§ 1. The Nature and Qualities thereof.
AVersion is a passion apprehensive, disdain∣full of distastes, which is shut up as a snail in its shell, and hath no inclination to any thing in the world. Covetousnesse presenteth it many objects, to see if it can snare it with a bait; but it doth nothing but fly away, and turn the face to the other side: and albeit, it seems not to desire ought of all is offered unto it; it never∣thelesse coveteth good, but goes towards it by by∣paths, and flight from all that which seems opposite to its felicity.
Well, to understand the nature of this Passion, we must know, that as in motions of affections, there is first made in the soul a love wholly simple, which is an inclination and a complacence towards some object; from thence Desire is created, by which we consider the same object, not onely as good and convenient, but as a thing absent, and out of us, which we must endeavour to have, and to bring within our power: But if we have the good hap to possesse it, from thence joy ariseth, which is a perfect complacence, raised upon the possession of the thing desired. Likewise in passi∣ons which resist and oppose our heart; first, a simple hatred is created, which onely importeth an Antipathy, and a certain dissenting from the object, which the un∣derstanding proposeth to the will, as disagreeable or hurtfull: Thence we come to consider this object, either as farre distant, and hard to be avoided; and then Fear laies hold of our heart, or we behold it more near at hand, and very easie to be repelled, being wholly unable to make any great or strong impressions upon us, as Fear doth, and then it is properly called Aver∣sion: but if the evil happen to be present, it is a vexa∣tion and a trouble; and when it is past, there remains a horrour, which we call Detestation.
We may say, this passion which is disgusted with∣all, hath nothing so distastefull as it self. There you behold a soul oppressed, still apprehensive, still retired, and ever harsh; and as nothing pleaseth it, so easily it displeaseth all the world. If there be cause to name one, he will never call him by his name; but will say, of whom speak you? of that wretch? of that sluggard? of that miser? of that ignorant fellow? Or, if he hath some deformity of body; of that crooked piece? that crump-shoulder? of that unfortunate caitiffe, who is much duller then a winters-day, or the snows of Scythia? If a Book be to be censured; there is no∣thing worth ought in it, they are discourses and words ill placed. If merchandize be to be bought; the shop and store-houses of a merchant shall be turned over and over, and nothing found that gives contentment. If he be in his own house; he makes himself insup∣portable to his domesticks: this garment is ill made, this chamber ill furnished, this bed too hard, these dishes unsavoury; the wind at a door, the creaking of a casement, the crying of a child, the barking of a dog, all is troublesome to him. If a man of this con∣dition be to be married; there is not a maid in the world worthy of him, he must have one framed out of his own rib, as God did for the first Man: or suffer him to raise his love in imitation of Endymion and Caligula, up to the sphere of the Moon. But most especially, wo∣men of this humour are extremely troublesome; They have no small businesse to do, who are to find them out maid-servants and nurses; this is too rusticall, she hath nothing amiable in her eye, she speaks too big, her body is not slender enough; the other is a piece of flesh not worth ought: needs must she be perpetu∣ally upon change; and out of too much curiosity to meet with a good service, be the worst served of any woman in the world. Behold one distasted with pro∣fessions, conditions, and offices, all displeaseth him; Shall he become a Church-man? that seems a slavery to him: Shall he betake him to a sword? It is hazard∣ous: To an office? It costs too much: To traffick? Little is to be gotten: To a Trade? He cannot find a good one: Lastly, it troubleth him to be a man, and would gladly entertain the invention of Ovids Meta∣morphosis, to be transformed into some other kind of Creature. There are young wenches, who have much a-do with themselves: Shall they marry? There is not any match likes them; this man is unhandsome; that other is but simple; this man too way-ward; that, too melancholly; one, too wild; another hath not living enough; nor that other, good alliance; an Angel must be fetched out of heaven to marry them. In the mean time, some amorist learneth to dance his cinque-pace, and to powder and frizzle himself to please this coy piece, whom nothing contenteth but her own distastes. If, one the other side, this creature looks towards Reli∣gion; she will multiply her paces and visits, and will run over all the Monasteries, and find none to content her; one is too indulgent, and another too austere; the habit of this pleaseth, but the manner of living is distastefull; the flesh draweth upon one side, and the discipline drives away on the other, and her wavering mind can resolve on nothing, nor irresolve on nothing, but irresolution.
That admitted and established in this manner; I say there are two sorts of Aversion, the one whereof is tied to things, the other to persons, and both of them are of power much to disturb us, if we seasonably seek not to give remedy thereto in our most tender years before these dispositions wax old in us, and strengthen themselves to our prejudice. Now, I observe we may find very good remedies out of the consideration of the Divine proceedings of God, as I intend to let you see in the sequele of this discourse.