Of Peace and Contentment of Mind, Book 2 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Of bodily Pleaſure and Eaſe.
OF all arguments of meditation there is none where writers ſhew leſſe ſincerity then in this. Every one blames pleaſure and eaſe, and yet every one ſeekes it. They tell us that it is the cauſe of all evill, that it poiſoneth the paſſion, that it blindeth reaſon, that it is an enemy to good counſell, aad that it is impoſſible for Vertue to ſtand with Volupty; Yet the ſame Authors, love their eaſe, and their very diſcourſes of eaſe are effects of eaſe, and productions of wits ſweetned by proſperity.
Then they charge pleaſure with the vices of men, whereas it is not pleaſure but men that muſt be blamed: For pleaſure doth not corrupt men, but men corrupt pleaſure. It muſt be acknowledged good in it ſelfe. It is the ſeaſoning that God all-wiſe and all-good hath given to things profitable and actions neceſſary, that wee ſhould ſeek them. Look upon a brave horſe with a judicious eye: After you have conſidered his great uſe, and praiſed the bounty of God for making an animal of ſo much ſervice and commodity to man; praiſe God againe for making him ſo handſome and of ſuch a gallant mettle; And acknowledge that the gracious Creator regarded as well mans delectation as utility. The delicious taſte of fruits, the fragrant ſmell and gay colours of flowers, the fair proſpect of groves, meadowes, calme and cleare waters, and all the delicate variety of Nature, ſpeake very expreſly that God, as an indulgent Father, hath taken great care to pleaſe and recreat us, and condemneth that ſad and ſowre wiſedome which deemeth to merit much by avoiding (at leaſt in ſhew) all that is pleaſing in Nature. Of that kinde, is this prayer which may be read in many Bookes of devote contemplation, Lord give me grace to be delighted in no earthly thing: Which is as much as ſaying to God, that he was much overſeen when he made his workes good and pleaſant, ſince it is ill done to delight in them, That devotion wants common ſence, if it be ſerious, and more if it be hypocritical.
We muſt then place bodily pleaſure among the goods but among the leaſt, and thoſe in which beaſts have more ſhare then men. The more pleaſures are ſimple and natural, (as they are among beaſts) the more they are full and ſincere. But we by our wit make a toyle of a pleaſure, and drown nature in art.
He that can ſet a right value upon Beauty, Health, and Strength, of which we ſpake lately, may eaſily do the ſame of the pleaſure which they are capable to give or to receive. If then theſe qualities be but weake tranſitory and of ſhort continuance, they cannot yeeld or feele a pleaſure, ſolid, conſtant, and permanent. Health, the beſt of the three, is rather a privation of diſeaſe then a pleaſure, and it makes the body as ſenſible of paine as of delight, of which many that enjoy a perfect health are deprived.
It is a great abatement of the price of bodily pleaſure, that one muſt ſeldome uſe it to uſe it well, yea and to preſerve it, for the exceſſe of it is vicious, be the way never ſo lawfull; and the ſatiety of it breeds ſaſtidiouſneſſe and wearineſſe. Whereas true pleaſure conſiſting in the knowledge and love of God, one cannot ſinne, by exceſſe, nor loſe the reliſh of it by fulneſſe; but the appetite is increaſed, and the faculty mended by enjoying.
Pleaſures of the body, though in themſelves good and deſireable, are given by God for ſomething elſe, and to invite us to actions of neceſſity or utility: But ſpiritual pleaſure, which is to know and love God, is altogether for it ſelfe, and for nothing beyond it: for there the pleaſure is ſo united with the duty, that the glory which we give to God, and that which we enjoy by knowing and loving him, are ſweetly confounded together and become but one thing.
This conſideration, that bodily pleaſures are appointed for a further end, helps much to underſtand their price and their uſe. For the pleaſure of the taſte is to invite the appetite to eate, eating is to live, living is to ſerve God; and betweene theſe two laſt, there are other ſubordinations, for many actions of life are for the domeſticall good, domeſticall good for the civill, the civill good for the religious. Bodily pleaſure ſtanding naturally on the loweſt round of this ladder, is removed out of its proper place, when it is placed above the ſuperiour ends; which is done, when the actions of life which are due to the domeſtical & civill good, and before and after all to the religious, are imployed to make a principal end of thoſe things that are ſubordinate to them as inferiour meanes. For we muſt deſire to eate for to live, not to live for the pleaſure of eating, & ſo of other natural pleaſures, the deſire whereof becomes vicious, when thoſe things to which by nature they ought to ſerve, are ſubjected unto them.
Pleaſures are good ſervants but ill Maſters. They will recreate you when you make them your ſervants: But when you ſerve them they will tyrannize over you. A voluptuous nice man is alwayes diſcontented and in ill humor. Where others find commodity he finds incommodity. He depriveth himſelfe of the benefit of ſimple and eaſy pleaſures. He looſeth pleaſure by too much ſeeking. By ſoothing up his ſenſes he diſeaſeth them, and paine penetrates ſooner and deeper into a body ſoftned with voluptuouſneſſe. But he that leſſe courteth pleaſure enjoyeth it more, for he is eaſily contented. To live at eaſe in the world we muſt harden our body, ſtrengthen our mind, and abridge our cupidity.
In nothing the folly and perverſity of the world is ſo much ſeene as in this, that of the things which Gods indulgence hath given to man for his ſolace and recreation he makes the cauſes of his miſery, the baits of his ſinne, and the matter of his condemnation; for, from the abuſe of pleaſure proceeds the greateſt part of the evills that are in the world, both the evills which men ſuffer and thoſe which they commit; Yea, from thence all evils proceed, if wee remount to the firſt ſinne.
Therefore a wiſe man will abſtaine from unlawfull pleaſures, and taſte the lawfull with moderation, leſt that by exceſſe he make them unlawfull. Knowing that pleaſure which ſtrayeth from duty ends in ſorrow; that it is no gallantry to offend God; and that no delight can countervaile the loſſe of the ſerenity of conſcience. Vice it ſelfe will teach us vertue: For when we ſee the ſlaves of voluptuouſnes, get in that ſervice a diſeaſed body, a ſad heart, a troubled conſcience, infamy, want, and brutality, we find it an ill bargaine to buy pleaſure at ſo deare a rate.
This obſervation alſo will be of ſome helpe for the valuation of pleaſure. That the pleaſures that ſtick moſt to the matter are the moſt unworthy, as all the pleaſures of the taſte and feeling; and thoſe pleaſures that recede further from the matter are more worthy as the pleaſures of the ſight: Wherefore the pleaſure of hearing is yet more worthy, as having more affinity with the minde. And as they are more worthy they are alſo more innocent. But in all things exceſſe is vicious.
As exceſſe in pleaſures is vicious, ſo is the defect. For God hath made many handſome and good things to pleaſe us, in which nevertheleſſe we take no content, and many times reject them out of niceneſſe. How many perfect workes of God ſtrike their image into our eyes, and yet enter not into our thoughts? How many conveniences are ſent to us by Gods good hand, ſufficient to fill our minds with comfort and thankfulneſſe, if we had the grace to conſider them; and we think not of them though we make uſe of them. We are ſo inchanted with falſe pleaſures that we loſe the taſte of the true. But a wiſe man is innocently inventive to ſolace himſelfe, and finds every where matter of pleaſure. All things without ſmile upon him, becauſe his ſpirit is ſmiling within; and he lends to objects his owne ſerenity, whereby he makes them pleaſant.