The Portraiture of the Image of God in Man, Part 2 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Of Pleaſure or delight.
PLeaſure, is a paſsion ariſing from the ſweetneſſe of the object which wee enjoy As the fabricke of the heaven makes the motion upon the two poles of the world: which are as the two points where it begins and ends, So all the paſſions of our ſoule depend upon pleaſure and paine, which ariſe from the contentment or diſtaſt, which we receive from the objects.
As deſire lookes to the thing to come, and love to the thing preſent: ſo pleaſure looks to the delight in enjoying the thing.
God was the center of mans delight in the creation. Prop.
Some thing is in the center, primo et per ſe; Illuſt. as the earth by it ſelfe, and there it reſts immooveable. Aliquideſt in centro. 1. per ſe et immobiliter, 2. immobiliter, ſed non per ſe, 3. mobiliter est in centro, 4 quod nullo modo est in centro.Secondly, the metals in the earth are in the center, immooveable, but not primo, for there they are by the earth where of they proceed. Thirdly a ſtone above the earth is in the center, but reſts not there immooveably, Fourthly, ſome things are not in the center, as when iron is drawne up by the loadſtone: ſo when a man reſts in a ſhippe he is not in the center.
To make the application: A collation betwixt the ſecond, innocent glorified, and old Adam.Ieſus Chriſt the ſecond Adam is in the center (God) primo & per ſe, firſt and by himſelfe, and reſts there immoveably, therefore his delights muſt be the greateſt. The Angels and the glorified Spirits are in the center, and reſt there immooveably, but they are not there, primo & per ſe, therefore their delight is not ſo great as Chriſts. Man in his creation was in the center, but hee was there mutably, the refore his delight was not ſo great as the ſight of the glorified Spirits.
But man unregenerate reſts not at all in the center, he is like the yron drawne up by the loadſtone which is not in the center: or like a man who reſts in a ſhippe: therfore his delight muſt be moſt miſerable. The ſoules of the wicked are ſayd to be, in a ſling, 1 Sam. 25.21 the ſoules of my Lords enemies ſhall be in a ſling: wee ſee in what a violent motion a ſtone when it is put in a ſling, it is not then in the proper center; ſo the ſoule when it is turned from God, it never reſts becauſe it is out of the center. But when it returnes to the center, then it reſts and takes true delight; therefore David prayeth, Pſalme 43. returne my ſoule to thy reſt: come from thy pleaſures and reſt on God.
Therefore the rich man in the Goſpell, Conſeq. Luk. 12.18. when he had his barnes full, and then ſayd, ſoule take thy reſt, he put his ſoule out of the center, from true joy.
The moraliſts marke three ſorts of pleaſure, the firſt is called pure joy; A collation betwixt the ſecond and old Adam.the ſecond not pure joy; the third impure joy: it is ſayd, Luk 10.21. that Chriſt rejoyced in his Spirit; Triplex delectatio, pura, non pura, impura.this was pure and moſt excellent joy in Chriſts underſtanding, and it had no griefe as contrary to it, beholding that comfortable object, God. Secondly this pure joy it bred in his underſtanding, Piccolh: de ſummo bono.it came into his will, and here the joy was mixed, being partly pure, and partly not pure; pure when it willed the ſalvation of man, partly not pure but mixed with griefe, when it willed the ſalvation of man, by drinking of that bitter cup. But deſcending from his underſtanding and will to the ſenſuall part, it was there non pura, becauſe in his ſenſuall part he had no comfort: but it was never impura, neither in his will nor ſenſuall part: but now when he is in glory, as his joy is pure in his underſtanding, ſo it is altogether pure in his will and inferior faculties.
In corrupt man his joy begins not in his ſpirit, but onelyonly in his brutiſh and ſenſitive part, and ſo aſcending up to his will and underſtanding, makes it impure joy altogether.
Quest. It may be asked, how could Chriſt have the full meaſure of joy at the ſame time, and the full meaſure of ſadneſſe; ſeeing two contraries cannot be in the ſame ſubject at once, in intenſis gradibus in the higheſt degree?
Anſw. Leſſius, de ſummo bono.Good and evill are two contraries, ſo that how much the love of goodneſſe increaſeth, ſo much the deteſtation and hatred of evil decreaſeth, but ſadneſſe and delight are not contraies, but divers. becauſe they are exerciſed about divers objects; as ſweetneſſe and bitterneſſe, are not contrary but divers. Sadneſſe ariſeth not from joy but from love, and it lookes to another object than joy doth: but good and evill which are contraries, looke both to one object; for if I love a thing, I diſtaſte all things contrary to it; but when I am ſad for a thing I am not ioyfull for the contrary, but I love it; ſo that the contrarietie ariſeth here in reſpect of good and evill, and not in reſpect of joy and ſadneſſe. So that theſe might be both in Chriſt together.
Secondly, it is anſwered, ioy was in Chriſt in the higheſt degree, in his underſtanding and will, as beholding the divine eſſence immediately; ſadneſſe was in Chriſt in the higheſt degree; as carrying the puniſhment of our ſinnes upon him: theſe two paſſions here were ſet upon divers obiects: and therfore Chriſt might have had the full meaſure of ioy and ſadnes at the ſame time. Prop.
True ioy or delight is onelyonly in the underſtanding. Illuſt.
There are two ſorts of delights, Duplex delectatio, ſenſualis & ſpiritualis.one in the ſenſe or brutiſh, theſe are called voluptates, pleaſures: the other are called ſpiritual delights, onelyonly in the vnderſtanding, and theſe the moſt perfect delights.
Queſt. Whether doth mans cheife happineſſe conſiſt in theſe delights or not?
Anſw. Duae conditiones ad ſummum bonum requiruntur, 1 ut non fit propter aliud, 2. ut habeat ſufficientiam in ſe.Theſe delights which are not perfect cannot be a mans cheife happines, but accompany his happines. For there are two conditions required in chiefe happines Firſt, that it be not ordained for another end. Secondly that it have ſufficient goodneſſe of it ſelfe.
The firſt condition is not found in this perfect delight, becauſe it is ordained for another end: that is, for true happines whom it acompanies: ſo likewiſe it is defective in the ſecond condition, for it hath not ſufficient goodneſſe of it ſelfe but from true happines: therefore mans chiefe felicity cannot conſiſt in it.
True happines is not in the delights of the ſenſes, therefore the Epicures, Conſeq 1 Chiliaſts: Turkes and Iewes, who place their chiefe felicitie in worldly pleaſures erred: Salomon Eccleſ. 5. when hee ſeemeth to place our happineſſe, in theſe he ſpeaketh in the perſon of the Epicurean.
Our cheife happineſſe conſiſts not in pleaſure, therefore the pleaſure of the vnderſtanding, Conſeq. 2 if it be not from the Spirit of God, and abſtract from the ſenſes, muſt not be in the higheſt pitch of our felicity, which requires a ſpirituall delight, and joy in the holy Ghoſt.
The firſt Adam, his delight was in his vnderſtanding, but yet he placed not his cheife felicitie in it, A collation betwixt the innocent, renewed and old Adam.for it was onelyonly a companion of his felicitie: and ſo it is in the regenerate Adam: but the old Adam his chiefe delight is in his ſenſe, and therein he placeth his true happineſſe. The delight of the regenerate is in his operation, and his delight is to doe the will of God: but the delights of unregenerate men and beaſts are their laſt end, and all that they doe is for delight.
There is a two fold order, betwixt the operation and delectation in beaſts. Duplex ordo inter operationes & delectationes brutorum, 1. reſpectu Dei, 2. reſpectu ſenſitivi appetitus,Firſt, in reſpect of God the author of nature. Secondly, in reſpect of the ſenſitive appetite. If we reſpect God the creator of them: God joyned theſe delights, with the operations, as we put ſawces to re liſh meate; but he did not appoint theſe operations for pleaſure. If we reſpect the deſires and delights in beaſts themſelves, who know no other good but the ſenſuall good, then all which they doe is for delight; ſo the unregenerate follow not God their creator and his firſt inſtitution, to make delight ſerve to their cheife felicitie; but all that they doe, they make it ſerve for their pleaſure and delight.
Object. But ſeeing beaſts follow the inſtinct of nature, how comes it to paſſe that they keepe a contrary courſe to Gods inſtitution, who appointed delight for operation, and not to make delight their laſt end?
Anſw. Duplex intentio ſuit Dei in creatione, primaria & ſecundaria.God in the creation had a double intention or purpoſe; his principall, and ſecundary purpoſe: his principall purpoſe was, ut individua & ſpecies propagentur & conſerventur; that particular things might be propagate, and their kinds preſerved; and for this he appointed delight to ſerve for their operations, as hunger to give appetite to meate.
His ſecondary purpoſe was (reſpecting the beaſts) by putting a naturall inclination in them to doe, that they might attaine pleaſure.
Example, when the lawe is made, which propoſeth rewards of wel-doing, the law of the firſt intention propoſeth, that men ſhould give themſelves to wel-doing, and ordaines rewards onelyonly for that; but in the ſecond place as acceſſary, it intends, that he which is ſtirred up by rewards ſhould ſeeke his reward for wel-doing: in the firſt he lookes to wel-doing, and then to the reward; in the ſecond being ſtirred up by the reward he is encouraged to doe well.
So God in his firſt conſideration lookes firſt to their doing, as the chiefeſt end, and then to delight as ſubordinate to it; the ſecond conſideration here is not contrary to the firſt. But God ordained not man in his firſt creation to make pleaſure his laſt end, as hee did in beaſts, or his firſt end, as the wicked; but now the Epicure ſaith, Let us eate, let us drinke, for to morrow we ſhall die, Eſai. 22.13. 1 Cor. 15.32.
Spirituall delights, Prop. are more pleaſant than ſenſuall delights.
There is a neerer conjunction betwixt the ſoule and its delight, Illuſt. than is betwixt the ſenſe & the ſenſitive object
For firſt, delectationes, intellectuales & ſenſuales; quumque modis differunt.the underſtanding reacheth not onelyonly to the accidents of things, but pearceth inwardly to the eſſence and ſubſtances themſelves; the ſenſes ſee onelyonly the accidents of things, and therefore cannot bring in ſo great delight.
Secondly, a man takes pleaſure in the knowledge which hee hath conceived in his underſtanding of a thing, although it bee moſt unpleaſant to his ſenſe. A Painter delights to conceive a Black-more in his minde and to paint him rightly, and yet he hath not ſo great a delight to looke upon him. So a Carver delights to faſhion a Monſter although he delight not to looke upon him. So a Poet delights to deſcribe a flea or a gnatte, although he delight not to feele them: all theſe prove that the intellectuall delights are farre to be preferred to the ſenſuall.
Thirdly, the delights of intellectuall things are more permanent, and therefore breed a greater delight in man than the ſenſitive whoſe objects are evaniſhing.
Fourthly, becauſe corporall delights are in the ſenſitive part, they have need to bee ruled by reaſon: but the intellectuall things are in reaſon it ſelfe, which is the rule; and therefore more moderate; and conſequently breeds the greateſt delight; as that Muſicke which breeds the greateſt harmony delights moſt.
Laſtly, A collation betwixt the innocent, ſecond glorified, and old Adam.ſenſuall delights may exceed meaſure, but the intellectuall delights cannot exceed meaſure.
In the firſt Adam the delights of his ſoule redounded to his body, neither took they away the natural operations of it; for he did eate, drinke, and ſleepe. In the glorified Adam the joy of the ſoule ſhall redound to the body, that ſome thinke he ſhall have no uſe of the baſer ſenſes, but onelyonly of his noble ſenſes, ſeeing and hearing. But in the old Adam there redounds no glory from the ſoule to the body, for he is altogether ſenſuall, The remedies to cure the ſinfull delights.
That wee may cure theſe delights, Firſt, we muſt conſider, how hurtfull theſe pleaſures are to the word of God, for they choake it as wel as thorny cares do, Luk. 8. Theſe who are lovers of pleaſure are in greateſt danger.
Secondly, that we be not taken up with pleaſures, let us remember that which Valerius Maximus bringeth out of the Philoſopher, Lib 7, Oap. 7.ſaying that it was a moſt profitable precept of the Philoſopher, that we ſhould looke upon pleaſures going away, wearied, deformed, and ful of repentance: we ſhould look upon the ſting and taile of theſe Mermaides, and not upon their beautifull faces: therefore the Apoſtle ſetteth before us, The ſhape of this world paſsing away, 1 Cor. 7. Looke not upon them as they are comming, but as they are going. Putiphares wife, Gen. 39. and Amnon, 2 Sam. 13.3, 9. beheld them as they were comming with ſweetneſſe and ſolace; but Ioſeph and Thamar beheld them as they were departing with ſhame, griefe, and remorſe.
Thirdly, Auguſtine when he ſpeaketh of the Philoſophers who placed their chiefe happineſſe in pleaſure, Lib. 5. decivit. Dei 3. cap. 20.ſaith, that the reſt of the Philoſophers uſed to refute them, by a picture, in which pleaſure ſat as a Lady in her throne, and commanded every vertue to doe ſomewhat for her, and to quite ſomething for her, ſo that by this ſight it might appeare to them, how abſurd a thing it was for them to place felicity in pleaſure.
Fourthly, wee ſhould chace from us the objects of pleaſures, leſt they be the cauſe of our ruine, and in this caſe we muſt follow the old wiſe men of Troy, who coū ſelled Priame to ſend backe Helena to the Grecians, and not to ſuffer himſelfe to be any longer abuſed with the charmes of her great beauty, for that keeping her within their citie was to entertaine the ſiege of a fatall and dangerous warre, and to nouriſh a fire which would conſume them to aſhes. So we muſt chace away theſe alluring pleaſures which will bring deſtruction to us.
They ſhow that pleaſure and ſenſuall delights, Apud Apulcium.are the greateſt enemies to the ſoule, by this Apologue: Pſyche the daughter of God & Nature, Bodini theatrum natur.had two ſiſters elder than her ſelfe, who were married before her; the eldeſt complained that ſhe was kept cloſe up in priſon, and never had liberty to goe abroad; the ſecond was alſo married, but ſhe had more liberty than her eldeſt ſiſter, for ſhee might goe abroad, but both of them envyed their youngeſt ſiſter Pſyche, (being moſt beautifull) that ſhee was married to one of the gods above, therefore they both conſpired to draw her away from the love of her husband, ſhowing her what pleaſures and contentments, ſhe might have here below, if ſhee would leave him: ſo ſhe followed their direction and perſwaſion; but at laſt ſhe fell in repentance, and reſolved to turne to her firſt love againe.
The application of the apologue is this, that the ſoule hath firſt the vegetative faculty, which is the eldeſt fiſter, who is ſhut up within the body as a priſon, that ſhe cannot goe abroad; then ſhe hath the ſenſitive faculty, the ſecond ſiſter which heares, and ſees, and hath the intelligence abroad; both theſe envy the youngeſt ſiſter the underſtanding faculty, therefore by delights and ſinfull pleaſures, they labour to draw their youngeſt ſiſter from the contemplation of God, to whom ſhee was married, untill the ſoule by repentance returne unto God againe.