In the scale of being there is every plane of unfolding, from the unconscious to the divine consciousness; that is, there is every sphere of divine action and manifestation, from the monad to the highest angel, and consequently there are many degrees of love as the true impulse to action. It has its sphere in the plane of physical need, in the plane of intellectual and moral need, and in the plane of religious need; and it is exalted just in proportion as it approaches the absolute or divine.
As there is a true impulse belonging to every plane of unfolding, begetting the proper enjoyment in the conscious plane when its demand is properly complied with, so also is there every degree of lustful desire seeking gratification in every plane, differing in grossness according to the means by which it seeks its gratification.
Reflection will satisfy every truth-seeking mind that desire for self-gratification, as an impulse to action, has its basis in self; and, from its nature, makes itself the center of attraction, and becomes a sort of an absorbent, seeking self-appropriation; and whenever it makes an expenditure, it is with respect to that which is to return. And it never gives without the hope of receiving in return a full equivalent.
This principle of action is from its nature finite and antagonistic, upon the principle that that which it seeks to appropriate to its own benefit and make its own, can not at the same time be appropriated by another; and hence the desire of self-appropriation naturally leads the individual into antagonism with others.
This finite and selfish impulse is the very opposite of the infinity and unselfishness of the divine. Its imperfect and antagonistic rule of action can not harmonize with the perfection and harmonic action of the divine. As the finite in every respect is the negative and opposite of the infinite, so this finite impulse in the individual is in every respect the negative and opposite of the divine impulse. It is for this cause that there is such an antagonism between the principle of love and the principle of lust; an antagonism which must continue until the divine shall bring all into subjection—until the finite shall, in its principle of action, harmonize in the infinite, or until God shall become all in all.
Having already postulated that all true and legitimate desire in the individual has strict reference to the needs of the individual, independent of any promised gratification, and that the gratification incident to the supply of such needs was the measure of all true finite happiness, I now proceed to illustrate this truth by an appeal to the experience of all who hear me.
Happiness, in its general sense, is the fulfillment of desire. And the more complete is the fulfillment of every desire, the more complete is the happiness; and happiness can not be perfect until every desire is fulfilled. If in fulfilling the desire of one department of our being we neglect the needs and consequent demands of another, we may obtain temporary gratification, but it does not answer the full demand of our being so as to confer happiness. On the contrary, while we gratify a lust, we resist a true demand, and purchase gratification by disease and suffering.
The individual, ignorant or unmindful of the true demands of his being, and intent upon self-gratification, must forever fail of obtaining happiness, because in his lustful pursuit he does not heed the real demands of his entire being, and therefore he does not minister to their needs; and hence can not obtain ease and satisfaction. All pleasure-seekers can testify as they have testified, that their pleasures are more in anticipation than participation. Their happiness is in the future, and seldom if ever in the present. The time never comes when they find every desire gratified, and consequently they are never quite contented, therefore never quite happy. The very desire after happiness is that which defeats it. The finite belongs to the present; the past is his schoolmaster, teaching him in the present how to receive the future. His duties and needs are of to-day, and those which pertain to the morrow will come on the morrow, not before. “Sufficient unto the day are the evils thereof,” and sufficient unto the day are the duties and pleasures thereof. Man can not take being and existence by anticipation, neither can he take their true incidents in that way. All anticipations of pleasure by which the individual is made to live in the future, to the neglect of the present, are lustful and illegitimate, and antagonize with man’s true nature and destiny, and consequently tend to defeat true happiness. That this is so, all human experience affirms. That this must be so, the philosophy of true happiness demonstrates.
There is no room for controversy upon this point. It is most evident that true happiness can only flow to the finite by fulfilling the true desires of the finite, and that complete satisfaction can only take place when every true desire or demand is complied with.
Now it must follow that every true desire is indicative of a real need of the being in which it exists; and consequently when every need is supplied, every true desire must be gratified, and true happiness must be the result. And as every need has respect to that which pertains to the present, every true desire belongs to the present, and asks present fulfillment.