Diseases of the Soul, Part 4
Inconstancie, a kinde of staggers. Disease. 2.
THere is a Disease in the Soule called Inconstancie, not vnfitly shadowed to vsus by a bodily infirmity, possessing the superiour part of man, vertigo, a swimming in the head, a giddinesse, or the Staggers. The disease in the body is described to bee an astonishing and dusking of the eyes and spirits, that the Patient thinkes all that he seeth to turne round, and is sodainly compassed with darknes. The paralel to it in the Soule, is Inconstancie, a motion without rule, a various aspect, a diuersifying intention. The Inconstant man is like a Pour contrell; if hee should change his apparell so fast as his thought, how often in a day would he shift himselfe? He would be a Proteus too, and vary kinds. The reflection of eueryevery news melts him, whereof he is as soone glutted. As he is a Noune, hee is only adiectiue, depending on eueryevery nouel perswasion: as a Verbe, he knowes only the Present Tense. To day hee goes to the Key to bee shipped for Rome, but before the Tyde come, his tyde is turn'd. One party thinke him theirs, the aduerse theirs: he is with both, with neither, not an howre with himselfe. Because the Birds & Beasts be at controuersie, he will be a Batte, and get him both wings and teeth. He would come to heauen, but for his halting: two opinions (like two Water-men) almost pul him a-pieces, when he resolues to put his iudgement into a Boat, and goe somewhither; presently he steps backe, and goes with neither. It is a wonder, if his affections, being but a little luke-warme water, do not make his religion stomack-sicke. Indifferencie is his ballast, and Opinion his sayle: he resolues, not to resolue. He knowes not what he should hold; hee knowes not what hee doth hold. He opens his mind to receiue motions, as one opens his palme to take a handful of water; he hath very much, if he could hold it. He is sure to dye, but not what religion to dye in; he demurres like a posed Lawyer, as if delay could remoue some impediments. He is drunk when he riseth, and reeles in a morning fasting. He knowes not whether he should say his Pater noster in Latine, or English; and so leaues it and his prayers vnsayd. Hee makes himselfe ready for an appointed feast; by the way hee heares of a Sermon, he turnes thitherward, yet betwixt the Church gate, and Church dore, hee thinkes of businesse and retires home againe. In a controuerted point hee holdes with the last reasoner hee either heard or read, the next diuerts him; and his opinion dwels with him, perhaps so long as the teacher of it is in his sight. He will rather take drosse for gold, then trie it in the fornace. Hee receiues many iudgements, retaines none, embracing so many faiths, that he is little better then an Infidell.
Causes.
THey giuegive a double cause of this disease in the bodie; either the distemperature and euil affectednesse of the braine; or an offence giuen to it from the mouth of the stomack: vapours, grosse and tough humours, or windy exhalations, either lodging in the braine, or sent thither from the stomack, turning about the animall spirits: hence the braine staggers with giddinesse. This spirituall Inconstancie ariseth from like causes. If it be in religion, it proceeds from cloudy imaginations, fancies, fictions, and forced dreames, which keepe the mind from a sober and peacefull consideratenesse. Multitude of opinions, like foggy vapours, mist the intellectuall faculty, and like reuerberated blastes whirle about the spirits. Hee sees some Ceremoniall deuisions in our Church, and therefore dares not stedfastly embrace that truth, which both parts without contention teach and obserue. So leaues the blessing of his mother, because hee beholds his brethren quarrelling: whiles he sees the vnreconcileable opposition of Rome and vsus, which he fondly labours to atone, he forsakes both, and will now be a Church alone. Thus his brest is full of secret combates, contradictions, affirmations, negatiues, and whiles he refuseth to ioine with others, he is diuided in himselfe: And yet will rather search excuses for his vnstayednesse, then ground for his rest. He lothes Manna after two dayes feeding, and is almost weary of the Sunne for perpetuall shining. If the Temple pauements be euer worne with his visitant feete, hee will runne farre to a new Teacher: and rather then be bound to his owne parish, he will turne Recusant. He will admire a new Preacher, till a quarter of the sand is out; but if the Church dores bee not locked vp, he cannot stay out the houre: what he promiseth to a Collection to day, he forgets, or at least denies the next morning. His best dwelling would be his confined chamber, where his irresolution might trouble nothing, but his pillow. In humane matters, the cause of his variablenesse is not varied, but the object. Hee is transformable to all qualities, a temperd lumpe of waxe to receiue any forme, yet no impression stickes long vponupon him. he holds it the quicknesse of his wit, to be voluble.
Signes and Symptomes.
THe signes of this disease in the body, are a mist and darkenesse, comming vponupon eueryevery light occasion. If hee see a wheele turning round, or a whirle-poole, or any such circular motion, he is affected with giddinesse. The Symptomes of the Spirituall Staggers are semblable. Hee turnes with those that turne, and is his neighbours Chameleon. He hates staiednesse as an earthen dulnesse. He prosecutes a businesse without feare or wit; and reiecting the patience to consult, falls vponupon it with a peremptory heat: but like water once hot, is soonest frozen, and instantly he must shift his time and his place; neither is hee so weary of eueryevery place, as cuery place is weary of him. He affects an obiect with dotage, and as superstitiously courts, as an Idolator his guilded block: but it is a wonder, if his passionate louelove out-liue the age of a wonder, 9. daies. He respects in all things noueltie aboue goodnesse; and the childe of his owne braines, within a weeke hee is ready to iudge a Bastard. Hee salutes his wits after some inuented toy, as a Seruing-man kisseth his hand, when instantly on another plots arising, hee kickes the former out of dores. He puls downe this day what hee builded the other, now disliking the site, now the fashion, and sets men on worke to his owne vndoing. Hee is in his owne house, as his thoughts in his owne braine, transient guests: like a Haggard, you know not where to take him. He hunts well for a gird, but is soone at a losse. If hee giues any profession a winters entertainment, yet hee is whether for a penny the next Spring. He is full of businesse at Church, a stranger at home, a Scepticke abroad, an obseruer in the street, eueryevery where a foole. To conclude, their owne vnfaithfulnesse making the Inconstant thus sick, there is an accession of the Lords plague; he addes dotage as a punishment of wilfull dotage. The Lord hath mingled a peruerse spirit in the Esay 19. 14.midst thereof: and they hauehave caused Egypt to erre in eueryevery worke thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.
Cure.
FOr the curing of this bodily infirmity, many remedies are prescribed: odoriferous smels in weaknesse, the opening of a veine in better strength, cupping glasses applyed to the hinder part of the head, with scarification, gargarismes and sternutatory things, together with setting the feet in hot bathes, &c. To cure this Spirituall Staggers, let the Patient bee purged with Repentance for his former vnsetlednesse: let him take an ounce of Faith to firme his braines; let his repose be on the Scriptures, and thence fetch decision of all doubts; let a skilfull Physician order him, a good Minister. Let him stop his eares to rumours, and fixe his eyes on Heauen, to bee kept from distracting obiects. Let him keepe the continuall dyet of Prayer, for the Spirit of illumination; and thus he may be recouered.