Diseases of the soule a discourse diuine, morall, and physicall. By Tho. Adams.

Inflammation of the reines, or lustful∣nesse. Disease 7.

AMong many diseases incident to the reines, as the Diabetes, vlcers, the stone there, and the emission of bloudy vrine, there is one called inflammation of the reines. To this not vnfitly, by comparing the causes, Symptomes, and cure of either, I doe liken Lust: the Scripture cals it by a generall name, Vncleannesse. Couetousnes is commonly the disease of old age, Ambition of middle age, Lust of youth: if it extends further, it portends lesse helpe.

Causes.

THe Causes of the bodily disease are giuen to be. First, corrupt humours. Secondly, drinking of many medi∣cines. Thirdly, vehement ridings. Consider these in our comparison, and tell me, if they sound not a similitude. There is corruptio perdita, whence comes eruptio pestifera. Prouocatur libido, vbi deficit; reuocatur, vbi desinit. Medicines are inuented, not to qualifie, but to calefie; as if they inten∣ded to keepe aliue their concupiscence, though they dead their conscience.

Signes and Symptomes.

THe Signes are many. There is a beating paine about the first ioynt of the backe, a little aboue the bastard

ribs, &c. with others, which modestie bids couer with the cloke of silence. The Lustfull man is a monster; as one that vseth,

Humano capiti ceruicem iungere equinam.

He affects Popery for nothing else, but the patronage of fornication, and frankenesse of Indulgence. Hee cites Harding frequently, that common Courteghians in hote coun∣treys, are a necessary euill: which hee beleeues against Gods expresse prohibition, in a hoter climate then Italie. There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel: then certainely no whore-master. He thinks it; if a sinne, yet peccadillo, a lit∣tle sinne; and that the venereall faults are veniall, at least venall. Thus he would be a Bawd to the sinne, if not to the sinners. He is carelesse of his owne name, of his owne soule: iniurious to his own minion, whom he corrupts: to his ba∣stard, whom he brings vp like himselfe. He increaseth man∣kind, not for loue to the end, but to the meanes. His soule is wrapped in the trusse of his senses; and a whore is the Communis terminus, where they all meete. Hee hath no command ouer his owne affections, though ouer coun∣treys; as our moderne Epigrammatist of Hercules.

Lenam non potuit, potuit superare leaenam; Quem fera non valuit vincere, vicit hera.

His practice is, as it is sayd of some Tobacchonists, to drie vp his purse, that he may drie vp his bloud, and the radicall moisture.

Nil nisi turpe iuuat, curae est sua cui{que} voluptas; Haec quo{que} ab alterius grata dolore venit.

The delight of his wickednesse is the indulgence of the present, for it indures but the doing. He neuer rests so con∣tentedly, as on a forbidden bed. Hee is a felonious pick∣locke of Virginities, and his language corrupts more in∣nocent truth, then a bad Lawyers. Hee is an Almanack from eighteene to eight and twenty; if hee scapes the fire so long. He can neuer call his haires and his sinnes e∣quall; for as his sins increase, his haires fal. He buyes admis∣sion

of the Chambermaid with his first fruits. He liues like a Salamander in the flames of lust, and quencheth his heat with fire; and continues his dayes vnder Zona Torrida. He spends his forencone with Apothecaries; the afternoon of his daies with Surgions: the former beget his miserie, the latter should cure it. Euery rare female, like a wan∣dring Planet, strikes him: hence he growes amazed. His eyes are the trap-dores to his hart; and his lasciuious hopes sucke poyson from the fairest flowre. Hee drownes him∣selfe in a womans beauty, which is Gods good creation, as a melancholy distracted man in a Crystall riuer. When conscience plucks him by the sleeue, and would now after much importunacy speake with him, he bids her meet him at fifty: hee chargeth repentance attend him at master Doctors. When his lifes sunne is ready to set, he marries, and is then knocked with his owne weapon: his owne dis∣ablenesse, and his wiues youthfulnesse, like bels ringing all in. Now his common theme is to bragge of his young sinnes; and if you credit his discourse, it shall make him farre worse then hee was. At last, hee is but kept aboue ground by the art of Chirurgery.

Cure.

FOr his cure, let him bloud with the law of God: Thou shalt not commit adultery. That the righteous God tryeth the heart and the reines: euen the place, where his disease lyeth. That

Si Renum cupis incolumem seruare salutem, Sirenum cantus effuge, sanus eris.

That breuis est voluptas fornicationis, perpetua poena fornicato∣ris: the pleasure of the sinne is short, the punishment of the sinner eternall. That

Nuda Uenus picta est, nudi pinguntur amores: Nam, quos nuda capit, nudos amittat oportet.

That his desired cure, is his deserued poyson. Age and

sleepe are his infalliblest Physicians. Disease is the morti∣fier of his sinne, and cures it with an issue. That no black shield of the darkest night, no subtill art can hide or de∣fend from Gods impulsiue sight. That, as a moderne Poet of ours:

Ioy grauen in sense, like snow in water wasts. Without conserue of vertue nothing lasts.

That hee walkes the high-way to the diuell; and Windes downe the blinde staires to hell. That as it is called a no∣ble sinne, it shall haue a noble punishment. That he hath taken a voyage to the kingdome of darknesse; and is now at his iournies end, when lust leaues him ere he discharge it. Let him obserue S. Pauls medicine: Fly fornication: Euery sinne that a man doth, is without the body: but hee that committeth fornication sinneth against his owne body. And This is the will of God, euen your sanctification, and that yee should abstaine from fornication. Let him shunne Opportuni∣ty as his Bawde, and Occasion as his Pandar. Let him of∣ten drink that potion, that Augustine at his conuersion. Let vs walke honestly as in the day time, not in rioting and drunken∣nesse, not in chambering and wantonnesse, &c. But put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ, and make not prouision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. Phisicians prescribe, for the reines inflam∣mation, cooling things, cataplasmes, bathes, &c. A speci∣all intention to cure this burning concupiscence, is to coole it with the teares of penitence. Weepe for thy sins; and if the disease growe still strong vpon thee, take the an∣tidote God hath prescribed, Marriage. It is better to mar∣rie then to burne. Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed vndefiled: but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will iudge. Much exercise doth well to the cure of this Inflammation. When our affections refuse to sit on the nest of Lust, and to keepe it warme, the brood of actuall follies will not be hatched. How Aegistus (not without companie) became an Adulterer,

In promptu causa est, desidiosus erat. For.

Otia si tollas, periere Cupidinis arcus.

Cupid shootes in a slugge, and still hits the sluggish. This intemperate fire is well abated by withdrawing the fewel. Delicates to excite Lust, are spurres to post a man to hell. It is fasting spettle, that must kill his tetter. Uncleannesse is the bastard begot of Gluttony and Drunkennesse. Sine Ce∣rere & Baccho friget Uenus. When the mouth is made a tunnell, and the belly a barrell, there is no contentment without a bed and a bed-fellow.

Notes

• Hor.
• Deut. 23. 17
• Owen Epigr.
• Amor. 1.
• Psal. 7. 9.
• Owen Epig.
• Ieron.
• 1. Cor. 6. 8.
• 1. Thes. 4. 3.
• Confes. lib. 8. cap. 12. Rom. 13. 13.
• 1. Cor. 7. Heb. 13. 4.