Diseases of the Soul, Part 22
The Conclusion.
INnumerable are the bodies infirmities; introitus vnus, innumeri exi-tus, there being but one meanes of comming into the world, infinite of going out; and Sickenes is Deaths Leger▪ Ambassador. But they are few and scant, if compared to the souls; which being a better peece of timber, hath the more teredines breeding in it: as the fayrest flower hath the most Cantharides attending on it. The diuell loues the soule as the iewell, the body of the rinde or huske, as if it were without the other a dead commoditie, and would stinke in his hands. He cryes as the king of Sodome to Abrahrm, Da mihi animus▪ caetera cape tibi. If hee can corrupt this, hee knowes the other will fall to corruption of it selfe: for the soule workes by motion, the body but by action for the soules seruant. Now sathan was euer ambitious and will not care for the waiting Maide, if he may get the mistresse; or vseth the other but for his better conueyance and insinuation to this. And because it beares the narrow portraiture and image of that Creator hee emulates, this he seekes the more violently to deface. Let the body enioy the light and warmth of the Sunne, so hee can enwrap this in the cold clouds of darke night. A darke night indeed, wherein many soules do liue; hauing the little windowes or loope-holes of reason shadowed by the curtaines of fleshly lusts. Night is a sad, heauy, and vncomfortable time, to the vnresting body (a nurse of anguished thoughts at whose dugges sorrows and dreames lie continually sucking:) thinking eueryevery houre an Olympiade, till the Sunne ariseth: so is the soules darkenesse, if securitie hath not rocked asleepe; and custome (which is the apoplexy of bed-rid nature, and wicked life) obstupefied her; an vnquiet, turbulent, and peacelesse time: with such hurrying tempests within, that the body tumbles vponupon a soft bed, and after many experienced shiftings findes no ease.
There be three things, say Physicians, that grieue the body. First, the cause of sicknesse, a contranatural distemper, which lightly men bring on themselues, though the sediments rest in our sinne-corrupted nature. Secondly, sickenes it selfe. Thirdly, and the coincidents, that either fellow it, or follow it. In the soule there be three grieuances. First, originall prauitie, a naturall foreign, procliuitie to euil, contradiction to good. Secondly, actuall sinne, the maine sicknesse: Thirdly, and the concomitant effects, which are punishments corporall and spirituall, temporall and eternall. For all sinne makes worke; either for Christ, or Sathan: for Christ, to expiate by his bloud, and the efficacie of that once performed, euer auailable passion; or for the diuell, as Gods executioner to plague. Many remedies are giuen for many diseases: the sum is this; the best Physician is Christ Iesus, the best Physicke the Scriptures. Ply the one, fly to the other: let this teach thee, he must cure thee: that expresse image of his Fathers person, and brightnesse of his glory, in whom the graces of God shine without measure: oft hauehave you seene in one heauen I…b. 1. 3.many starres; behold in this Sonne, as in one starre many heauens: for in him dwelleth all fulnesse. let vsus flye by our faithful prayers to this Physician, and intreate him for that Colos. 1. 19.medicine, that issued out of his side, water and bloud, to cure all our spirituall maladies. Fusus est sanguis medici, vt fiat medicamentum aegroti. And when in mercy he hath cured vsus, let our dyet be a conuersation led after the canon of his sacred Truth: that whatsoeuer become of this fraile vessell, our flesh, floting on the waues of this world, the passenger our Soule may bee saued in the day of the Lord Iesus.
Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Adams, Diseases of the Soul (1616)