their abuse only to be taken away. To this purpose oneGregor. moral. lib. 1…. saith, that the matter of our pleasures which we enioy are the gifts of God, as meats and drinkes, housing and app…rell, &c. and therefore let vsus be ashamed to turne Gods graces and free gifts into weapons of vice; for wee shall grieuously inflame the wrath of the supreame Iudge against vsus, if with his owne liberall gifts we fight against his bountie.
Secondly, these pleasures well vsed are warranted and approued§. Sect. 4. Hones …easures warranted by the Scriptures. Eccles. 3. 4. Cap. 5. 17. in the Scriptures: for so the Wise man saith, that there is a time to weepe, and a time to laugh, a time to mourne, and a time to dance; and that it is good and comely to eat and to drinke, and to take pleasure in all a mans labours, &c. for this is his portion: yea we are commanded to communicate with one another in o…r ioy, and to reioice with them that reioice: the whichRom. 12. 15. was accordingly practised by the Christians in the Primitiue Church, who met together at their louelove-feasts, and did eate Acts 2. 46.their meat together with gladnesse, and singlenesse of heart; and greatly desired by the Psalmist, namely, that he might reioyce in the ioy of Gods people, and glorie with his inheritance. And in truth this is not only sauce for our meat which maketh it sweet & comfortable, but the seasoning of al other Gods temporall benefits, without which we hauehave little comfort of them. For what would it auaile vsus to be exalted to the seate of honor, or to abound with earthly riches, if we should take no delight or pleasure in them? And this is the Wise mans conclusion; I know, saith he, that there is nothing good in Eccles. 3. …2.them▪ but to reioyce and do good in his life.
Thirdly, these naturall and ciuill pleasures which we take§. Sect. 5. Naturall and ciuill pleasures serue to good ends and purposes. in the fruition of Gods temporall blessings, do serue to good ends and purposes; for they are the matter of Gods praises, and speciall motiues to stir vsus vp with cheerefull hearts, to laud and magnifie his great and glorious name, when as he not only bestoweth vponupon vsus things necessarie and profitable for the preseruation of our liues, but also in his infinit bountie giueth vsus to inioy things pleasant and delightfull, whereby our liues are made sweet and comfortable. Againe, this ioy and pleasure is that precious oyle, wherewith being annointed, the countenance is made louely and pleasant: for so the Wise man saith, that a ioyfull heart maketh a cheerefull Prou. 15. 13. and 17. 22.countenance. It is a soueraigne balsome for a wounded soule, and a precious preseruatiue to continue our health: for as the Wise man saith, A ioyfull heart causeth good health, but a sorrowfull mind drieth the bones. Yea it is the life of our life, and a chiefe meanes of prolonging our daies. In which respect the Sonne of Syrach exhorteth vsus to desire and affect it: GiueGive Eccles. 30. 21. 22. 23.not ouer (saith he) thy mind to heauinesse, and vex not thy selfe in thine owne counsell: the ioy of the heart is the life of man, and a mans gladnesse is the prolonging of his daies. LoueLove thine owne soule and comfort thine heart, driue sorrow farre from thee, for sorrow hath slaine many, and there is no profit therein. To whichDemocritus apud St…bau…s. purpose another compareth a mans life which hath no pleasures or delights, to a long iorney without Innes; in which there is much trauaile, and no comfort or refreshing. Lastly, these pleasures fit and inable vsus the better to serue God, both in the duties of religion, and in the workes of our special callings: and that first as they are incouragements, which make vsus performe these duties with alacritie and chearefulnes, not only in respect of the present fruition of these earthly pleasures, …s being the sweetest reward of our labours which this world affordeth, but as they serue to put vsus in mind of those eternall and vnconceiueable pleasures and ioyes, which are reserued for those that serue and feare the Lord in his heauenly kingdome. And therefore hath the Lord giuen vntounto vsus as it were these first fruits, and small taste of his euerlasting ioyes in these temporall delights, to make vsus long after those fully-satisfying and neuer glutting pleasures, and to thinke no labour too much for the obtaining of those pure ioyes which are at his right hand for euermore: seeing euen these earthly pleasures though momentany, and mixed with many miseries and much bitternesse by reason of sin, doe leaue neuerthelesse such a pleasant rellish behind them. Secondly, they inable vsus to those duties of Gods seruice, and of our callings, as they do recreate and refresh vsus after our painfull labours. In which respect they are exceeding necessarie, seeing in regard of our frailtie and weaknes, it were impossible to trauaile in our Christian course, vnlesse we were strengthned and cheared with these earthly baits: for our bodies would be tyred, and our minds made dull and sluggish, if they stood alwaies bent; neither could we long labour if our hearts were not cheared and our spirits refreshed with this sweete▪ oyntment of pleasure and delight.
And thus hauehave I shewed that these naturall and ciuill pleasures§. Sect. 6. That vntounto vsus pleasures are of an indifferent nature, holding their goodnesse only when they ar… well vsed, vntounto which i… required that our persons be iustified. are in themselues good and lawfull; yet, as I said, they are not good absolutely, immutablie, or in any high degree of perfection. But in respect of vsus and of their vse of an indifferent nature, holding their naturall goodnesse when they are well vsed, and degenerating into euill, when as they are abused, as causes, meanes, or instruments of sin. And therfore in the next place we are to consider, how these gifts of God which are good in themselues, may also be good vntounto vsus: vntounto which is required, first that our persons be iustified and reconciled vntounto God by a true faith in Iesus Christ: for as we may obserue in the Apostles order, true ioy and reioycing areRom. 5. 1. 3. the effects and fruits of our iustification and peace with God: without which as we hauehave no right or interest in these pleasures, so are they altogether false and full of vanitie, like vntounto the delights of a malefactor which he hath betweene the time of his condemnation and execution, or vntounto a faire way which bringeth him to the gallowes. As therefore Iehu said to Iehoram, what peace can there be so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iesabel remaine? So may I say to the wicked man affecting pleasures; what pleasures can there be so long as thy sinnes which oblige thee to eternall punishments remaine vnpardoned? But after we hauehave the remission2. King 9. 22. of sin, peace with God, and peace of conscience, and in lieu of thankfulnes spend our strength in his seruice, then is the time of desiring these pleasures, that we may the better therby be inabled to these duties. Whereby it may appeare, that these pleasures and delights are not only lawfull to the godly and faithfull, but so appropriated and peculiar vntounto them, as that they belong to none besides them: and therefore the Psalmist exhorting men to this ioy, doth direct his speech only to the faithfull: Be glad (saith he) yee righteous, Psal. 32. 11. and 33. 1.and reioyce in the Lord, and be ioyfull all ye that are vpright in heart: and in the next Psalme: Reioyce in the Lord, O ye righteous, for it becommeth vpright men to be thankefull.
Secondly, our pleasures must be moderately esteemed and§. Sect. 7. We must not ouerualue them, or immoderatly affect them. affected according to their owne nature and worth, and not preferred either in our iudgements or desires, either before our spirituall ioy in God, or the eternall ioyes of his kingdome; with which ioyes when they come in comparison they are to be contemned, and to be loathed and reiected when as they will not stand together. So that if we would hauehave these pleasures lawfull, wee must neither ouerualue them in our iudgements, nor set our hearts and affections vponupon them, which ought to be reserued for those other ioies of farre greater excellencie, but only esteeming and louing them, as the traueller doth the pleasures of his Inne, and the pilgrime those delights which he passeth by in his way: and as the Apostle expresseth it, reioycing as though we reioyced 1. Cor. 7. 30.not; let vsus place our chiefe ioy in the Lord, and principally esteeme and affect that fulnesse of ioy which we shall hauehave in Gods presence, and those vnspeakeable pleasures, which arePsalm. 16. 11. at his right hand for euermore.
Thirdly, as we must moderate our affections, so our pleasures§. Sect. 8. Ou… pleasures themselues must be moderat, and referred to their lawful ends. …. to Gods glorie. themselues must be moderate: for being not absolutely good, but as they are referred vntounto and limitted by their ends: therefore when they exceed these …ust bounds, they degenerate and become euill and vnlawfull. Now the chiefe and principall end of our pleasures ought to be the glorie of God; when as we therefore vse them not only that we may with all thankefulnesse acknowledge his great bountie and goodnes towards vsus, but also may be the better inabled to serue him with all cheerefulnes in the duties of religion and Christianitie; and therefore we must take heed if we would hauehave our pleasures lawful, that they further this end; and that they doe not take vp that time which is allotted vntounto the seruice of God, nor yet be vsed in such excesse and so immoderately, as shall make vsus more vnfit for the performance of these holy duties. In which respect those offend who prophane the Lords day which he hath set apart for his seruice, by spending it about their owne pleasures and recreations: asEsay 58. 13. also they who so immoderately vse those pleasures of eating, drinking, exercise and the rest, that they are more fit to sleep, then to serue God in any dutie which he requireth.
The other end of pleasures is our own good, when as they§. Sect. 9. Our pleasures must be referred to the good both of our souls and bodies. tend to the preseruation of our health, and to the better fitting of vsus for all good duties of our callings: wherein this rule is to be obserued, that we doe not so much addict our selues vntounto them, as that by their immoderate vse we impaire the health of our soules, nor so much abstaine from them, as that by vtter neglecting them, we ouerthrow the health of our bodies. In which respect it is hard to determine of a iust proportion, seeing the quantity differeth according to the persons, and the callings also wherin they are imployed: for some bodies require more pleasure for the preseruation of their health, and some lesse: some callings are more painfull, spending the spirits and consuming the strength, and some more easie and better indured. And therefore Christian discretion is heere required, that thereby pleasures may be proportioned and fitted to the person and state of him that vseth them: and still obseruing these ends, we are to take heed that we do not vnderunder pretence of vsing pleasures for our health, abuse them in excesse and surfet of these sweet delights; seeing nothing more doth weaken our strength, impaire our health, nor more speedily bring desperate diseases and vntimely death, then the immoderate vse of these pleasures. As also we must vse the like care that we do not by them make our selues more vnfit for the duties of our callings, by making our recreations our trades and occupations, spending both our time and strength in them, whereas they should only refresh and fit vsus for our lawfull labours, and necessarie businesse.
Lastly, if we would hauehave our pleasures lawfull vntounto vsus, let§. Sect. 10. We must carefully take heed that Satan doth not intangle vsus in these pleasures. vsus carefully watch ouer our selues in the vse of them, that they be not vntounto vsus Satans nets of perdition through our corruption, whereby he catcheth and intangleth vsus in sinne: neither is there any more vsuall or yet more dangerous baite wherewith he allureth vsus vntounto sinne, then by offering vntounto vsus these pleasing delicates of pleasure and delight. And therfore we must not with vnbridled affections rush vponupon them; but before we giuegive them entertainment we must againe & again consider, first, whether they be lawfull, and then how they may be lawfully vsed, carefully referring them to those good ends for which they were ordained, and vsing them with moderation both in respect of our affections, and also of the things themselues. But especially we must take heed that we do not fully rest in these temporall and naturall pleasures, as being our last end and chiefe happinesse; affecting to hauehave our Paradise in this world; for so they will become the diuels birdlime, in which when we hauehave wallowed, we shall not be able to mount aloft in heauenly meditations; and notable impediments to hinder vsus from the fruition of those euerlasting ioyes in Gods kingdome: but we must only vse them as helpes and meanes to further and hasten our speed in our spiritual race, and as reasons & motiues to make vsus affect that heauenly ioy and pleasure with more ardent louelove: concluding with our selues, that if these earthly delights bee so sweet and comfortable, then how many, yea infinit degrees more excellent and admirable ioyes shall we hauehave in heauen, when we shall hauehave the fruition of God himselfe, and of all those pleasures which he hath prepared for his Saints, and that without the mixture of any miserie or affliction! And thus much concerning the second kind of pleasures which are naturall and ciuill. The third and last kind are carnall and worldly pleasures, as surfetting and drunkennesse, chambering and wantonnesse, lust and vncleannesse, vnlawfull sports and recreations: all which being in themselues euill and wicked, are not onelyonly to be contemned, but euen hated and abhorred of all Christians.