men aswell as of Angels they somtimes proceed to conceive and maintaine prodigious Paradoxes and erroneous fancies But wee are to know that while wee are in this life It is very fair good lawfull and commendable for us to learn well to play the parts of a Man yea it is a divine knowledge in a religious and vertuous manner rightly and duly to governe use and enjoy both the pleasures of the minde and of the body also and not to renounce the meanest of them but in their good use freely to enjoy them to which Nature provokes us Reason also excites us yea Religion and God himself exhorts us All which I shall endevour to shew as plainly as I may We must consider wee have bodies aswell as souls which require due refreshments recreations and pleasures to which every man findeth in himself a naturall appetite and desire yea necessity compels us therunto wee could not subsist nor live without these And Nature willeth very wisely that these actions which it hath enjoyned us for our necessity be also delightfull inviting us therunto not onely by appetite but by reason What greater folly is there and more against reason aswell as nature to account our actions vitious because they are naturall unworthy because necessary and pleasant It is indeed contrary to Iustice to be too defective stoicall and rigid on the one side As to be too excessive and superfluous on the other So that as wee ought not to take such pleasure in earthly things as to prejudice the health and safety of our bodies and mindes by excesse and abuses so wee ought not also to take so little pleasure therin as to hinder the welfare therof through defect In such sort as wee must not disallow and reprove naturall and convenient pleasures as wee do those which are impious vitious and superfluous but rather greatly commend the same for as much as that reasonable meane may be observed therin which is good and commendable in all things And so without question that delectation which proceedeth from the temperate and good use of pleasures is to be enjoy'd freely and â—heerfully And it is also reason that the minde should partake with the body of such naturall pleasures which are just good and convenient These two the body and the minde are as it were married together it is against reason not well done to divide and separate this naturall conjunction but rather wee should renew the same by mutuall offices The Spirit ought to quicken and revive the dull heavy body The body also should stay and allay that strange unnaturall prodigious proud extravagant lightnesse of the spirit The Spirit should assist and favour the body as the husband the wife And not reject it nor hate it It should not abandon the body and refuse the naturall pleasures therof which are due convenient just lawfull and moderate such as befits the Marriage that is between them It seemeth unnaturall Presumption Pride and Folly so to do contrary to right and reason It should aâ—her in all cases assist the body to mayntaine it alwayes in due order And as Nature and Reason so also Religion commendeth yea willeth and commandeth the enjoyment of earthly happinesse within the bounds of Temperance and Vertue It is true indeed Religion exhorts and commands us to avoid intemperance and abuses herein and to use them well But herein it doth greatly increase our happinesse even on earth for as hath been shewed a multitude of restlesse desires cares feares distempers anguish and miseries proceed from all vice and impiety even in this World And no men on earth live more pleasantly healthfully prosperously and happily then the contented temperate vertuous gracious man So that Religion greatly addes to our free enjoyance of Terrestriall happinesse in directing us to avoid the abuses therof and to use the same well And in such good use it commendeth willeth and commandeth the enjoyance therof freely and cheerfully And greatly blameth such as forbid and teach the contrary To instance in some places of the sacred Scriptures Thou shalt rejoyce in every good thing which the Lord thy God hath given thee Thou and the Levite and the stranger that is among you Deut. 26.11 Because the Lord thy God shall blesse thee in all thy increase and in all the work of thy hands therfore thou shalt surely rejoyce Deut. 16.5 Behold that which I have seene saith the Preacher It is good and comely for a man to eat and to drink and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the Sun all the days of his life which God giveth him for it is his portion Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth and hath given him power to eate thereof and to take his portion and to rejoyce in his labour This is the gift of God He shall not much remember the days of his life because God answereth him in the joy of his heart Eccles. 5.18 19 20. Rejoyce in the wife of thy youth Let her be unto thee as the pleasant Hind loving Roe rejoyce in her love continually saith Solomon Pro. 5.17 Now the Spirit speaketh expresly saith Saint Paul That in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils speaking lyes in hypocrisie having their consciences feared with a hot iron forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth for every creature if God is good and nothing to be refused of it be received with thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer 1 Tim. 4.2 3 4 5. By these few instances amongst divers others which might be added it appeares that we may freely and cheerfully enjoy these earthly happinesses and that such as forbid or deny the same are greatly to be blamed The rather because as Saint Paul signifieth in the forenamed place to Timothy That God hath created them to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth God himself is the Author of these Riches and honour come from God saith King Solomon and the blessing of the Lord maketh rich He created saith Moses the Paradise of pleasure wherin hee planted man They are Gods gifts saith the Wife man and ordained of him which appears also by their variety and pleasantnesse not only for necessitie but for lawful and moderate delight Eccles 5.18 19. And therfore if well used are to be esteemed as his gifts and blessings Also they may serve to many excellent uses as hath been said in the former Section even to increase in us heavenly joy and happinesse also of which I intend to write in the last Section And therfore in all these respects it appeares That such as use these terrestriall Felicities with moderate delectation to the glory of God and so to good ends are better to be reputed then such
about to break this marriage doe endevour 〈◊〉 disunite that which Reason and Nature haâ— joyned together Whence it may be inferr'd that super fluiâ— which is vain and vitious in all things being 〈◊〉 chewed we may not disdain freely and cheerfuâ—ly to enjoy these earthly Pleasures Recreatioâ— and Felicities which God himself hath ordaine to be naturall necessary and pleasant and delâ—ctable to us Secondly in respect that they are the gifts anâ— blessings of God ordained and created for oâ— good use enjoyance which he lovingly offers up to our good use acceptance yea commends commands the good use and enjoyancâ— therof as appears in the former Section Therefore to be well esteemed even as his gifts anâ— blessings and in their good use to be enjoyed freely and cheerfully Thirdly they are to be well esteemed as serving to many excellent uses to Gods glory And therin to the good of our selves and others Naturall as the mayntenance of our bodies and mindes in due temper and supernaturall insomuch as they may be an occasion greatly to encrease our heavenly joy and happinesse Of which I purpose to write particularly in the last Section So as although in comparison of the heavenly â—â—licities these of the earth are vaine short and â—â—ansitory and with the same not worthy to be â—â—mpared yet without such comparison and in â—espect of our nature and necessities And for as â—uch as they are Gods gifts and blessings comâ—ended and commanded to be received and enâ—oyed And since many good uses may be made â—hereof to the increase of our happinesse both â—ere and in Heaven Therefore they are to be â—njoyed And such as either through ignorance â—eevishnesse or Superstition do neglect and reuse the enjoyance of these earthly blessings â—n their good use are to be censured and â—lamed The abstract of the fifth SECTION THose souls which raised are above the skie To heavenly glory to Eternitie In contemplations do most certainly Account earths joyes but even as vanity In such comparison they truly deem All earthly joys not worthy their esteem While as their happy souls do thus aspire To heavenly joys with flaming sweet desire They do forget the earth and being above Themselves inflam'd with heavenly joy and love They are so rapt in sweet delights that even They seem to taste already joys of heaven So while their souls are rais'd above the Skie They seem to tread down very generously All earthly joys beneath their feet as vain Not worthy their esteem Their glorious aime And surely no comparison can be Twixt earthly times and heavens eternitie But though in such comparison certainly The greatest earthly joys are vanity Yet in themselves and also in respect Of us and our necessities to neglect And disesteem them truly were a crime In such respect they are in worth and time To be regarded Yea to us they are given By God himself as tokens sent from heaven Not onely for necessity but delight Which doth appear because unto our sight And all our sences they afford variety Of delectations even to satiety Beyond necessity and therfore they Which superstitiously refuse to enjoy What God himself hath freely kindly given Are worthy blame though Saints and heirs of heaven This is not all he doth not onely give them But lovingly commands us to receive them So as without abuses and annoyance In their good use and moderate enjoyance And also in such joy they may invite Attract encourage quicken and excite Vs unto all good actions and to raise Our souls to God himself to heavenly joys From whence these spring and so to taste to finde Pleasures of heaven on earth within our minde So though earths joys be vain and transitory Yet may we therof make us crowns of glory The sixt Section Wee may enjoy earthly Happinesse notwithstanding their dangers c. ALthough it be most certain there are many dangers and impediments in earthly Riches Honours and Pleasures yet these may be avoided so câ—nverted to our Felicity in as much as to eschew and overcome them or to endevour so to do is acceptable to God and by him rewarded And since they are to us naturall necessary commended and commanded by Reason and Religion it self as Gods creatures gifts and blessings to be enjoyed in their good uses which are many as hath bin shewed their dangers and impediments hinder not but wee may enjoy them in their good use freely and cheerfully But they which would mayntain the contrary truly tell us First That earthly Riches Honour and Pleasures are dangerous disposing us to Covetousnesse Ambition Intemperance and sundry vices But wee may truly answer Although these earthly Felicities be dangerous disposing us to such vices This is no sufficient reason to divert us from the good use of them It is absurd to say A man may not use a Knife because some have cut their fingers therewith So to say wee ought not to desire Riches Honor Pleasures in a moderate manner And so in their good use freely to enjoy them because they are an occasion that some men fall into Covetousnesse Ambition Intemperance and other vices is an insufficient Reason The affections as one saith Are the nerves and sinews of the soule They serve to contract to slacken to lift up to lay down to stirre and settle the same whersoever it will even as the body is moved and removed by its ligaments wherefore they are to be preserved and moderated not taken away and utterly destroyed We are to imitate in this a well experienced Horsman who for to tame and manage well his horse will not take from him agilitie and courage but endevours especially to bring him to run to turn to rise to curvet and to stand how and when it pleaseth him and not according to the horses will even so when wee perceive our affections inclining to stubborne disobedience we ought rather to correct and reform the same with reason and judgement then wholly to mortifie and extinguish them And although the Riches Honour and Pleasures of the earth be dangerous temptations to evill Yet for a man not be ill where he hath no provocations therunto is lesse commendable and deserving then to be good in the midst of dangers and temptations Insomuch that if we can make a good use even of these dangers and temptations by overcomming or endevouring to overcome them for God that accepts the will for the deed will lovingly accept of our good wishes endevours and his Power is made perfect in our weaknesse and infirmities as S. Paul saith the same shall then convert to our good and advancement we shal be greatly rewarded in heaven for such conquest and endevours in such good use therfore even of these dangers we may take Saint James exhortation Count it all joy saith he when ye fall into divers temptations But it is further objected to this purpose by such as would deny this truth They truly tell us That we are
exhorted in Gods sacred Word to forsake hate and overcome the World and wee may also truly answer That surely it is not ment therin by forsaking and hating the World that wee should goe live in a Monastery forsweare Marriage Vow wilfull Poverty refuse lawfull meats moderate and expedient Recreations and the like But rather in the same sense as wee are exhorted to forsake hate father mother wife children c. That is for Christs sake and the Gospels rather then forsake him and goodnesse By forsaking hating and overcomming the World is meant the dangers abuses and evils therof certainly not the good things therin in a superstitious manner These as hath bin said may be enjoyed notwithstanding their vanities and dangers in their good use freely and cheerefully To contemne overcome and be above the World is indeed a brave proposition and many there be who glory to discourse therof Though perchance they scarce know what it is much lesse practice it The world is often dangerous and wanton in a corner in solitarines in idlenes and in those places and actions where some men make profession of flying from it and trampling it underfoot which is meant of Hypocrites who have so much degenerated from their beginning That there remayneth almost nothing but the habit And that also serveth to puffe them up to make them proud and impudent which is quite contrary to their Institutions But to contemne the use the service the commodity and therin the enjoyance and pleasures of the World what accusation is it against Nature that invites us against Reason that wils us therunto yea against the Author that made them to these ends What ingratitude is it to refuse that which God lovingly offers To sequester our selves from the company of the World and from the enjoying of earthly things because of their dangers proceeds as a Reverend Divine saith from a weak base and distrustfull minde as if we would so force goodnesse upon our selves That therfore onely wee would be good because we cannot be ill but for a man to know the highest of worldly contentments To live in the throng of the World and yet to be above it to use it enjoy it contemne it as he pleases to compell it to his service without infection well becomes the noble courage of a Christian No man indeed can serve two masters we cannot serve God and Mammon Let us then make the World our slave onely God our master It is true indeed then to be servants to the World It is better to goe out of it but to use it as a Master compelling it to our service in all good ways without abuses as it is more difficult then to sequester our selves from it so is it also more victorious and shall be an occasion of greater triumphs and brighter Crowns in Heaven The abstract of the sixt SECTION ALthough 't is certain that terrestriall treasures Honour and greatnesse also earthly pleasures Do greatly tempt us unto covetousnesse Ambition all intemperate vitiousnesse Yet in good use therof we freely may The greatest pleasures therof still enjoy When our affections unto ill incline We ought with reason and with grace divine Such ill desires to conquer and to quell It is more prayse and glory to do well In midst of great temâ—tations then to be Otherwise good for meer necessity And as the danger 's greater we shall be The more rewarded for such victory Wheras to sequester our selves for fear Into a Monastery or forbear Things lawfull as expeâ—ient recreation Which may and ought with moderate delectation Be us'd because of dangers doth proceed Out of a weak distrustfull minde indeed But for a man to know the highest joy The world affords and yet without annoy To live therin and as a Master use The same in all respects without abuse And can even as he list the world compell Vnto his service and even then do well In midst of great temptations surely he In heaven with brightest glory crown'd shall be The seventh Section Wee may enjoy earthly Felicities notwithstanding their impements c. SVch men as object against the free and cheerfull enjoyance of earthly Felicities do truly tell us That the enjoyance and use of earthly happinesse doth often hinder us in the attainment and also enjoyment of supernaturall and heavenly things But we may also truly answer are to know That it is indeed onely the abuses of these Pleasures and Felicities that hinder us therin otherwise in their good vse They may serve as spectacles to seeth by the more cleerly into heaven and may further us in all good heavenly ways They may stirre us up to thankfulnesse and to all duties of pietie encrease our love to God and joy in him They may be notable encouragements to do more worthily and to go on more cheerfully in the ways of God and in such good use they may be sweet and pleasant additions to our hope of heaven And by viewing and enjoying these wee may look higher to their Fountain contemplating the excellency sweetnesse and beauty of the Creator who is infinitely more excelling and so in some measure espie and enjoy the Felicities of heaven also while we are on earth but of this more at large in the next Section And therfore in their good use wee may enjoy them freely and cheerefully But such as would mayntaine the contrary do further object to this purpose more particularly The most materiall Objections I shall endevour to collect briefly and so to answere them They truly tell us First that Abstinence and forbearance of pleasures doth best fit and prepare the minde for the well performance of all divine Exercises and Contemplations Secondly that many ill men possesse and enjoy these e rthly Felicities and many good men want them which shews say they the same are hinderances in goodnesse Thirdly that our Saviour saith It is hard for a rich man to enter into heaven And Saint Paul Not many mighty not many noble are called and that the mourners the meek and dejected spirits are rather pronounced blessed in Gods Word then voluptuous men All which I shall endevour to answer briefly Concerning the first That fasting and forbearance of pleasures fits and prepares the minde for divine Exercises It is most true and it is very requisite and good that we fast pray repent be abstemious and exercise our selves in all Christian duties so far as we may conveniently without superstition as wee are exhorted therunto And God forbid that I should be guilty of speaking against due and convenient fasting abstinence and therin retirednesse from pleasures of the World to divine Contemplations which at due and convenient times is certainly most pleasing to God And very beneficiall both to body and minde disburthening the same of many grosse humours vapours and spirits and so taking away sloth dulnes many distempers making our minds as farre as is possible in this World like Angels most free quick and sprightly in