Subsect. 6. Immoderate exercise a cause, and how. Solitariness, Idleness.

Nothing so good, but it may be abused: Nothing better then Exercise (if opportunely used) for the preservation of the Body: Nothing so bad, if it be unseasonable, violent, or overmuch. Fernelius out of Galen, Path. lib. 1. c. 16. saith, That much exercise and weariness consumes the spirits and substance, refrigerates the body; and such humors which Nature would have otherwise concocted and expelled, it stirs up, and makes them rage: which being so inraged, diversly affect, and trouble the body and minde.

So doth it, if it be unseasonably used, upon a full stomack, or when the body is full of crudities, which Fuchsius so much enveighs against, Lib. 2. instit. sect. 2. c. 4. giving that for a cause, why school-boys in Germany are so often scabbed, because they use exercise presently after meats. Bayerus puts in a caveat against such exercise, because it corrupts the meat in the stomack, and carries the same juyce raw, and as yet undigested, into the veins (saith Lemnius) which there putrifies, and confounds the animal spirits.

Crato, consil. 21. l. 2. protests against all such exercise after meat, as being the greatest enemy to concoction that may be, and cause of corruption of humors, which produce this, and many other diseases. Not without good reason then, doth Salust. Salvianus, l. 2. c. 1. and Leonartus Jacchinus in 9. Rhasis. Mercurialis, Arculanus, and many other, set down immoderate exercise, as a most forcible cause of melancholy.

Opposite to Exercise, is Idleness (the badg of gentry) or want of Exercise, the bane of body and minde, the nurse of naughtiness, stepmother of discipline, the chief author of all mischief, one of the seven deadly sins, and a sole cause of this and many other maladies, the devils cushion, as Gualter calls it, his pillow and chief reposal. For the minde can never rest, but still meditates on one thing or other, except it be occupied about some honest business, of his own accord it rusheth into melancholy.

As too much and violent exercise offends on the one side, so doth an idle life on the other, (saith Crato) it fills the body full of flegm, gross humors, and all maner of obstructions, rheumes, catars, &c. Rhasis, cont. lib. 1. tract. 9. accounts of it as the greatest cause of melancholy. I have often seen (saith he) that idleness begets this humor more then any thing else. Montaltus, c. 1. seconds him out of his experience, They that are idle are far more subject to melancholy, then such as are conversant or imployed about any office or business.

Plutarch reckons up idleness for a sole cause of the sickness of the soul: There are they (saith he) troubled in minde, that have no other cause but this. Homer, Iliad. 1. brings in Achilles eating of his own heart in his Idleness, because he might not fight. Mercurialis, consil. 86. for a melancholy young man urgeth it is a chief cause; why was he melancholy? because idle. Nothing begets it sooner, encreaseth and continueth it oftner then idleness.

A disease familiar to all idle persons, an inseparable companion to such as live at ease, Pingui otio desidiosè agentes, a life out of action, and have no calling or ordinary imployment to busie themselves about, that have small occasions; and though they have, such is their laziness, dulness; they will not compose themselves to do ought, they cannot abide work, though it be necessary, easie, as to dress themselves, write a Letter, or the like;

yet as he that is benummed with cold, sits still shaking, that might relieve himself with a little exercise or stirring, do they complain, but will not use the facile and ready means to do themselves good; and so are still tormented with melancholy. Especially if they have been formerly brought up to business, or to keep much company, and upon a sudden come to lead a sedentary life, it crucifies their souls, and seazeth on them in an instant;

for whilst they are any ways imployed, in action, discourse, about any business, sport or recreation, or in company to their liking, they are very well; but if alone or idle, tormented instantly again; one days solitariness, one hours sometimes, doth them more harm, then a weeks physick, labor and company can do good. Melancholy seazeth on them forthwith being alone, and is such a torture, that as wise Seneca well saith, Malo mihi malè quam molliter esse, I had rather be sick then idle.

This idleness is either of body or minde. That of body is nothing but a kinde of benumming laziness, intermitting exercise, which if we may beleeve Fernelius, causeth crudities, obstructions, excremental humors, quencheth the natural heat, dulls the spirits, and makes them unapt to do any thing whatsoever. Neglectis urenda filix innascitur agris.

As Fern grows in untild grounds, and all maner of weeds, so do gross humors in an idle body, Ignavum corrumpunt otia corpus. A horse in a stable that never travels, a hawk in a Mew that seldom flies, are both subject to diseases; which left unto themselves are most free from any such incumbrances. An idle dog will be mangy, and how shall an idle person think to escape?

Idleness of the minde, is much worse then this of the body; wit without employment, is a disease, Ærugo animi, rubigo ingenii: the rust of the soul, a plague, a hell it self, Maximum animi nocumentum, Galen calls it. As in a standing pool, worms and filthy creepers increase, (& vitium capiunt ni moveantur aquæ, the water it self putrifies, and air likewise, if it be not continually stirred by the wind) so do evil and corrupt thoughts in an idle person, the soul is contaminated.

In a Common-wealth, where is no publike enemy, there is likely civil wars, and they rage upon themselves: this body of ours, when it is idle and knows not how to bestow it self, macerates and vexeth it self with cares, griefs, false-fears, discontents, and suspicions; it tortures and preys upon his own bowels, and is never at rest.