The Plain Mans Spiritual Plow, Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. The 4. part of the Soole is the Beame.
The manuring of the fl…ſh.THe Fourth parte of this ſacred Soole is Temo, that is the Beame, which ſtronglie beareth and holdeth all the other partes together: and noteth Macerationem carnis: the Macerating of the fleſh: that is, the extenuating, chaſtiſing, and humbling of the body, as that voluptuouſnes, and wanton luſts beeing allayed, the ſpirit may hauehave the more freedome & libertie in the true vſe of the ſenſes of the Soule, and made the apter to euerie vertue,1. Cor: 9.7. the which therefore, is eſteemed the ſtrength of the Soole. This vertue Paul exerciſed in himſelfe, when hee ſaide, I beate downe my body and bring it into ſubiection least by any meanes, after that I hauehave preached to others, I my ſelfe ſhould be reprooued: the meaning is, that hee kept a ſtraite dyer, and abſtained from ſuch things as might diſtemper his bodie. This hee ſaw to be needfull, for that hee perceiued the lawe of ſinne raigning in his members, prouoking him to inſolencie, pride, wicked luſtes, and naughtines. And leſt that Paul (as a man) ſhould hauehave bene negligent in this neceſſary dutie, hee teſtified againe, that the Lord permitted the meſſenger of Satan to buffet him: that is, God layd on him croſſes, afflictions, & many troubles, whereby (as vnderunder the rod or yoke of correction) hee might be humbled and kept within the bowndes of his dutie. The pampring of the proude fleſh bringeth manie enormities to the ſoule, and deſtruction to both body and ſoule. EueryEvery man (ſaith S. Iames) is tempted when hee is drawen away of his owne concupiſcence and is entiſed, then, Iam. 1.14.15. Gen. 6. Gen. 19. Ezec. 16. Deut: 3…. 1. Cor: 10.when lust hath conceiued, it bringeth foorth ſinne and ſinne, when it is finiſhed, bringeth fourth death. The olde worlde giuen to this ſinne, ſwayed therin & were drowned: Sodom and Gomorra for the ſame, were burned to cinders: the Iſraelites beeing full, forgot God and were plagued in the wildernes. Baltazar in his gluttonous feaſt, could not repent, though he ſaw the handwriting on the wall, but he was deſtroyed: thoſe two rich men mentioned in the Goſpell by S. Luke, Luke. 12, & 16.beeing full, would neither pitie the pore, nor amend their liues, and ſo they were taken away in their ſinnes. Moreouer, the verie godlie hauehave by this enemy, as domeſticall, bene annoyed and endangered:Gen, 9.19. Noah being full of wine, lay ſhamefully vncouered: & Lot, beeing drunken with wine, committed inceſt with his owne daughters. Dauid in his fulnes and pompe, doated on Bethſabe Vrias wife, and committed murther and adulterie, whereof followed many plagues & troubles. And ſurely, they which are (Somno vino que Sepulti) ouercome with ydlenes and wine, hauehave not onelyonly their cogitations blinded, but are fed as Oxen, fatted for the ſlaughter. CHRIST therfore, to diſſwade men frō this ſin, & to perſwade them to the true vſe of the Plough-beam, being the very ſtrength of Mortification, and the way to ſafety, thus exhorteth; Take heed that your hearts be not ouercome with ſurfeitting and dronkennes, and ſo the day of the Lord come vpō you vnawares. Again, Watch & pray, test yee enter into temptation, for the ſpirite is willing, but the fleſh is weake: meaning that the fleſh hauing his will, is an hinderance to the good motions & deſires of the Spirite, and therefore wee ſhould not pamper ſuch an enemy. Againe, there is a Diuell which poſſeſſing the hearts of the voluptuous perſons goeth not out, but by faſting and prayer. S. Paul condemneth pampering of the fleſh, as a worke of darknes, in the which the Diuell dominiers to deſtroye: and therefore Saint Peter, diſſwading men from this danger, exhorteth them to be Sober and Watch. In and by the which, as wee ſee the daunger of voluptuouſnes and carnall luſtes: ſo are wee taught the true vſe of Pieties Beame, and perſwaded to the ſame for our owne good. The Phiſitians when they be willing to extenuate men after repletions or corrupt humors of body,The order of extenuation of ſinnes. Phiſitian. preſcribe ſomtimes ſweatings, ſometimes vomits, ſometimes diets, ſometimes vnctions, ſomtimes minutions, ſometimes cauterizings, ſometimes glyſters: ſometimes exerciſes, ſomtimes watchings, ſomtimes potions. In like ſort the ſinner which is ſpiritually diſtempered with the repletion & corruption of ſinne, requireth all theſe pointes of ſpirituall medicine, as whereby he may be macerated and prepared for health. The ſweatings are Agonies, ſorowes, and teares: the vomits are confeſſions: the dyets are abſtinences and faſtinges: the vnctions are prayers: the minutions are Almeſ-deedes: the Cauterizings are perſecutions and troubles: the glyſteres are the remiſſion of many iniuries: the exerciſes are lawfull labours, and workes of our vocation: the watchings are waking to vertues, and the withſtanding of carnall luſts: the potions are the worde of God, and the Croſſe of Chriſt, which are called the water of life, and the cuppe whereof Chriſt himſelfe drancke with his Apoſtles: Thus hath the Phyſitian taught vsus to macerate the fleſh.The good wife teacheth ſinners the order of Mortification.
The like Simbole is taken from the good wife in the allaying of her potte, which beeing on the fire beginneth to boyle ouer.
Firſt, ſhee vncouereth the pot.
Next, if that help not, ſhe in all the haſt bloweth on the liquor.
Thirdly, ſhe caſteth in Salt.
Fourthly, ſhee allayeth it with colde water.
Fiftly, ſhee ſtirreth it with the Ladle.
Sixtly, ſhee with-draweth the fire: and laſtly, when no waye elſe ſerueth, ſhee remooueth the pot from the fire.
In like ſorte, the ſinner ſwelling in repletion, and ready to break out into the effects of voluptuouſnes, is aduiſed:
Firſt, to acknowledge and confeſſe his ſinnes.
2. To pray to God for aſſiſtance.
3. To hearken to the worde of God, and to feare his Iudgements.
4. Applye that which is contrarie to the humour or cauſe of the ſinne.
5. To bee diligent in ſome honeſt labour of exerciſe.
6. To abſtaine from the voluptuouſneſſe of meates and drinkes: and 7. To withdrawe our ſelues from all thoſe occaſions of our ſickneſſe and daunger.
All theſe things require a meet amplification, from the which I am reſtrained through my deſire of breuity to auoide tediouſnes. Surely this is that ſtrong Beame, without the which, the beſt man on the earth often falleth, and is annoyed, as king Dauid and king Salomon, yea, as Noah and Lot did, being repleniſhed with wine and fleſhly ſecuritie. Therefore, as we ſhould hearken to the good counſaile of our SAVIOVR and his Apoſtles, ſo ſhould we pray to the LORD with Agur, Lord giuegive me not Pouertie, nor Riches: feede me with foode conuenient for me: lest I be full and denie thee: and ſay, Who is the Lorde?