Diseases of the soul a discourse divine, moral, and physical. By Tho. AdamsDiseases of the soule a discourse diuine, morall, and physicall. By Tho. Adams

Innumerable are the bodies infirmities; introitus unus, innumeri exi-tus, there being but one means of coming into the world, infinite of going out; and Sickness is Deaths Leger▪ Ambassador. But they are few and scant, if compared to the souls; which being a better piece of timber, hath the more teredines breeding in it: as the fairest flower hath the most Cantharides attending on it. The devil loves the soul as the jewel, the body of the rind or husk, as if it were without the other a dead commodity, and would stink in his hands. He cries as the king of Sodom to Abrahrm, Da mihi animus▪ caetera cape tibi. If hee can corrupt this, he knows the other will fall to corruption of it self: for the soul works by motion, the body but by action for the souls servant. Now satan was ever ambitious ⟨p. 73⟩and will not care for the waiting Maid, if he may get the mistress; or useth the other but for his better conveyance and insinuation to this. And because it bears the narrow portraiture and image of that Creator he emulates, this he seeks the more violently to deface. Let the body enjoy the light and warmth of the Sun, so he can enwrap this in the cold clouds of dark night. A dark night indeed, wherein many souls do live; having the little windows or loop-holes of reason shadowed by the curtains of fleshly lusts. Night is a sad, heavy, and uncomfortable time, to the unresting body (a nurse of anguished thoughts at whose dugs sorrows and dreams lie continually sucking:) thinking every hour an Olympiad, till the Sun ariseth: so is the souls darkness, if security hath not rocked asleep; and custom (which is the apoplexy of bed-rid nature, and wicked life) obstupefied her; an unquiet, turbulent, and peaceless time: with such hurrying tempests within, that the body tumbles upon a soft bed, and after many experienced shiftings finds no ease.