§. 20. The second sort of special corruptions are the sins of a mans nature, or of his natural constitution, such as he is naturally more addicted and inclined unto then unto other. For as it is with the body, so is it also with the soul. As in every mans body there is a general mixture of all the four humours, Blood, Fleame, and the two Cholers, in some degree more or less, but there is some one of them predominant, in regard whereof a man is said to be of a Sanguine, a Flegmatike, a Melancholic, or a Choleric Constitution: or as in grounds untoiled and untilled there grow evil weeds of all sorts, but there is some one commonly that over-toppeth the residue, and groweth rifer and ranker usually then the rest: So in the soul of man (since the fall of our first Parents pa general seed-plot of evil) there are spiritual weeds of all sorts, a mixture of all vice, the seed and spawn of all sin, qAtheism it self not excepted: but there is rsome one pestilent Humour or other lightly more predominant then the rest, some one main and master vice, that giveth a denomination, in regard whereof men are said to be, some ambitious, some covetous, some superstitious, some lascivious, and the like: not as if such persons had no other vice, but that that they are so named by: for it is most true that the Heathen man saith, ⟨p. 33⟩sHe that hath any one vice, hath all other with it; but tbecause that beareth the sway, though the other be all there too in a lower, and a less eminent degree. This is that which David seemeth to have aimed at when he saith; uI was upright also with him, and kept my self from mine own sin, xEvery David (saith one well) hath his Bathsheba, and every Bathsheba her David. David had no doubt his sin, yhis beloved, his dear, his darling sin, that which naturally he delighted in and was addicted unto. And so hath every man ordinarily some one corruption or other, that is the delight of his heart and the joy of his eyes, that he is naturally most wedded unto, most carried away with.
§. 20. The second sort of speciall corruptions are the sinnes of a mans nature, or of his naturall constitution, such as he is naturally more addicted and inclined vnto then vnto other. For as it is with the bodie, so is it also with the soule. As in euery mans bodie there is a generall mixture of all the foure humours, Bloud, Fleame, and the two Cholers, in some degree more or lesse, but there is some one of them predominant, in regard whereof a man is said to be of a Sanguine, a Flegmatike, a Melancholike, or a Cholerike Constitution: or as in grounds vntoiled and vntilled there grow euill weeds of all sorts, but there is some one commonly that ouer-toppeth the residue, and groweth rifer and rancker vsually then the rest: So in the soule of man (since the fall of our first Parents pa generall seed-plot of euill) there are spirituall weeds of all sorts, a mixture of all vice, the seed and spawne of all sinne, qAtheisme it selfe not excepted: but there is rsome one pestilent Humour or other lightly more predominant then the rest, some one maine and master vice, that giueth a denomination, in regard whereof men are said to be, some ambitious, some couetous, some superstitious, some lasciuious, and the like: not as if such persons had no other vice, but that that they are so named by: for it is most true that the Heathen man saith, ⟨p. 33⟩sHe that hath any one vice, hath all other with it; but tbecause that beareth the sway, though the other be all there too in a lower, and a lesse eminent degree. This is that which Dauid seemeth to haue aimed at when he saith; uI was vpright also with him, and kept my selfe from mine owne sinne, xEuery Dauid (saith one well) hath his Bathsheba, and euery Bathsheba her Dauid. Dauid had no doubt his sinne, yhis beloued, his deare, his darling sinne, that which naturally he delighted in and was addicted vnto. And so hath euery man ordinarily some one corruption or other, that is the delight of his heart and the ioy of his eyes, that he is naturally most wedded vnto, most caried away with.
- p[Greek or Hebrew]. Empedoclis vocabulum apud Aristot. de gener. animal. l. 4. c. 3.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Empedoclis vocabulum apud Aristot. de gener. animal. l. 4. c. 3.
- qEphes. 2. 12. [Greek or Hebrew]. Et cupidi omnes, & maligni omnes, & timidi omnes, & ambitiosi; adijce & impij omnes. Sen. de benes. l. 5. c. 17.Ephes. 2. 12. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Et cupidi omnes, & maligni omnes, & timidi omnes, & ambitiosi; adijce & impij omnes. Sen. de benes. l. 5. c. 17.
- rNullū mihi m•rbi genus ign•ū est: uni tamen morbo quasi assignatus sum. Se•. epist. 55.Nullū mihi m•rbi genus ign•ū est: vni tamen morbo quasi assignatꝰ sum. Se•. epist. 55.
- sQui […] […] ▪ vitiū, •abet oina. Sē. de ben•f. l. 5. c. 15. Malus quisque nullo vitio vaca•. Ibid. l. 4. c. 27.Qui 〈…〉 〈…〉 ▪ vitiū, •abet oīa. Sē. de ben•f. l. 5. c. 15. Malus quisque nullo vitio vaca•. Ibid. l. 4. c. 27.
- tStulius oī •iti. 1 habet • sed non in omnia natura pronus est. Senec. de ben•f lib. 4. cap. 27. Omnia in omnibus vitia sunt; sed non omnia in singulis extant. Ibid. c. 26. Omnia omnibus insunt; sd in quibusdam singula eminent. Ibid. c 27.
