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

Next to the Dropsy of Covetise, I would place the immoderate hunger of Usury; for as the one drinks, ⟨p. 28⟩so the other feeds to satisfy; and the former is not more thirsty after his cupping, then the latter is hungry after his devouring. Some have compared Usury to the Gout, (by reason of that diseases incidency to Usurers) which is an unnatural humour flowing to the extreme parts. It is either Arthritis, an articular disease, which we call a joint sickness: or Podagra, a pain invading the joint of the great toe, or the heel, or some inferior parts of the foot: this like a strong charm bindeth a man to his chair. Musculus says, that Divines shall reform Usury, when Physicians have cured the Gout: the sin and the disease are both incurable. And that will one day rack the conscience, as this the sinews. Herein the merely Covetous and the Usurer differ: the Covetous to be rich, would undergo any labour, the Usurer would be rich, yet undergo no labour; therefore like the gout-wrung, desires to sit still. I have thought fitter to compare it with the dog-like appetite; which cannot refrain from devouring meat without measure; which the stomach not able to bear, they fall to vomiting like Dogs: hence again hunger is excited to more meat, and much meat provokes spewing: so that their whole life is nothing else but a vicissitude of devouring and vomiting.

NExt to the Dropsie of Couetice, I would place the immoderate hunger of Usurie; for as the one drinks, ⟨p. 28⟩