Chapter 11: Afflicted godliness, is better than delightful wickedness
NOtwithstanding both these, though Gods people are afflicted, and the wicked have pleasure; yet, afflicted godliness, is better then delightful wickedness. It is better to join with Gods people in a way of godliness, in all afflictions, then to enjoy all the pleasures that possibly any man in the world can have, in any way of sin: the tears of the godly, are better then all the jollities of the wicked: it is an expression of an Ancient, The very tears of those that are seeking of God, are more sweet, then the joys that any have in the world; the worst part of godliness, is better then the best part of any way of sin: though Christ be a crucified Christ, and bring never such afflictions, hard things to his people, yet he is more delightful to them, then all the pleasures that are in the earth, and delightful in another way. It is a notable speech Luther has, I had rather fall with Christ, then stand with Caesar; rather suffer any thing in the world with Christ, then stand and enjoy all the pleasure of Caesars Court.
Thus a godly man, a gracious heart considering and musing of things, and laying one thing with another, had rather have affliction with the people of God, then enjoy all the pleasures of the world for a season. Now the main work in this point, is to show unto you, how a godly heart does reason with its self, and cast about its self, as it were to bring himself, and his thoughts to this issue, to choose rather afflicted godliness, then all the pleasure of sin.
First, it casts about what the ways of godliness are.
Secondly, what those afflictions are that do attend the ways of godliness.
Thirdly, it casts about what the ways of sin are, and what the afflictions and pleasures are, that do attend upon them, and puts them into a ballance, and compares them both together, and so makes its choice.
First, a gracious heart considers the ways of godliness. If I walk in them, then I walk with God, I live to the honor of the blessed God, who is infinitely worthy of all honor and praise from his Creature; those ways are the ways of infinite wisdom, they are the ways of holiness, of righteousness, in those ways I attain to that end for which I was made.
Secondly, in those ways I enjoy peace, peace of conscience to my soul; whatever trouble I meet withal abroad, I am sure I shall have peace within: a little with outward peace, is better then a great deal where outward peace is wanting; Eccles. 4:6 Better is a handful with quietness, then both the hands full with travel, and vexation of spirit: A little with outward quiet, is better then a great deal with vexation; if a man be in a quiet family, a little there, is better then to be where there is a great deal with frowardness and vexation; surely, a little is better with inward peace, with peace of conscience, then a great deal without; therefore these ways in which I walk with Gods people, though the world may rage and persecute, I shall have joy in my own spirit; A good conscience will be a continual feast: while they rail, conscience will encourage.
Thirdly, again, when I walk in these ways, my soul shall enjoy the love of God, and that little I have, I shall have it in love, and from the love of God; Now your love, O Lord, is better then wine, better then all the comforts of the world. The Lord satisfies his people with love, as with marrow and fatness; a little that the soul has that comes from the love of God, by vertue of a promise, how sweet is it? how sweet is sleep when it comes from that promise? You will give your beloved sleep, and all comes this way; I have all in the love of God, though I have but a little in the world, and though I be in affliction, & am short of that which others have.
Fourthly, and in those ways, my soul shall enjoy communion with God; God will let out himself to me in a gracious manner, he will reveal the secrets of heavenly joys to my soul, and one beam of the light of his face, is more worth then all the world, and is able to carry through all the hardships of the world. My soul shal have communion with Jesus Christ; and Cursed is that man, says that noble Marquess Galeacius, that counts all the world comparable to one days enjoyment of communion with Christ.
Fifthly, while I walk in these ways, I shall be safe for eternity, I shall not be in danger there; and when the fear of eternity falls upon the heart, it sees it is a most dreadful thing to miscarry to eternity; the thoughts of eternity work mightily upon my spirit, let me be safe for eternity, whatever become of me in these ways. It is reported of one Myrogenes, when great gifts were sent unto him, he sent them back, I only desire this one thing at your Masters hand, to pray for me, that I may be saved for eternity. Now in these ways of godliness, I shall walk with God, I shall have peace of conscience, I shall have that I have in love, I shall enjoy communion with the Father, with Christ, and with the holy Ghost; and I shall be safe for eternity: surely there can be no evil that can countervail this good, whatever I suffer, whatever I endure in this world, yet my soul shall say, It is good for me to draw near to God; sure I shall choose, and like well of the ways of godliness, whatever I endure.
But you look only upon the best side of godliness, but turn the other side, you shall finde a great many afflictions that attend the ways of godliness, and when you see them, you will not be so in love with these ways. A gracious heart is willing to examine both sides.
What are the afflictions you speak of, that will discourage any from delighting in Gods ways?
First, they are but such as are upon the body, those things that do afflict the godly are bodily things, they do therefore but bring pain and trouble to this carcase, to this body of clay, to this lump of earth, to this body of sin, to that body that is to be beaten down in this world: to that body of vileness, for so it is called, Phil. 3:21 Who shall change our vile body; in the Original it is, this body of vileness. It was the speech of a Heathen, when as by the Tyrant he was commanded to be put into a morter, and be beaten to pieces with an Iron pestel, he cryes out to his persecutors, You do but beat the vessel of Anaxarchus, you do not beat me, You do but beat the Caseand Vessel, that contains another thing; yea, the word in the Greek, that Clemens Alex: has, relating the Story, signifies a husk; his body was to him but as a husk: A Heathen counted his body but the Case, the husk; he counted his soul himself: If a man had a precious Jewel in a Case, and the Case was torn in pieces, and the Jewel be safe, it is no matter; and so by all these afflictions a gracious heart knows, it is but the Case that is torn in pieces, the Jewel is safe. Fear not, says Christ, those that can kill the body, and do no more; Christ would have us know, afflictions that do but reach the body, are but slight things.
And for these troubles, let them be the most terrible that can be, they are such as may stand with Gods love, the dearest of Gods love, such as the dearest of Gods people have met withal: says God in Ieremiah, I gave the dearly beloved of my soul, into the hands of her enemies. Indeed if they were such as could not fal, but from Gods hatred, it were another matter; but they may stand with Gods love, yea, with the very same love wherewithal God the Father did love Jesus Christ, and would you have better love then that? you may be sure that all your afflictions that you do endure for godliness, and the ways of godliness, they are not such but you may have them in the same love that God loved Jesus Christ, and one would think that were enough to satisfy any soul in the world. John 17. ult. there Christ prays, that his Disciples might be loved, with the same love wherewith he was loved: now notwithstanding the love of the Father to the Son, he was afflicted, and suffered as much trouble, as you are like to suffer; and if you in suffering may be in no worse case then he was, and may have the same love that he had, notwithstanding your sufferings, sure your sufferings are no great matter; there is no more evil in your sufferings, then may stand with the love of God to your souls, the same love wherewith God loved Christ: and if a soul knows this, it will not be discouraged from the ways of godliness, notwithstanding afflictions: indeed if in affliction there were the venome of Gods wrath, and the curse of the Law, it were something, but the sting and venome is taken out, and there is no great evil.
Again, these afflictions that the world so speak of, they may not only stand with Gods dearest love, but are such as may proceed from Gods dearest love; as thus, they may come as fruits of the love of God, and therefore sure they are no great discouragements from the ways of godliness; you heard what abundance of good God brought out of the afflictions of his people, and therefore there may be abundance of love from whence they come, they may be only but to fit, and square, and fashion the soul, to be fit to be laid in the highest place of new Jerusalem: The stones that are laid below in some mean place, are not hewed and hacked, as the stones that are in the highest part of the building, or the forefront of the building, to the view of all; those that are most for the beauty of the building, are most hacked, and framed; and so those that God does intend to be the most beautiful stones in that glorious Temple that is in Heaven, God suffers them here to be fashioned and hacked, most afflicted, and therefore they may come from love.
Besides, they are no great matter, take them at the worst, they are but little things; these light afflictions: there is no such grievous burden in them, as the world thinks there is, for there is the hand of Christ, to hold them up in all their afflictions: they are but such things, as rather seem grievous then are grievous indeed, as Heb. 12:11 No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; they are things that are grievous in appearance, and in show only, rather then in truth; as the prosperity of the wicked is but in show, so the affliction of Gods people are rather shows, they do rather seem grievous, then have any realty of grief in them, and therefore they are not so much to be feared.
Again, they are but for a little time, but for a moment: As it was the speech of Athanasius, when he was banished, and his friends came to bewail his misery, says he, It is but a little cloud, and will quicklybe gone: All the time of the rage and malice of wicked men, is but as an hour; says Christ, This is their hour, and the power of darkness; it is but an hour, and is quickly gone. Christs sufferings both in himself and in his Church, is but drinking of the brook, not a spring of water for perpetuity.
Besides, the afflictions of Gods people are in theirseason; it is now the very season to be afflicted, and shall we be troubled to have affliction in its season? this time of our life is appointed for this end, it is our winter time; will a man be troubled to see frost and snow in winter time? It is better to see frost and snow in winter time, then to see the corn blooming or earing in January and February: so while we are in the body, the winter of affliction is in season, it is not the time to be delivered from affliction now, that is hereafter, and therefore why should we be troubled that we meet with affliction?
Lastly, these afflictions that you say will discourage, they will bring forth a gracious end, they are but as a dark entry into your Fathers house, a dirty lane to a Palace; do but shut your eyes, and there will be a change, and as a Martyr said, Though we have an ill breakfast, we shall have a good dinner: Now put all these together, what great matter is there to discourage any from the ways of God?
But now come to the other part: A gracious heart discourses of the ways of sin, what if I should choose the pleasure of sin, and should go on that way? 1. If I go on in those ways, I shall be sure to go on in a way of direct opposition against the God of all the world, and so treasure up to myself the wrath of an infinite God. And is it nothing for a poor creature to go on in a way of opposition and enmity to an infinite Diety? how much better were it for me if I had never been born, then thus to do? 2. I shall be sure to have no peace in those ways, in my own spirit, in conscience; I shall have within me a conscience galling, girding, and lashing of me, the worm gnawing of my heart, my conscince continually damping of my soul, telling of me, Surely I am not in those ways an immortal soul should walk in; I shall never have any pleasure, but when my conscience shall be stopped; and what cursed pleasure is this for a man that he can never have it, but only when he can stop his conscience? if his conscience had but the mouth open, he could not have pleasure, and all the pleasure that he has, he must steal it at that time, when his conscience is asleep, he can never have it upon other terms; if a mans conscience be enlightned, and awaked, it is impossible to have pleasure in the ways of sin: it is poor living, when a servant or childe can get no victuals, but as they steal it, when the master or mistress is asleep, or is on the to side; and so it is poor pleasure that the world has, when it must be stoln when conscience is asleep; What good is it for a man to have a broken leg, and a silken stocking? and what great content is it for a man to have outward pleasure, and inward dampings of spirit?
3. Again, in these ways of sin, as I shall have no peace, so do what I can, I shall have some trouble in spight of my heart; let me go on in the ways of sin as I will, and seek for my contentment, I shall have some trouble in spight of me; and how grievous will that trouble be, that shal come with the curse of God, and the wrath of God, and the hatred of God? what shall I have to support me in trouble? A little water in a leaden vessel is heavy, so a little trouble in an evil conscience.
4. And in these ways of sin, I shall be sure to be a stranger from God, never to know what any communion with God means, go up and down in the world as a forlorn, forsaken creature of God; that when as others of Gods people have communion with God, and with Christ, and have the light of Heaven, and the joy of Angels, I shall be set to my swill.
5. And as for my eternal estate, I shall hazard to miscarry therein; and oh my soul, dost know what it is to miscarry to eternity? Surely there need be some great matter, that should procure the least peace to a man in the way of sin, much more to procure delight to a man.
But you will say, You take sin at the worst side at first, sin has a delightful side, and that will please you, and allure you, though the other would not; therefore let us see the fairest side of sin; a gracious heart will look on every side.
The pleasures that you speak of, what are they? are they not fleshly? only reach to the sensual part? What, must God, Heaven, eternal life be neglected for these? What shall that body, that must within a while be gnawn on by worms, and lie rotting as a filthy carcase, now be so regarded, now have such content given to it, as all that is to be had in God and Jesus Christ, must be neglected for it? When you shall hereafter at the great Day meet with this wretched carcase of your, and see how vile it is, what confusion will be upon you? when you shall think, Was this the vile carcase that must have such content, for which God, and Heaven, and all the good in Christ is now lost for ever?
Secondly, it has been the care of all Gods dearest servants to keep down their bodies, to deny contentment to the flesh, and will you give it all the content you can? Daniel was afraid of taking liberty to his flesh, in eating the Kings meat; and the time when he had his, [〈◊〉]heavenly visions, he ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in his mouth, neither did he anoint himself at all. You know the mean provision that Iohn the Baptist, the Forerunner of Christ had, his fare was locusts and wilde honey, and yet there was not a greater born of a woman before him. St. Paul was careful to beat down his body, to club it down, even till it was black and blew, so the word signifies. Timothy although he was sickly, yet would not take liberty to drink a little wine, but only water, till Paul wrote to him; and in that liberty there was but a little granted, and that for his stomacks sake, and his often infirmities, not for his lusts sake, and to maintain riotousness. If I should tell you of the mean provision for the flesh, that many of the Ancients, who were the most worthy instruments of God, the most eminent in all true excellency, were contented withal, and that before the superstition of Popery prevailed, it would be even incredible unto you.
Basil in an Epistle to Iulian mentions the mean fare he and others with him lived withal, he ate no flesh, they had need of no Cook, the leaves of plants, and a little bread, was all their provision. And Ierome reports of Hilarion, that he never ate any thing before the Sun went down, and that which at any time he ate was very mean: From the fifteenth year of his age to the twentieth, his only diet was fifteen dryed figs a day; for three years after that, only bread and water; for nine years together, six ounces of barley bread in a day; yet he lived till he was fourscore years old. And Ierome himself lived exceedingly abstemiously, with cold water, and a few dryed figs, so that by him, and others with whom he lived, to eat any thing boyled, was even accouted luxury. And Augustine has such an expression concerning himself; You Lord hast taught me this, that I should go to mymeat as to a medicine: He meant not to satisfy his appetite, but to repair nature.
And amongst the Heathen likewise, such as have been most eminent with them, have been most above sensual pleasures. When one asked Plato, how he got so much knowledge, his answer was, I have spent more oyl in the Lamp then wine in the cup. We read of Cato, seeing a Roman who pampered his belly, had this speech of him, Wonder if this man ever do any thing for the honor or good of the Commonwealth. These who provide so much for their bellies, have their brains sunk down into the quagmire of their bellies. Their parts, those common gifts of understanding they were wont to have, are now as the light of a snuff sunk into the socket, even drowned with the filth of their lusts, and what are such as these fit for? A fat belly, says Bernard, seldom produceth any witty invention.
Thirdly, what are these pleasures, but such as may stand with the infinite hatred of God, such as reprobates have had as large a portion in, as you can? And art you so eager upon that, which is no other portion then a Reprobate may have? To have no other portion then a beast may have, is low enough; but to have no other then a reprobate may have, is lower: How many are now in Hell under the eternal hatred of the infinite God, who when they lived, had as much pleasure as ever you hast had, or ever shall have? as many merry meetings, sate it out in drinkings, gamings, riot, chambering, wantonness, sports, pastimes; now what pleasure is it to them to think what mirth and jollity once they had?
Fourthly, take them at the best, yet they are such, as the excellency of true vertue consists in the moderation of them, yea, in the raising the heart above them, so as to disdain and contemn them, if they would come in as our portion; certainly if they were the highest good, the glory of vertue would be in expatiating the heart towards them, in letting out the heart fully to them, in enlarging the heart in enjoyment of them, in satisfying the heart in the sweetness received from them; but it is otherwise, much of the commendation of vertue, has been in the ability to moderate affections towards them, to deny themselves in them. It is the beginning of a good mind, says Seneca, not to rejoice in vain things. Yea, there is no greater pleasure, says Tertullian, then the contempt of pleasures.
Fifthly, there is much evil in sensual pleasures; as,
First, there is much mixture of much inward sadness, many damps of heart; in the midst of laughter the heart is sad. Ambrose has a notable expression for this, You seest, says he, the wicked mans feasting, but question with his conscience, does not that stink more filthily then any sepulchre? you seest his joy, his lustiness, you wondrest at the abundance of his riches, children; but look within, and see the wounds, the strokes of his soul, the sadness of his heart.
Secondly, they keep out better delights then themselves: There is an opposition between them and spiritual delights. Those who long after the onyons of Egypt, cannot taste the spiritual Manna: Divine comfort is a delicate thing, says Bernard, and it is not given to him that admits any other.
Thirdly, there is a mixture of a curse with them: What good is there in having a brave sute with the plague in it? Is not plain russet or leather better that is free? What delight is there in feeding upon dainty dishes sweetly poisoned? Is not mean wholsom fare rather to be desired? We read of Agrippina, in poisoning her husband Claudius, she tempered it in the meat he most delighted in; poison in wine works more furiously then in water: Poor men who are wicked, have Gods curse mingled with the water of their poverty; and rich men who are wicked, have Gods curse mingled with the wine of their prosperity.
Fourthly, there is much bodily evil comes in by these, they make the bodies of men cinques of filth, and all manner of loathsom diseases. Basil has an expression of the evil of intemperance, that it turns men into mire and dirt, and makes men like vessels, rotten and putrified, fit for no use. The Romans were wont to have their funerals at the gates of Venus Temple: This they did, says Plutarch, to signifie that lust was the hastner of death. And Clemens Alexandrinus observes, that the Graecians called the intemperate, and those who wanted health, by the same name, only with difference of one letter, to show the great affinity there is between intemperance and sickness: And again in the same place, he says, The Graecians call Gluttony by the name of Bellyphrensie; for what greater madness, then for a short brutish pleasure to lose the comfort of continual health, and endure the long and tedious pains of sickness, and miserable torturing diseases? what a folly is it to fill a Ship with water, and then to hire pumps to pump it out; so by intemperance, to fill our bodies with noisom humors, and then to hire Physicians to purge them out? Chrysostom in his Sermon upon the third to the Philippians, demands, What do men gain by their riches, but drunkenness, gluttony, and absurd pleasures of all sorts, which do more hurt and torment us, then most cruel Masters their slaves and bondmen? Give me, says he, a voluptuous man that is idle, that has his health, you cannot finde one; though he had many hundred Physicians, it would not be.
Fifthly, There is an evil of soul-abasement, they make men become vile. Cicero a Heathen, thought not that man worthy of the name of a man, who spent a whole day together in sensual pleasures. And Plutarch tells of Agesilaus, that he cast off voluptuous pleasures to his slaves, as better beseeming a base quality and servile nature, then himself. You mayest think to live in pleasure is a brave life, but it is the basest life that is; so God judges it: Hence the same word which the Scripture uses for the sensual glutton, Deut. 21:20 is used for a vile person, Jer. 15:19 the word is the same in the Hebrew. Luxurious sporting people have high conceits of themselves, as if they lived the only brave lives, but 2 Pet. 2:13 they are called spots and blemishes, for they are indeed base, the most base spirited men that live. These do most vilely lowre mans nature, they are infinitely beneath the happiness of an immortal soul.
The Heathen accounted a life of pleasure, a life of beasts: What man would not rather dye, says Tully, cited by Lactantius, then to be turned into the form of a beast, though he should retain the mind of a man? How much more miserable is it for one to be in the form of a man, and to have the mind of a beast, yea, of a wilde beast? Guliel. Parisiensis calls luxury a scab, and says, the salt-water of tribulation must purge it; and he brings in Augustine giving the same name unto it, confessing that he was wont to delight in the scab of his lusts. This scab, says Parisiensis, makes the mind of man ulcerous, running with filthy putrified stuff, and abominable to God, above that, that any man would think, which no bodily filth does.
Sixthly, The evil of nourishing of all manner of wickedness: All sin in Scripture is called flesh, and the work of the flesh, because the pleasure of the flesh is the cause of so much sin in us. When Christ spoke of the servant who gave himself to riotousness in his Masters absence, he calls him the evil servant. There are swarms of all manner of evils in sensual hearts; they are the fennish grounds, that breed filthy poysonsom creatures; so all venemous-lusts are bred and nourished by these, Job 40:21 it is said, the Behemoth lieth in the fens, which Guliel. Parisiensis applies to the Devil in sensual hearts; he lies in moist places, says he; that is, in those whose spirits are moistened by their lusts: Therefore it is said of the unclean spirit, That he walks in dry places; seeking rest, and found none; But, says he, men giving themselves to pleasures, they seek what they can to give the Devil rest in their hearts, and to keep off all that may hinder his quiet. Flies and Wasps use to come to honey and sugar, and such sweet things: The Devil who is called Beelzebub, that is, the God of flyes, loves to be in souls glutted with sensual pleasures, yea swarms of Devils love to follow such: Hence such as these are most desperate enemies unto godliness, contemners and scorners of all Religion; That which is honest, is vile and contemptible to him, who makes too much of his body, says a Heathen; Where pleasures reign, vertue connot be, says another. When the Jews accuse Christ of the worst their malice could devise, they call him a Wine-bibber.
Seventhly, they likewise harden in all manner of evil; when men are heat in sensual delights, their hearts are so glutted, that they never think of their pain. It is observed, that when the people of Israel had got Aaron to make the Calf, and they set down to drink, and rose up to play, they offered burnt-offerings, but no sin-offerings were thought of: These beset the heart, and make it even uncapable of any spiritual good. St. Paul says of the Widows that live in pleasures, they are dead while they live, 1 Tim. 5:6 Let us eat and drink, to morrow we shall dye: Why do you say, to morrow? says Chrysostom, ye are dead already. We read Ezek. 47:11 that when the waters of the sanctuary flowed, the miry places could not be healed: How seldom does the waters of the Sanctuary heal miry souls? Augustine says of such, As the earth by too much rain becomes nothing but mire and dirt, so as it is made unfit for tillage; so these, Whoredom, and wine, and new wine, take away the heart, Hos. 4:11
Who are the most desperate enemies to the Cross of Christ, but such whose God is their belly, Phil. 3. 18, 19. Who are they that cannot cease from sin, but such as sport themselves with their own deceivings, while they feast amongst you, having eyes full of adultery? 2 Pet. 2. 13, 14. Who are those that are wholly void of the Spirit, and even uncapable of it? such as walk after their own ungodly lusts, and sensual, Jude 18, 19. Who are they that say to God, Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of your ways, but such as take the Timbrel and Harp, and rejoice at the sound of the Organ, and spend their days in wealth? Job 21. 11, 12, 13. Pleasures do not so much delight the flesh, as they endanger the soul; therefore better it is a great deal to be preserved in brine, then to rot in honey, to be fed upon the salt marshes, and short commons, and to live, then to be glutted in rank pastures, and so fatted up for destruction.
And thus you see the evil of them, whereupon Chrysostom in one of his Sermons concerning the Martyrs, The joys of this present world are to be feared by Christians; and certainly so they are, rather then to be desired.
Sixthly, if there were not so much evil, yet they are vain flashy things, there is no reality in them, they are all res nihili, things of nought. The Heathen could say, Believe me, true joy is no light thing; but what windy frothy contents are these pleasures to the flesh? do they leave any sweetness behinde them, after they are over? as it was wont to be said of Plato's feast, his discourse of Phylosophy at the table, though the chear was mean, was sweet divers days after: soul-delights leave a sweet relish in the spirit, after their acts are past; but the day after fleshly pleasures, what is left but bitter humors in the body, and a sting in conscience? what wise man can please his thoughts after his pleasures are over, in thinking what pleasures he has had? much less will any man of wisdom, glory in what he has eat or drunk, or that he has filled his sensual appetite with all the delights he could: Who can at night, after a day of sports, and fulness of delights to the flesh, bless God from his soul, that he has had a day so full of pleasure in his flesh?
Plutarch in his Morals has an excellent discourse upon this argument, to prove, that according to the Rules of Epicurus, No man can live a true pleasurable life; not that by his Rules no man can live a vertuous life, that perhaps would be granted by many; but that no man can have a life of pleasure by those Rules, that is the thing that he undertakes to prove, and amongst other arguments he has these:
First, That it is not probable for any modest and temperate men, to give way to let their thoughts abide upon any such pleasures, he accounts them so vain and slight; for the pleasures of the mind, men that are wise and sober, delight in the thoughts of such.
A second argument that he uses, is, That never, as he says, to this day, were known any that would offer sacrifice to their God, in thankfulness for the enjoyment of their pleasures with their Minions; but wise men have offered sacrifices, in thankfulness for the pleasures of their mind; as he instances in Pythagoras.
A third argument that he uses, That we never heard of any so given to their appetite, that would boast of their pleasure, that they had devoured so much, or given to their lusts, that would boast of their lust, how they had satisfied it: (although if he lived in these days, he might hear of such men; it seems men are grown more sensual, then they were in those times) but for the pleasures of the mind, many would break forth in rejoicing and glorying expressions, that they had had them: as he instances in Archimedes, when he had found out a Phylosophical experiment, that he was so filled with joy, that he ran up and down, crying, I have found it, I have found it.
A fourth argument, That no man would so prize their pleasures in belly-chear, as to be willing presently to dye, that they might be filled therewith; for the pleasures of the mind, many have so delighted in them, so prized them, as they have been willing presently to dye for the enjoyment of them: as he instances in Eudoxus, who would be willing to be burnt up by the Sun presently, upon condition he might be admitted to come so near it, as to learn the nature of it. Thus Heathens could argue against the slightness and vanity of sensual pleasures, and the solidness and excellency of the pleasures of the mind.
Seventhly, as they are slight for the present, so they are soon gone, they are not only vain, but vanishing.
First, they vanish in us, even in the enjoying.
Secondly, they vanish from us, so that we cannot enjoy them long.
For the first, The fashion of this world passes away, and the lust of it; it does not only pass away at the last, but the lust of it passes away, before the thing it self be gone. Although at first sensual things delight, yet within a while they come to be used as necessaries, not as delights, the delightfulness is over, and yet they cannot be without them: in this, such are more miserable then other men, for those things that are superfluous to others, are necessary to them. The more things a man wants that he cannot be without, the more miserable he is. It is Gods infinite happiness, that he has need of nothing out of himself: and the less need a creature has of any thing out of its self, the nearer it comes to happiness: all their pleasurable things do but serve to make up that imperfection in them, which is not in others; their pleasures now are but to help against the diseases of Nature, now these cannot be so delightful as the true natural delights, that are surable to the principles of Nature, which others enjoy.
But secondly, they vanish from us presently: Solomon compares all the prosperity of the wicked to a candle; How soon is the candle of the wicked blown out? All are like a mountain, yea, like a little hill of snow, that melts away presently. Pleasure gives us a deadly wound, and is gone, it makes us miserable, and then it leaves us.
Eighthly, if they should not be soon gone from me, yet I must be soon gone from them. It were something if you mightest abide by them, and they abide with you, but within a while, you and all your pleasures together must vanish away, you must be dragged from them, if death draw the curtains and look in upon you, then you must bid a farewel to all; never laugh more, never have merry meetings more, never be in jollity more; All, All, now is gone, as the Pope Adrian said, when he was to dye, O my soul, whither goest you? you shall never jest it, sport it out more; when you shall be called to eternity, then all your delights will leave you, and bid you farewel for ever: if you should call to them, O now go with me, now I have most need of you; alas, they cannot, all now is but a shadow, but a dream that is passed away; Alas, I was made for eternity, and what good is it for me to have such pleasures for a season? What is it to be jocund, to trifle up and down a year or two, and there an end? O how doleful will this sound be to you, Your season is done, you have had your time, it is gone, it is past, and cannot be recalled!
And yet this is not the season neither, that should be for pleasure. Son, remember in your life time, you hadst your pleasure; it should not have been then: St. James, cap. 5. lays it as a great charge upon those in his time, that they lived in pleasure upon the earth; this is a charge of folly. This is a time for vertuous actions, to do the great business for which we were born. It is a notable expression we finde in that Tractate, in Plutarch's Morals, before quoted; he puts this case there: Suppose (says he) any man were to dye, and either God, or the King, who had power of his life, should lengthen it out one hour, that he might make use of that hour, either to do some famous action, or to spend it in pleasure, and when that hour is at an end, then to dye again; What is it like that this man would do? What, would he rather have his lust with Lais? (that was in those times a famous Whore) or would he rather drink strong and delightful Wine? or not rather do some famous exploit for his Countrey; as to slay Archias, and to deliver Athens? and he determines the case; I am persuaded, says he, no man in such a case, but would rather choose the latter: Surely our lives are in Gods hands, we know not whither so much as an hour be granted us or not, we may be gone to our long home the next hour; but what do we choose to do?
Certainly, did we know that our eternity depended upon this little uncertain time of our lives, we would not think sensual pleasures to be in season now; this time should be spent, in seeking to make our peace with God, to humble our souls, to get off the guilt of sin: this is a time of suing out our pardon, of mourning, of sorrow, and trouble of spirit, and not the time for jollity and fleshly delights. If a condemned man had two or three days granted him, that he might sue out his pardon, were that a time for pleasure? and sports? thus it is with you, the sentence of death is upon you, only a little uncertain time is granted you to get a pardon; know then what is your work you hast to do, and apply yourself to it.
And were it that you hadst your pleasure freely, it were another matter; but they must all be called for again and you must give a strict account for them all; Eccles. 11:19 Rejoyce O yong man in your youth, walk in the way of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes, live after your lusts, and do what you will; a thing that yong men love as their lives: it is an Ironical confession: but remember withal, there must be an account for these things; know then this is certain, it is no fancy, a conceit; know it, be throughly convinced of it, as a thing most certain: for all these things, there is not one merry meeting, not one hour spent in pleasure, yea, not one pleasurable act or thought, but an account must be given for it; God will bring you, though you be unwilling to come, yet you can not avoid it, God will bring you to judgement. You think such delights as you have, are no such things as God takes notice of, they are but matters of sport; you thinkest you hast liberty in them, to do what you listest, you shall never hear of them again; but assure yourself, God will bring you to judgement, to be examined, condemned and punished. Of all men, voluptuous men least think of judgement, they put far from them the evil day, Amos 6:2 but above all men, God has an eye upon them, to bring them to judgement, and therefore 2 Pet. 2. 9, 10. The Lord reserves the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished, but chiefly them that walk after the flesh, in the lust of uncleanness; mark, chiefly them; if it were possible for any to escape, it is impossible for you, for God looks at you chiefly. You now art riotous, and callest for all the delights you hast a mind to, but there comes a reckoning behinde that will damp all.
There are three heads, upon which the enquiry at the day of judgement will be concerning your pleasures.
First, What kinde of pleasures they were, whether wicked in their own natures, or not.
Secondly, What time was spent in them.
Thirdly, How far your heart was let out upon them.
Lastly, let the fearful end of these delightful things be considered. Those morsels which were so sweet in going down, they must come up again as bitter as gall: Job 20. 12, 13. Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under his tongue, though he spare it, and forsake it not, but keep it still within his mouth, yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of Asps within him. And Prov. 23. 31, 32. it is said of the wine that moveth its self, sparkling in the cup, at the last, it biteh like a Serpent, and stingeth like an Adder. The yong man that follows the enticings of the Whore, Prov. 7. 22, 23. He goes as an Ox to slaughter, and as a fool to the stocks, till a dart strike through his liver, he knows not that it is for his life. And cap. 5. ver. 11. he is said to mourn at the last, when his flesh and his body is consumed; and he cryes out, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof? and have not obeyed the voyce of my teachers, nor enclined mine ear to them that instructed me? Sensual pleasure leads to, and fits for destruction. Esay 5:14 Hell has enlarged her self, and opened her mouth without measure, he that rejoyceth shall descend into it: Job 21. 12, 13. They take the Timbrel and Harp, and rejoice at the sound of the Organ, they spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to hell.
The fish swim down pleasantly in Jordan, but fall at last into the dead sea: the black sea of eternal horror, is the conclusion of all these sweet delights. As Abner to Ioab, 2 Sam. 2:26 Knowest you not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? These are they who come to a fearful end, yea many times in this life; as Esay 50:11 Behold, all ye that kindle afire, that compass about yourselves with sparks, walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that you have kindled, this shall ye have of my hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow. You now frame a delightful life to yourself; well, walk in the light of your fire, enjoy your delight, satisfy yourselves in your own ways, but this shall you have of the Lord, You shall lie down in sorrow, yea, and that in proportion to your pleasure; Rev. 18:7 How much she has glorified her self, and lived deliciously, so much torment give her.
And how grievous will eternal pain be to you, who art now altogether for delight and pleasure? You can not now endure any sad thoughts, you cryest out, they make you melancholy; how will you endure the dismal thoughts of an accusing tormenting conscience everlastingly? those fearful gnawings of that never-dying worm that was bred in your sweet delights? Now your flesh is dainty, delicate and tender, it must lie soft, and fare deliciously, it must have all to satisfy it that can be devised; how will it endure those everlasting burnings? If after every intemperate draught, there should be a draught of scalding lead poured down, how grievous would it be? the end of your intemperate pleasures will be worse; for, as Iob 21:20 You shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty, and this shall be the portion of your cup, now you delightest in your long sittings at it, you shall drink of this eternally, those cursed delights in burning lusts, shall end in eternal burnings.
